top of page
University Professionals
of Illinois
Local 4100, IFT, AFL-CIO
Unions are happening!
June 10, 2026
The UPI Retirees' Newsletter was sent out May 19.
If you missed the email the Newsletter is now posted on the Retirees Page.
As you can see from the articles in this Spring Newsletter, the last six months have been a busy time for the Retirees Chapter. Among their many activities, Retirees members attended the HOD and our Annual meeting; organized, lobbied, and rallied for higher education funding; lent support to striking faculty at UIS; and joined No Kings protests!
Read more
Keep Up the good work
There has been a lot going on and it seems overwhelming. Take time for selfcare too. It's important to peacefully protest and equally important to take care of yourself.
It is important to keep up the pressure and run for local office!
Every phone call, letter, email, and postcard help keep the issues before our representatives.
The pressure is working, keep up the good work.
June 10, 2026
6/10/26
An arbitrator ruled that WIU administration violated a collective bargaining agreement when it let go 9 faculty and two other bargaining unit professionals.
The violation occurred under Article 26 the when the administration did not utilize the Academic Program Elimination Review (APER) process to eliminate those positions.
"This decision confirms what we have argued from the beginning: these layoffs were wrong, they were harmful to staff and students, and they violated our contract," said WIU Chapter President Merrill Cole.
“We have maintained from the very beginning that the institution had violated the contract.
This case illustrates the mistakes
that can happen when the state fails to adequately fund higher education.
You have an institution who’s in a crisis mode, and they are looking for a solution to a problem in a crisis without thinking about the long-term implications and whether or not they can contractually do this,” said John Miller, President of University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100.
Read the full story from our news section.
June 10, 2026
Illinois is failing its regional universities
May 27, 2026
"As someone who has spent their career in both policy and higher education, and as a current trustee for Western Illinois University, I have sadly witnessed the erosion of state support for regional universities.
In fact, the western region of Illinois isn’t known as “Forgotonia” for no reason. Illinois has over time morphed into a public higher education system of inadequate, inequitable and unstable funding of our vital regional universities."--Kirk Dillard
Read the entire article @Ford County Chronicle
Fast Funds needs your help
Please consider donating to Fast Funds. For more information on Fast funds go to our fast fund page linked below and here.
The fund assists students with emergency costs. Support the University of your choice please donate today.
Thank you to everyone who made a one-time or recurring donation to our FAST Fund!
bottom of page