After months of bargaining between UIC’s administration and the Faculty Union, UICUF, the union filed an intent to strike document with the school Wednesday evening November 16th. This comes after a strike vote that was conducted within the union earlier this week. 

On Monday and Tuesday, the union held a vote both online and in person with several ballot boxes posted throughout campus. Charitianne Williams, the communication chair of UICUF, stated that 77% of all tenure and non-tenure track faculty had voted. 

The result: 97% of the votes were in favor of a faculty strike.

The strike vote and intent to strike being filed follow months of bargaining and rallying for a new contract. Several weeks ago, UICUF held a rally outside of Grant Hall where the rhetoric of a strike was hyper present. 

The union is required to file their intent to strike 10 days prior to going on strike. Although an intent to strike has been filed, this does not mean there will be a strike. It simply means that after the 10-day period, the union would be legally allowed to go on strike.

At a rally held today at UIC’s Student Center West, president of the Union Aaron Krall stated during a speech that “we don’t want to go on strike but [we are prepared to do whatever it takes to obtain the contract the union desires.]” 

 The intent to strike is meant to demonstrate the union’s commitment to their requests in negotiations with the University, according to Williams.

“Our hope is that because of the strike vote…they will see that we are quite serious about our demands for change and our demands for growth at UIC,” Williams said. 

The union has consistently attempted to move bargaining forward without having to use a strike. According to Williams, the union hopes the intent to strike will be enough to move bargaining forward and that the union will not have to actually go on strike. 

The timing of the intent being filed is similar to last year’s GEO strike that came at the end of the semester. This meant that TA’s were not grading final papers and exams due to the strike, and the end of the semester came to an abrupt end. However, Williams made it clear that filing the strike so late in the semester was not intentional. 

“No, there was not a plan to wait till the end of the semester,” Williams said. 

Though the Union does not wish to strike, Williams speaking for the union believes it might be their “only power” to fight for their demands. Demands that the union see’s as important for both the well being of students and faculty.

Administration was reached out to by Bonfire for comment and was directed to administrations bargaining website, facultybargaining.uic.edu