SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Full-time non-tenure track faculty who are members of UIS Instructors United have reached a tentative contract agreement with the University of Illinois-Springfield administration.
The agreement was made after a 10-hour bargaining session Tuesday and all-day session Wednesday, avoiding the strike that was scheduled for this week.
"Our union negotiating team is glad to announce that we were able to reach a tentative contract agreement with Chancellor Gooch and her team," said UIS English instructor Scott Fenton, who is a member of the union negotiating team. "It has been a long and challenging road to secure this first agreement, but we are pleased that they worked with us in the end so we can stay in the classroom with our students. That is where we want to be."
President of the University Professionals of Illinois John Miller said, "It is truly disappointing that, once again, U of I leaders took an unnecessarily contentious approach to bargaining that sowed seeds of distrust between the union and administration. We hope future bargaining will prove more respectful and amicable, which would be in the best interests of all parties, including students."
Details of the three-year agreement will not be released until union members and UIS leaders formally approve it. UISIU members are expected to vote on it by the end of the month.
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