SEIU Planning a Strike Tomorrow, April 4

April 3, 2018

Loyola University Chicago Students:

As you may have heard, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 is planning a strike and promoting a campus-wide walkout tomorrow, Wednesday, April 4. SEIU represents 350 full- and part-time non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and about 10 faculty in the English Language Learning Program (ELLP) at Loyola. It is anticipated that some non-union faculty may also cancel classes on April 4 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 your education, particularly given the efforts Loyola has made to reach a fair and reasonable agreement. Loyola believes contract issues are best settled at the bargaining table, and we have been committed to transparency and collaborative negotiations.

Things to Know About an SEIU Strike

I want to be very clear that Loyola does not want a strike and we are eager to continue negotiations to reach an agreement. However, we are prepared and equipped to minimize disruption to students and continue many classes and all campus operations during the SEIU strike. Your educational needs will continue to be our top priority. During the strike:

• The University is not cancelling classes. However, students should expect that faculty who decide to participate in the strike will not teach their classes as scheduled.
• All University buildings and facilities will remain open. Food service and housekeeping at residence halls will continue as usual. Athletic and other events will continue as planned.
• Faculty have been asked to post updates to Sakai regarding whether or not they plan to participate in a strike. Please be aware that the University will not know which faculty members are participating in the strike and which are proceeding with teaching their classes as scheduled. Therefore, unless you are directed otherwise on Sakai, you should report to your classes as usual tomorrow. If the instructor is not present, please wait at least 15 minutes before leaving.
• If your class does not meet because the instructor is participating in the SEIU strike, you will be expected to keep up with the syllabus and related assignments unless you hear otherwise from your instructor. Some classes that are cancelled may be rescheduled at a later date. If this is not possible, Loyola will work with students to address other solutions to make up for lost class time.
• Your grades will not be impacted by this brief strike.
• If you observe disruptive or threatening behavior by strikers or protestors, you should contact Campus Safety immediately. The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and campus community is always a top priority.
• Students who decide to participate in a “walkout” in connection with this strike should know that if they miss class it will result in an unexcused absence.

Things to Know About Loyola’s Negotiations with SEIU Local 73
The Loyola bargaining team 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. The University 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. We have also sought a fiscally responsible agreement to ensure we continue to offer a high-quality, affordable education to our students.

We value our NTT full-time and part-time faculty and their many contributions to the fabric of our University community. Our goal is a fair and reasonable contract that is consistent with our commitment to social justice, our Jesuit values, and our commitment to keep Loyola affordable and accessible. Our proposals reflect that.

Loyola has made the following proposals:

• Significant pay increases for all SEIU-represented faculty, which would make Loyola CAS non-tenure-track faculty among the highest paid non-tenured faculty in Chicagoland;
• A very significant 33–35 percent increase to the standard per credit hour rate for part-time CAS instructors;
• Annual merit raises for SEIU-represented faculty, consistent with those earned by tenured and tenure-track faculty;
• Longer appointments for both full-time and part-time unionized faculty;
• A new classification of part-time faculty, known as “Adjunct Instructors,” which would come with a pay raise and a two-year appointment; and
• Creation of a professional development fund specifically for unionized faculty.

This FAQ shares additional information about the planned strike as well as Loyola’s negotiations with SEIU. I strongly encourage you to review this information and continue to visit the bargaining website for updates: LUC.edu/bargaining.

Sincerely,

Jo Ann Rooney, JD, LLM, EdD
President