At noon Thursday, Oct. 20th, the University of Illinois at Chicago United Faculty (UICUF) held a rally outside of Grant Hall. Around 30 to 40 faculty and students circled around a makeshift stage as Union leaders led chants and expressed their frustrations with university administration, which were met with cheers and boos from the crowd.

Several speakers contributed including the President of the union, Aaron Krall, a senior lecturer in the English department. UICUF Vice President Therese Quinn, a professor in Museum and Exhibition studies, led and energized Thursday’s rally. 

The University Student Government president, Mathew Almendras, spoke, representing his personal support for the faculty, encouraging student wide support. Students for a Democratic Society was also at the rally taking an active role in passing out flyers and urging students to sign a petition to show support for their faculties efforts.

UICUF had begun bargaining with administration back in May of this year. However, the two parties were unable to reach an agreement by the time the Union’s contract expired on August 15th, according to Charitianne Williams, Chair of UICUF’s Communications Committee. Since that date, the Union faculty has been working without a contract, Williams said.

Xóchitl Bada, Co-Chair of UICUF’s bargaining committee and associate professor in Latin American and Latino Studies, explained several of the key factors the Union is taking a hardline stance on in bargaining.

“There are several issues that we are discussing at the rally today … including access to mental health for our students, disability assessment for students, access to lactation rooms that have refrigeration…” Bada said.

Professor Bada, along with the rest of the Union, has stated in the bargaining room that these requests amongst others have received a hardline refusal from administration. 

Stalemates over the bargaining points have led the Union to request the presence of a federal mediator in the coming bargaining sessions, according to Williams. 

Bada stated in 2016, the last time Union contracts were in negotiation, the Union held rallies in response to similar issues between faculty and administration. All Union members showed a willingness to remain firm on their demands for their contract and to continue rallying and petitioning for support. 

Throughout the rally faculty and students chanted “If we don’t get it? Shut it down!”, indicating the possibility of a faculty strike if the Union does not see their demands come to fruition.