AFSCME

The AFSCME Local 1110 president spoke at Friday's ISU Board of Trustees meeting. He said workers are glad to be back at work but are still upset with university leadership. ISU's president said none of the administration viewed the negotiations are personal.

Illinois State University and the AFSCME union that represents buildings, dining and food service workers announced late Monday that they've reached a tentative deal, likely ending the longest single-unit strike in ISU history.

Gov. JB Pritzker said he wants Illinois State University and the AFSCME union to come back to the negotiating table as the strike enters its fourth week. "It seems like there is a deal to be made," he said.

Dining and grounds workers say the financial squeeze of going weeks without pay is making it tough for them to get by. Union members have been on strike since April 8.

Glen Nelson, vice president of finance and planning at Illinois State University, said the union and ISU continue to have three sticking points concerning back pay and future salary raises. ISU has said it has already offered the union its best and final deal.

On day 17 of the AFSCME Local 1110 strike, union representatives presented the president of Illinois State University with nearly 7,000 petition signatures urging his negotiation of a fair deal. A state senator on campus said the strike is "putting pressure on us as legislators as well."

At an Illinois House committee hearing in Springfield on Thursday, Illinois State University President Aondover Tarhule requested more state funding as striking employees also in attendance claimed ISU was not negotiating with them in good faith.

Illinois State University's faculty union said Thursday it's filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the university and its Board of Trustees after its members were allegedly asked to do the work of striking workers from another union.

With the fifth contract negotiation session failing on Wednesday, AFSCME Local 1110 is heading into day nine of its strike at Illinois State University. Picketers outside Bone Student Center said proposed contract terms are still not good enough.

AFSCME workers have been demonstrating outside Hovey Hall and at various points across campus where the university’s striking grounds, buildings and dining services workers would typically be on the job.