The members of UIC United Faculty Local 6456 stand in solidarity with the members of the UIC Graduate Employees Organization Local 6297 as they fight for a fair contract. We demand that the University recognizes the vital work that graduate assistants perform on campus and provide a reasonable proposal with a living wage.
The University’s financial aid office estimates that the cost of living in Chicago is $17,958. However, the minimum wage for a graduate employee is $14,565. TAs and GAs make $3,300 less than a living wage and, as such, live 124% below the poverty level. The added expense of rising tuition differentials and fees means that many TAs and GAs live on even less than the minimum. According to an independent analysis of University finances by Howard Bunsis, Professor of Accounting at Eastern Michigan University, UIC has accumulated approximately $300 million in unrestricted funds. By dedicating less than one percent of those funds to graduate employees’ wages, the University could pay GAs and TAs a living wage.
Providing graduate employees a living wage means not only improving their quality of life, but also creating working conditions that will allow the University to thrive. Ultimately, the University claims to be a world class institution, but its success is dependent on its educators, staff, and students. If it continues to alienate those who are integral to its mission through low wages and high fees, how can it claim to reach its goals?
GEO’s fight is about more than simply a living wage; union members are fighting for their students, their university, and the future of public education. We as faculty members recognize the important roles that GAs and TAs perform at UIC and demand that the University provide them with a fair contract. We echo the GEO’s theme- UIC works because we do.
Signed,
UIC United Faculty Executive Board and Representative Assembly
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