UIC Faculty on Strike - Scenes from the February 19 noon rally
The faculty union of the University of Illinois at Chicago, my alma mater, went on strike back on Tuesday. The Chicago Tribune article does a decent job giving the background on what's at stake. But, to sum it up, professors want their (frankly, pretty low, considering the field) salaries raised. UIC is saying there isn't enough money for the kind of raises the union is asking. The union is pointing out that the university is sitting on millions of dollars in surpluses, and, contrary to the official university line, not all of it is committed to specific projects.
Before of my newspaper commitments, I wasn't able to make it the UIC campus on Tuesday, but today was more flexible. I came to the East Campus a few minutes before noon - just in time to catch the rally.
You can see the entire set of photos from my visit here. This post is going to focus on the highlights.
A lot of people gathered at the student square.
Union officials, and representatives from supporting organizations, gathered on the north corner of the square
Some professors were pounding drum buckets... because it's a labor event in Chicago, that's why.
Union members led the crowd in a chant. There was the usual "Show me what democracy looks like - this is what democracy looks like!" and the UIC variation "Show me what the UIC looks like - This is what the UIC Looks like!" I admit - it did make me a bit misty-eyed.
To the enthusiastic reception of the audience
"Get up, get down! Chicago is a union town!"
Here's a reporter from UIC News, the university's only surviving newspaper (RIP Chicago Flame)
And here's a member of another union offering support
A professor from the economics department spoke
So did the head of English department
A student from Sociology Department (whose name I didn't catch) spoke in support of the teachers on behalf of the students.
Speaking of student support - there were definitely some students in the crowd
Yep - that's the student who spoke earlier on the right.
The rally wrapped up around 12:30. The crowd slowly dispersed as teachers went to get pizza (provided by another friendly union). But even before they headed out, they left behind some signs.
I just like these shots because of the University Hall - which houses a whole bunch of offices, including the chancellor's office - towering over the rally
More shots from a few minutes after the rally wrapped up
A professor shows his double-sided sign
More signs
My old nemeses - the campus Communists (seriously, words can't describe how much I disliked that group when I attended UIC)
I didn't wait for the crowd to dissolve completely and went into the library and a few lecture halls, just to see how they were effected. And honestly - other than most classrooms and lecture halls being completely empty, it didn't seem that different at all.
I knew that, once the pizza was eaten, the strikers would be out, picketing in front of various campus buildings. And, sure enough, at around 1:00 PM, I saw a small group picketing in front of the University Hall.
They invited me to hang around. One professor even offered me a mandarin (she called it an orange, but I didn't hold it against her). I told them I was here to represent supportive alumni, which they appreciated.
A few minutes later, one of the union heads asked them what they were doing there, and directed them to go on the north side of the Behavioral Sciences Building - the side facing the busy Harrison Street. And off they went.
At this point, I had to head to the library to finish an article, but I was there to catch a touching scene. A UIC employee - I think he was a custodian, but I'm not entirely sure - stopped to offer support.
"I wish I could be here with you," he said.
"Well, you can a blue ribbon," one of the striking professors said as she reached into her bag. "You can support on in spirit."
"You work in BSB," another professor said. "I see you all the time. Thank you for your support."
The UIC employee took the ribbon, once again saying that he was sorry he couldn't be here. He said that he got what they were going through.
"We've been without a contract for three years," he said. "Since 2000... No, 2010."
"That's terrible," another professor nodded.
"I don't know how much longer we can do it," said the UIC employee. "Pretty soon, we might be out here."
"Well, if you ever go on strike, we'll be here to support you," said the second professor.
The UIC employee thanked them, told them he had to go and went off toward BSB.
It would be interesting to see if the faculty union actually would support whichever employee union that man was part of. I like to believe so. I certainly hope so.
I headed out, but not before taking one last picture.
Before of my newspaper commitments, I wasn't able to make it the UIC campus on Tuesday, but today was more flexible. I came to the East Campus a few minutes before noon - just in time to catch the rally.
You can see the entire set of photos from my visit here. This post is going to focus on the highlights.
A lot of people gathered at the student square.
Union officials, and representatives from supporting organizations, gathered on the north corner of the square
Some professors were pounding drum buckets... because it's a labor event in Chicago, that's why.
Union members led the crowd in a chant. There was the usual "Show me what democracy looks like - this is what democracy looks like!" and the UIC variation "Show me what the UIC looks like - This is what the UIC Looks like!" I admit - it did make me a bit misty-eyed.
To the enthusiastic reception of the audience
"Get up, get down! Chicago is a union town!"
Here's a reporter from UIC News, the university's only surviving newspaper (RIP Chicago Flame)
And here's a member of another union offering support
A professor from the economics department spoke
So did the head of English department
A student from Sociology Department (whose name I didn't catch) spoke in support of the teachers on behalf of the students.
Speaking of student support - there were definitely some students in the crowd
Yep - that's the student who spoke earlier on the right.
The rally wrapped up around 12:30. The crowd slowly dispersed as teachers went to get pizza (provided by another friendly union). But even before they headed out, they left behind some signs.
I just like these shots because of the University Hall - which houses a whole bunch of offices, including the chancellor's office - towering over the rally
More shots from a few minutes after the rally wrapped up
A professor shows his double-sided sign
More signs
My old nemeses - the campus Communists (seriously, words can't describe how much I disliked that group when I attended UIC)
I didn't wait for the crowd to dissolve completely and went into the library and a few lecture halls, just to see how they were effected. And honestly - other than most classrooms and lecture halls being completely empty, it didn't seem that different at all.
I knew that, once the pizza was eaten, the strikers would be out, picketing in front of various campus buildings. And, sure enough, at around 1:00 PM, I saw a small group picketing in front of the University Hall.
They invited me to hang around. One professor even offered me a mandarin (she called it an orange, but I didn't hold it against her). I told them I was here to represent supportive alumni, which they appreciated.
A few minutes later, one of the union heads asked them what they were doing there, and directed them to go on the north side of the Behavioral Sciences Building - the side facing the busy Harrison Street. And off they went.
At this point, I had to head to the library to finish an article, but I was there to catch a touching scene. A UIC employee - I think he was a custodian, but I'm not entirely sure - stopped to offer support.
"I wish I could be here with you," he said.
"Well, you can a blue ribbon," one of the striking professors said as she reached into her bag. "You can support on in spirit."
"You work in BSB," another professor said. "I see you all the time. Thank you for your support."
The UIC employee took the ribbon, once again saying that he was sorry he couldn't be here. He said that he got what they were going through.
"We've been without a contract for three years," he said. "Since 2000... No, 2010."
"That's terrible," another professor nodded.
"I don't know how much longer we can do it," said the UIC employee. "Pretty soon, we might be out here."
"Well, if you ever go on strike, we'll be here to support you," said the second professor.
The UIC employee thanked them, told them he had to go and went off toward BSB.
It would be interesting to see if the faculty union actually would support whichever employee union that man was part of. I like to believe so. I certainly hope so.
I headed out, but not before taking one last picture.