The Illinois Court of Appeals ruled today that Illinois graduate employees have the right to collective bargaining. The University of Illinois administration has relied on the 1998 Labor Board decision to justify its anti-union policy in regard to graduate employees. The University administration now has an opportunity to allow the democratic process to go forward, and we are ready to begin dialogue at any time.
Further delay can only cause campus strife and waste more taxpayer money.
Graduate student employees have collective bargaining rights in eleven states, including Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. Nationwide, nearly 30 campuses have recognized unions of graduate employees. Recent decisions by the National Labor Relations Board have opened the door to collective bargaining for graduate employees at private universities. In 1997 a majority of graduate employees voting in a community-sponsored election chose the GEO as their union. The GEO appealed the Board's decision to the Illinois Court of Appeals, and today's decision is a result of that appeal.