Loyola University Graduate Workers Walk Off Job

On Wednesday, April 24 Loyola University of Chicago graduate workers, represented by SEIU Local 73, walked off the job in their fight for a fair contract. Loyola University has refused to begin negotiations with the NLRB certified grad union for two years.

Over the course of six hours around 200 people came out on the picket lines and to the rally. At the rally the graduate workers received support from speakers: Local 73 President Dian Palmer, US Representative Jan Schakowsky, two tenured professors, two clergy, and NTT faculty 73 members. Two graduate workers also spoke yesterday for their first time. Over 20 graduate workers were out on the lines who have never come out to an action before. Four graduate workers from Duke, Wash U, and Emory flew out to support and were on the lines all day.

“It’s unjust that graduate workers are racking up debt just to cover medical care and rent. You do much of the research, teaching and grading on campus for very low pay. We demand that the administration negotiate a fair union contract. They would like nothing more than for us to sit down and stay quiet. Business as usual is not an option. We are union strong and will fight with our brothers and sisters until a fair contract is negotiated,” Dian Palmer, Local 73 President, speaking at rally.

The OC member picket captains: Claire Lockard, Alec Stubbs, Ella Wagner, Yiran Zhang, Jean Clifford, Ruby Oram, Gina Leubecker, and Liza DiStefano coordinated and ran their picket lines all day from chants, to picket line ends, to phone banking folks for shifts –they ran the show and did an incredible job!

In the last week, well over 250 emails and calls were sent/made to President Rooney demanding she negotiate a fair contract; including US Representative Jan Schakowsky and State Senator Robert Peters.

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