Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) Negotiations
The collective bargaining agreement between the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) IFT/AFT 6300 and the University will expire August 15, 2026. Negotiations for a successor agreement began on April 6, 2026.
Third Bargaining Session Recap – May 12, 2026
On May 12, 2026, the GEO and the university met for the third time at the Illini Union to negotiate a successor agreement. The negotiation session lasted four hours.
The session began with the GEO responding to the university’s initially proposed ground rules. The GEO indicated agreement with the majority of the university’s proposals, with the exception of a few clarifying questions related to livestreaming on social media and a proposed revision requiring mutual agreement between the parties for virtual negotiations. After further discussion, the university and the GEO reached agreement on ground rules for subsequent bargaining sessions.
The university then asked the GEO remaining clarifying questions regarding the GEO’s initial proposal, including the following topics: distribution of information and the university’s ability to discuss information about bargaining unit members; salary compensation for assistants who do not hold summer appointments; summer automatic waivers; the GEO’s intent behind proposed changes to the Healthcare article; laboratory and fieldwork safety standards; and artificial intelligence. After numerous questions posed by the university, the GEO acknowledged that a separate health insurance plan for bargaining unit represented assistants would not be cost effective.
The university expressed agreement with the GEO’s proposal to change references to common terms throughout the Agreement. The university then presented its counterproposal on non-economic items. Proposed changes included the following: defining harassment in accordance with HR-48 of the Campus Administrative Manual; changing references to “Notice of Appointment,” to “Offers of Employment” to better reflect the practice of issuing offers of employment to assistants; requiring that requests for an explanation of a delayed offer letter be made within 30 days of the start of the semester or appointment; proposing that eligibility for gross payment related to late offer letters be at the university’s discretion; incorporating several Memorandums of Agreement into the contract regarding preprofessional graduate assistant duties, taxation, evaluation of research assistants, and healthcare; removing contractual language permitting assistants to purchase healthcare service at McKinley Health Center for any individual; and deleting a 2009 Memorandum of Understanding regarding oral English proficiency requirements.
During and after the university’s presentation of its non-economic counterproposal, the GEO questioned why several new articles and sections from the GEO’s initial proposal were not addressed. The university indicated it was willing to discuss these new articles and sections but stated that the GEO would need to revise its proposed contractual language for further consideration. The university also noted that the current language includes several permissive or illegal subjects of bargaining. Permissive subjects of bargaining are matters that neither party is required to negotiate, such as limitations on information shared with other university employees. An illegal subject of bargaining is a topic that violates the law and therefore cannot be negotiated, included in, or enforced through a collective bargaining agreement, such as compensation for individuals who are not working.
At the conclusion of the session, the GEO asked why it had not yet received an economic counterproposal and when one could be expected. The university responded that it is still completing its cost analysis of the GEO’s economic proposals. While noting that an economic proposal could be presented in July, the university stated that it is premature to do so given the substantial number of non-economic items that remain unresolved.
The university and the GEO confirmed that their next bargaining session is scheduled for June 18, with two additional sessions scheduled in July.
Next Session: June 18, 2026, 1 p.m. Location to be determined at a later time.
Previous Bargaining Summaries
First Bargaining Session Recap – April 6, 2026
On April 6, 2026, the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) and the University held their initial negotiation session at the Illini Union to begin the process of negotiating a successor agreement. The session lasted three (3) hours and began with introductions of the negotiators and bargaining committee members for both parties.
Following introductions, the University presented its proposed ground rules for negotiations. The University explained that while many of the proposed ground rules are similar to those agreed upon during prior negotiations, some differences reflect the fact that the previous negotiations occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the ground rules were presented, the GEO began an overview of its initial two (2)-year contract proposal. The GEO requested that the University limit its questions to clarifying questions until the GEO had completed presentation of the proposal in its entirety.
The GEO’s initial contract proposal included the following economic proposals: salary minimums of $27,380 for a nine-month, 50% appointment for year one (1), and $30,250 for year two (2); a proposed six percent (6%) wage increase in year one (1) and a greater of two percent (2%) or the campus wage program increase in year two (2) for reappointed assistants; a waiver of all student fees; elimination of the ninety-one (91) day rule for tuition waivers; University payment of one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost for individual and dependent health insurance; a summer stipend for assistants regardless of whether they hold a summer assistantship; a $500 monthly childcare stipend; a stipend to offset tax withholdings related to tuition waivers; and establishment of an International Graduate Worker Assistance Fund with a minimum annual allocation of $1,000,000 for each year of the agreement.
The GEO’s initial proposal also included several non-economic proposals, including additional employee rights and procedures related to the University’s handling of interactions with federal immigration authorities. These proposals would require the University to notify the GEO of certain interactions between assistants and immigration or law enforcement authorities. The GEO also proposed language intended to ensure compliance with relevant laboratory standards and to establish safety standards for non-laboratory and fieldwork environments. Additional proposals sought to ensure academic freedom and intellectual property as contractual rights of employment. The GEO also proposed changes to disciplinary procedures and revisions to the definition of hours of work for assistants, including the requirement that assistants receive set schedules defined in their Notices of Appointment.
After the GEO completed its presentation, the parties discussed potential dates for the next bargaining session, tentatively identifying April 21 or April 23. The GEO asked whether the University would present its proposal at the next meeting. The University stated that, at the next session, it intends to ask more in-depth questions regarding the GEO’s initial proposal and expects to present its non-economic proposals at the third bargaining session. The GEO indicated that it would review the University’s proposed ground rules prior to the next meeting. The session then concluded.
Second Bargaining Session Recap – April 23, 2026
On April 23, 2026, the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) and the University met for the second time at the Illini Union to negotiate a successor agreement. The negotiation session lasted two and one-half (2.5) hours and began with introductions by both parties.
Following introductions, the GEO and the University confirmed that the purpose of the session was for the University to ask clarifying questions regarding the GEO’s proposal. The University inquired whether the GEO had responded to the University’s proposed bargaining ground rules. The GEO stated that it had not yet done so and was still reviewing the proposal. The GEO then asked the University a clarifying question regarding proposal number nine (9) in the University’s proposed ground rules concerning a designated spokesperson.
The University subsequently asked the GEO several clarifying questions regarding the GEO’s initial proposal. These questions addressed topics including recognition, proposed changes to the nondiscrimination statement, appointment terms, revised notices of appointment, disciplinary procedures, training for assistants, and proposed changes to assistants’ hours of work.
At the conclusion of the bargaining session, the University had not completed all its clarifying questions. Both parties agreed to meet again for a third bargaining session on May 12. The University committed to asking its remaining clarifying questions during the next session and to presenting a counterproposal on non-economic items by the end of that session.
Next Session: May 12, 2026, 9 a.m. at the Illini Union