Actions and Events

As the semester is starting to wind down, bargaining is heating up! We expect to receive admin’s proposal on wages, benefits, and leaves this Friday at bargaining. There are a lot of ways to show your support for NTFC’s bargaining efforts. Here are our upcoming actions and events. Your participation at any level will be greatly appreciated! 

(1) This Friday: Pack the Room!

This Friday, we’re looking forward to hearing the university’s proposal on wages, benefits, and leaves. Join us there, to show support! We need as many people in the room as possible. This is a high-priority event, and it would mean a lot if you can be there. You can come late, leave early, or stay the whole time. 

Bargaining sessions are open to all members represented by NTFC. During bargaining, we ask that you sit quietly. You are welcome to participate in caucus. Bring a sign or union gear if you have it, or come as you are. 

• Friday, April 26, 9am-12pm
• Illini Union Ballroom

(2) This Friday: Wings and Working Conditions and Sign Making

We’re having our last social event of the semester! Come and enjoy wings, drinks, and camaraderie! This is also a good time to process the events from the morning’s bargaining session, in community with other union members. We’ll have sign making materials, and you can make a sign for next week’s rally.

• Friday, April 26, 5-8pm
• Quality Bar, Champaign

(3) Next Week Thursday: Solidarity Rally

Are you planning your schedule for Reading Day? The most important chunk of time to set aside for NTFC engagement is 12-1:30pm. (If you’re able to set aside 10am-12pm as well, that is great, but less important.)  

On Reading Day, our usual Work-In will be shorter, as we’ll transition to a Solidarity Rally on the Quad, to support the campus unions that are currently bargaining: NTFC #6546, SEIU #73, AFSCME #698, and AFSCME #3700. We’d love to have a great turnout at the rally! Invite friends, colleagues, students, and anyone you know who supports campus unions.

• Reading Day Work-In
  • Thursday, May 2, 10am-12pm
  • Illini Union Courtyard Cafe
• Solidarity Rally
  • Thursday, May 2, 12-1:30pm
  • Main Quad outside Illini Union
  • This is a high priority event!

Today’s Senate Meeting

At today’s Senate meeting, a coalition of specialized faculty and tenure-track faculty presented a resolution that would represent the first step in the University taking responsibility for funding its collective bargaining agreements.

Around 15 NTFC members and 15 GEO members attended in support of SR.24.01. 

Immediately after NTFC Steward and University Senator Shawn Gilmore presented the resolution, a motion was made by another senator to wait to vote on the resolution until the Senate Committee on the Budget looks it over. After extensive comments, the motion passed. So, there was no vote today on the resolution.

The resolution will eventually come back to the Senate. When that happens, UIUC’s unionized workers will be there to show support! 

We want to recognize and thank the courageous sponsors of this resolution. Some of these senators are specialized faculty, and others are tenure track. 

• Shawn Gilmore, English
• Clara Bosak-Schroeder, Classics
• Stephanie Fortado, Labor & Employee Relations
• Jessica Greenberg, Anthropology
• Ralph Mathisen, History
• David O’Brien, Art & Design
• Charles Roseman, Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior
• Lindsey Stirek, Art & Design
• Kelli Trei, Library
• Jaya Yodh, Carle Illinois College of Medicine

When the official minutes of the Senate are posted, you’ll be able to find them here.

Election Results

This election had the highest participation in our union’s history! During such an important moment for specialized faculty, it’s thrilling to know that so many of us across campus are engaged and attentive. 

NTFC Local #6546’s Executive Council, 2024-2025:

• President: Theresa Dobbs (she/her) – Mathematics
• Vice President: Michael Odom (he/him) – English
• Secretary: Jordan Sellers (he/him) – English
• Treasurer: Dani Nyikos (they/them) – English
• Bargaining Research Chair: Rachel Fein-Smolinski (they/them) – Art & Design
• Communications Chair: Marisa Peacock (she/her) – Advertising and Business
• Grievance Chair: Dave Morris (he/him) – English
• Chief Steward will be elected by the new Stewards Council.

NTFC Local #6546’s Stewards Council, 2024-2025:

• Eben Alguire (they/them) – Theatre
• Juan Alvarez (he/him) – Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Zuofu Cheng (he/him) – Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Mickey Clemon (he/him) – Mechanical Science & Engineering)
• Dave Dubin (he/him) – Information Sciences
• Bryan Dunne (he/him) – Astronomy
• Charles Fogelman (he/him) – Global Studies
• Stephanie Seawell Fortado (she/her) – Labor & Employee Relations
• Katrina Gaffney (she/her) – English
• Shawn Gilmore (he/him) – English
• Maria Hadjipolycarpou (she/her) – Classics
• Melissa Iverson (she/her) – Social Work
• Heather McLeer (she/her) – English
• Zach McVicker (he/him) – English
• Katie Menendez (she/her) – English
• Matt Schering (he/him) – English
• Lindsey Stirek (she/her) – Art & Design
• Lisa Travis (she/her) – Psychology
• Kendra Ward (she/her) – Art & Design

Please join us in congratulating our new officers and stewards!

-NTFC Communications Committee

Bargaining Update

Friday 3/29 was our seventh bargaining session. Our co-lead negotiator Dani Nyikos was unable to attend, so co-lead Rachel Fein-Smolinski was joined by Kay Emmert to fill in for Dani for the day. We presented our counterproposal for Hours of Work & Commitment, and the admin team presented their counters for Discipline & Dismissal, Health & Safety, and Physical Conditions & Institutional Commitments.

Our bargaining team continued to advocate for the issues that are most important to specialized faculty. Among these issues are (a) defining work expectations to combat overwork, and (b) allowing specialized faculty with terminal research degrees to serve as PI’s. The admin team’s lead negotiator tried to argue that these two stances are somehow contradictory, stating: “You say we should let you do your jobs, but you also say you don’t know what your jobs are.” 

Our lead negotiators responded by acknowledging that with many different types of positions on campus, our members’ top priorities may be wide-ranging, and on their face may even seem contradictory. Kay said, “Please don’t diminish our members’ concerns by saying they are rhetorically contradictory.” 

It was disappointing to hear such a facile oversimplification of our proposal, but we hope that the admin team will come to a fuller understanding of the issues. There’s no reason why specialized faculty with terminal research degrees shouldn’t be able to serve as PI’s. It is already the policy in Grainger, and the admin team has not offered any justification for why this policy that works for Grainger wouldn’t work in the other colleges.

The admin team also indicated that they do not plan to improve access to gender affirming care, as outlined in our proposal. For more information about why this matters, read this story on our website.

Fortunately, there is some good news: the admin team has indicated that they’ll bring an economic proposal (including wages, benefits, and leaves) at our next session. After 4 months of bargaining, we are ready to see their economic proposal!

How You Can Help

Now is the time to show that these issues are important to all specialized faculty- not just those of us who are on the bargaining team! With a strong show of support, we can send the message to the Board of Trustees and UIUC upper admin that specialized faculty deserve better. 

Mark your calendar:

• Mon April 22, 3:10pm: UIUC Senate Meeting- Fund Your CBA’s
• Fri April 26, 9am-12pm: Pack the Room at Bargaining
• Thurs May 2, 10am-2pm: Reading Day Work-In and Solidarity Rally

Next Session: Pack the Room!

The UIUC admin team has committed to presenting an economic proposal, including wages, benefits, and leaves, in the next session. Join us there, to show support! We need as many people in the room as possible. We’d love to fill the room with specialized faculty, and members of the general public are welcome to come and support us as well. You can come late, leave early, or stay the whole time. 

• Friday, April 26, 9am-12pm
• Location: Illini Union Ballroom

Want to be in the know?

Would you like to know more, including upcoming events and bargaining updates?

• Follow us on Instagram: @ntfc6546
• Like us on Facebook: NTFC Local 6546
• Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/EpJNQXhX

In Solidarity

Theresa Dobbs

NTFC Communications Chair