The Grind

  • RA Bargaining Session 11 – December 11, 2024

    On Wednesday, we had our 11th bargaining session. While less was passed across the table than normal, our bargaining chair Hanna gave a powerful argument to why RAs need economic compensation and more free time. RAs in attendance supported our message by sharing their own experiences and opinions in the chat. We also re-passed two…

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  • 12/4 GMM Report Back

    Steering Committee extends our thanks and appreciation to all members who attended our second fall General Membership Meeting this past Wednesday. We also uplift the work of Stewards and Organizing Committee members in exceeding our turnout goals: at 85 individual members present, it was our highest attended General Membership Meeting in the last year. Mass…

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  • On the Ground with GEO #1

    Note: This resource appears to be lost. However, the original interview with Christianna is uploaded here for your consideration. In this first ever issue of On the Ground With GEO, an interview series about union life, we hear from Christianna. Christianna (she/her) is a GEO staff member. On November 22, we got together to talk…

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  • RA Bargaining Session 10 – November 26, 2024

    On Tuesday, we had a short bargaining session. GEO passed Article XXI. Discipline and Dismissal once again, standing firm on our position that GEO should be able to represent RAs in academic discipline as well. Otherwise, we are concerned that an RA whose advisor and supervisor are the same person could pursue academic discipline in…

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  • RA Bargaining Session 9 – November 22, 2024

    On Friday, GEO started off the session by passing Articles IX (Union Rights), XXI (Discipline and Dismissal), and VIII (Hours of Work) yet again. For Union Rights, we held the line in demanding UIC provide us with office locations for all graduate assistants. Without knowing where our coworkers even are, we are severely hindered in…

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  • GEO Statement on Election Results

    To all graduate workers at UIC, we are with you. The election results spell safety concerns, unstable laws, and an unreliable government. We, like you, have our fears. Nothing may stay untouched by Donald Trump’s presidency: labor rights, abortion access, asylum and immigration, trans rights, Black lives, and Palestinian lives, and many others. If Trump’s…

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  • RA Bargaining Session 8 – November 6, 2024

    Our last bargaining session started in caucus. Together we reviewed our proposals on union rights and hours. The former includes a new provision protecting the union’s right to post notices in the Office of International Services, and the latter would require supervisors give assistance notice for working weekends, longer than 8 hours in a day.…

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  • RA Bargaining Session 7 – October 22, 2024

    The 7th session of RA Bargaining took place Tuesday, and GEO passed both our Wages and Health Care proposals. Meanwhile, UIC tentatively agreed (TA’d) on Article III. Appointment Terms and the list of articles that UIC and GEO both believe need no changes other than the addition of RAs. UIC also passed back counter proposals…

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  • International Workers Picket Report Back

    GEO held a picket last Thursday to stand up against continuous neglect and exploitation of international workers. 34 members showed up to the Student Services Building where the Office of International Services is located. For over an hour, we shouted chants, sang in solidarity, and walked without stopping with our message held high — GEO…

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  • RA Bargaining Session 6 – October 8, 2024

    The 6th session of RA Bargaining took place Wednesday, and GEO was able to pass 6 different proposals across the table. (UIC was ready with at least one thing by the end of the session, but ran out of time to pass it to us. Session 7 will begin with this.) As it stands, this…

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