Loyola SEIU-represented Faculty Plan to Strike April 4

April 3, 2018

Dear Loyola Alumni, 

I am writing to make you aware that Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, a union which represents about 350 full- and part-time non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty in Loyola’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and about 10 faculty in the English Language Learning Program (ELLP), is planning a strike and promoting a campus-wide walkout on Wednesday, April 4. It is anticipated that some non-union faculty may also cancel classes and that students (including some of Loyola’s graduate assistants with teaching duties) will “walk out,” as well.

It is highly disappointing that the SEIU would call a strike and disrupt our students’ education, particularly given the efforts Loyola has made to reach a fair and reasonable collective bargaining agreement. Loyola believes contract issues are best settled at the bargaining table, and we have been committed from the very beginning to transparency and collaborative negotiations.

I want to be very clear that Loyola does not want a strike, and we are eager to continue negotiations to reach an agreement. Our students’ intellectual and spiritual needs remain our top priority. Loyola is prepared and equipped to minimize disruption to students and continue campus operations during the SEIU strike. 

It is important for everyone in the Loyola community to know that University administration has worked hard over many months to reach a fair and reasonable agreement that is consistent with our commitment to social justice and our Jesuit values. Loyola has made proposals that provide increased job security, greater clarity around appointments/reappointments, and significant increases in compensation, which would make Loyola CAS non-tenure-track faculty among the highest paid non-tenured faculty in Chicagoland. Loyola’s proposals would give raises to all members of the bargaining unit, including a very significant 33–35 percent increase to the standard per credit hour rate for CAS part-time instructors and annual merit raises consistent with those earned by tenured and tenure-track faculty. We have also sought a fiscally responsible agreement to ensure we can continue to offer a high-quality, affordable education to our students. 

We are committed to resuming negotiations with the Union and reaching a fair and reasonable agreement as soon as possible. In the meantime, please know that our students remain our top priority.

This FAQ shares additional information about the planned strike as well as Loyola’s negotiations with SEIU. You may also find additional background on Loyola’s bargaining website: LUC.edu/bargaining. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. 

Sincerely,

Jo Ann Rooney, JD, LLM, EdD
President
Loyola University Chicago