University of Chicago Workers Reach Tentative Agreement

A Tentative Agreement Has Been Reached!

It was hard fought and we were only able to achieve all the victories that we did because so many of you stepped up and came to bargaining, wore buttons or stickers and even joined us this week to pass out flyers to the greater University of Chicago community. This victory is all of ours.

We did not win everything that we hoped, but we laid the ground work to be a stronger union. We are part of the labor community on campus and the Administration will have to listen to us all now.

We won the following improvements, without any takeaways:

• Clear protocol for overtime and Shift Changes in the Central Utility Plant
• Better uniform allowance—including increased items and $200 provided annually to us to buy our own boot
• Increased bereavement leave and the addition of 6 weeks paid parental leave
• An agreement that if you have to cancel your vacation, the University will pay the associated costs
• Clearer language for Sunday premium pay
• An Additional Sick day
• Creation of a Training Committee to bring more training opportunities to campus
• Language that gives the union a greater say in workload and any changes to job descriptions
• 11% pay increase over the life of the contract—with 3% in the first two years
  • 3%, 3%, 2.5%, 2.5%
  • Including Retro Pay back to September 1, 2019

If you want to hear more about the Tentative Agreement, please reach out to someone on the Bargaining Committee or our union representative, Elizabeth Towell at ETowell@seiu73.org.