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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I just arrived home from the University of Illinois Graduate Employees Union ( GEO ) strike rally in Urbana-Champaign IL..<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>They really know how to do a rally. Drums, horns, chanting, singing, and lots of great speakers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I could hear them from over two blocks away as I approached.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>This is day 2 of their strike and when I picketed with them yesterday, the university quad area where most of the buildings where classes are held, was empty of the usual large crowds of students going to and from classes. Only hundreds of chanting graduate students picketing in front of various buildings in groups of ten to fifteen and in excess of 50 in front of some buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>This strike is getting attention from all over the U.S. because of what is at stake. The outcome of this strike will set a precedent that will have repercussions not just for Graduate students across the U.S., but also for other public sector Unions at the University of Illinois and across the country as well as all Unions nationwide.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The main issue is tuition waivers. The U of I Admin. wants to have sole discretion as to who gets tuition waivers as opposed to being stipulated in the Union contract that requires it for ALL graduate students, as has been the case since the founding of the GEO Union in 2002. That is the big issue, but also a raise in pay to slightly above the federal minimum wage and more of their healthcare costs being paid by the University. Last year their health insurance increased by 25 %.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>This strike may last longer than the 2009 strike that lasted only 2-days, since it appears that the U of I Admin is emboldened by both the Trump Admin in D.C., Illinois Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, and the upcoming Janus decision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>If the U of I gets their way and tuition waivers will no longer be specified in the Union contract, then the Union will eventually die. In effect an attempt at Union busting.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The Graduate Union members I spoke with are prepared for however long it takes because they realize that not only will this destroy their Union but it will also make the University unaffordable for most of them, who are primarily from Working class families.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>If any of you individually and/or your Union Local can donate to their strike fund please do so at ; </span><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.uigeo.org/">http://www.uigeo.org/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>As soon as you pull up the web page the donate button is in the right hand corner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thanks in Solidarity<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>David Johnson<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>World Labor Hour Radio<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>104.5 FM ( <a href="http://www.wrfu.net">www.wrfu.net</a> )<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Urbana- Champaign, IL.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>