Strike suspended at UIS as vote to be held on tentative agreement

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Faculty at the University of Illinois Springfield will return to work after suspending a strike after 11 days.

A tentative agreement has been reached with the university, and a vote will take place this week.

The tenure and tenure track faculty who are members of the University of Illinois Springfield United Faculty reached the tentative agreement with the university late Sunday.

The will return to the classrooms Monday.

Our bargaining team made the difficult decision to suspend this strike because we do not want our students to lose further instructional time as they head into final exams and graduation,” said Dathan Powell, UISUF president and professor in the Art, Music, and Theatre department.

"All along, students have been our top priority. Our fight has centered on what they need and deserve at UIS," he continued. "Over the last two weeks, Chancellor Gooch has intentionally prolonged this strike through her callous inaction. She has proven she does not care about what our students need. The strike that she forced has caused them two weeks of lost instruction, sleepless nights, and unnecessary stress.

"We cannot let her jeopardize their education and futures any longer, so we have decided to bring the administration’s last offer to our membership for a vote,” Powell said.

UISUF members will review and vote to approve or reject the TA this week. If approved, UIS administration will also vote on it. If accepted by both parties, it will take effect immediately.

The terms of the TA will not be released until union members and the administration have voted.

In a statement, the university said, "The University is grateful to all parties who worked on this third successor contract for tenured and tenure-track faculty. UIS looks forward to continuing to work together to fulfill its mission to provide a uniquely student-centered educational experience, both in and out of the classroom, through active learning, meaningful research and impactful civil engagement that prepares graduates to contribute fully to society."