UIC Union Rally at Student Center West is Met By Intervention from Staff and Police
Four UIC unions held a rally to push for an improvement of working and financial conditions, including the faculty union, which recently filed an intent to strike
Jackson Wentland
November 17, 2022
On Thursday, November 17 at noon, four UIC employee unions held a rally at Student Center West. The groups present were the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Committee of Interns and Residents (CRN), and the UIC United Faculty (UICUF). The rally follows an announcement that UICUF had filed an intent to strike on Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Members and representatives from these organizations gathered at the first floor of the Student Center to rally support for their collective causes.
The several speakers who held the podium all discussed facing similar issues. Lack of financial equity to support the work they produce and insufficient mental care throughout the school were two main points mentioned. Each group called for more ethical and financial care for their unions.
The final speaker who came to the podium – Aaron Krall, the president of UICUF – spoke for only a few moments before a staff member of the Student Center intervened.
It was unclear from afar what the staff member said as they intervened but it was immediately met by boos and chants of “Union Strong!”
Krall continued to speak after the staff member intervened but was met by objections from the staff member as he attempted to finish the last parts of his speech.
Krall said that he told the staff member “I only have a few more minutes left,” to which the staff member replied, “You have a few more minutes until the police come.”
Immediately after the speech concluded, as the crowd was leaving, two police officers arrived at Student Center West. Several members of the rally stuck around to get a word in with the police, repeating to them their cause that was rallied for moments before the police arrived to shut it down.
After the event, the staff member stated that the union rally had not notified the Student Center they would be holding a rally and no permission was given from the school for the unions to film. There were cameras present at the rally.
Several union members also stuck around after the speech to attempt to converse with the staff member, explaining why they were there and that their issues must be heard. The staff member replied that they were not there to negotiate but to ensure rules and regulations were not being broken.
The staff member claimed no further action would be taken for the supposed violation of Student Center rules and that the only action to be taken was to stop the rally from happening at that moment.
