On April 8th, the workers of Illinois State University (ISU) went on strike. On May 6, the university administration agreed to union demands for a fair contract and living wages. AFSCME Local 1110 President Chuck Carver declared,
“We are united in our determination to win a fair contract, and we won’t back down until President Tarhule’s team comes to the table and treats us with the respect we deserve.”
After striking for nearly a month, Local 1110 won pay increases and retroactive pay for workers and guaranteed minimum pay increases to follow through 2030. Overall, the victory constitutes a nearly 17% wage increase over the terms of the newly settled contract.
ISU administration had a long history of poor treatment of Local 1110 workers had long who had been earning substandard wages and denied dignity due to the perceived low status of their work in food service and sanitation. Once the strike was on, students and parents were sure to take notice when the trash piled up and the meal service was cut short after the workers walked off the job to join the growing picket lines forming around ISU front offices. Many appealed to the university as the strike interrupted the basic functions of university living and learning. The workers were joined by faculty members as they held the line for fair pay and long overdue respect. Elected officials took notice as a coalition of students, parents, faculty and community members marched with Local 1110, a group totaling 6,000, to the rally held outside administrations offices.
ISU administrators has been aware of the Union’s reasonable contract conditions since back in February, but chose to ignore the worker’s petitions, resulting in undelivered services to students and a disruption of student life and learning on the ISU campus. Only after months of stalling tactics failed to scatter union solidarity, the administration resorted to breaking the law before finally honoring their employees and agreeing to their collective demands. As negotiations ran afoul, the union had filed lawsuits against the university for unfair labor practices, which will be dropped by as part of the settlement.
The strike paid off. It drew in the support of local lawmakers and stakeholders who joined local 1110 against the illegal and immoral treatment by the ISU administration. Ratifying the new contract, more than 95% of workers voted Yes.
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