University of Illinois dining and building workers vote to allow September strike – Illinois Newsroom

URBANA — Service staff on the College of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are keen to strike in September after their present contract expires.

Of the employees who solid their votes over the previous two weeks, 91 p.c licensed the Service Staff Worldwide Union (SEIU) Native 73 to begin making ready to strike.

“Not solely was it an awesome ‘sure’ to authorize a strike, it was additionally probably the most votes we’ve ever gotten as a union. So persons are not solely indignant and agitated, they’re motivated to point out up and vote,” says SEIU steward Michael Lindley.

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College spokesperson Robin Kaler says directors hope to choose a contract earlier than SEIU’s present contract expires. She says the college has additionally labored out what to do if the 800-plus services and eating staff within the SEIU stroll off their jobs.

The vote is a authorized formality that college unions typically resort to, in keeping with SEIU chief steward Justus Fortado. SEIU members must vote once more in August earlier than happening strike.

Within the meantime, the events proceed to barter. The following bargaining session for SEIU eating corridor staff is Tuesday. SEIU constructing service staff will meet with college officers the next week.

Eating, custodial staff look forward to raises

SEIU members have been negotiating with College of Illinois representatives since November. In all that point, the college hasn’t communicated what sort of raises it would provide – and staff desperately need raises.

“We’ve made some progress on minor points like uniforms and having the ability to put on shorts when it’s not summer season,” says Fortado. “However we’ve but to obtain any financial proposal from the college.”

Kaler says the college is settling the non-economic points first.

Lindley says the tempo of the method has been irritating.

SEIU has proposed $5 raises for these making base salaries, to assist sustain with the price of residing and wages within the space.

Lindley is aware of firsthand how a lot the proposed raises would have an effect on staff’ lives. He has been a constructing service employee with the college for 4 years. Through the first two years, he made about $15 an hour.

“Proper when the pandemic began, I used to be about one-and-a-half years in. Every thing was dearer,” Lindley says. “Fuel was an issue. Meals was costly. The essential requirements, housing – all of it provides up.”

To make ends meet, Lindley took on a second job at his earlier employer, a small pest management firm.

After two years, Lindley jumped from the bottom wage to simply beneath $21 an hour, the best wage that constructing service staff could make. (Longevity doesn’t have an effect on constructing service employee wage after two years.)

He continues to work each jobs. This provides as much as about 60 to 65 hours of labor every week, not together with his union organizing.

“I do an excessive amount of if I’m being sincere,” Lindley laughs.

Lindley requests that those that wish to assist college service staff name or electronic mail Chancellor Robert Jones. 

Emily Hays is a reporter for Illinois Public Media. Comply with her on Twitter @amihatt.