Governors State faculty picket Wednesday

UNIVERSITY PARK– Upset with prolonged contract negotiations, faculty and staff at Governors State University held an informational picket at the university Dec. 4.

"We have been bargaining unsuccessfully with the administration since April," Marsha Katz, president of University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100’s GSU chapter said. "We need improvements to our salaries and reductions in our workloads," Katz, the union’s chief negotiator said, charging that GSU faculty and staff salaries have slipped about 1.5 percent over the past five years when compared to other universities her union bargains for in the state. "Now the administration wants us to accept a contract giving us no new money and no guarantee of increases in subsequent years."

Katz charged the university with attempting to negotiate a disruptive change to present faculty workload/working conditions by introducing a new and stricter ranking system for GSU faculty. "What the administration is suggesting is more work for less pay, and that is just unacceptable."

Union officials say they’ve worked with the administration in the past to help it through lean times, but they believe that it’s now time to negotiate a contract recognizing past contributions.

Dec. 4, 2002