On April 4th, non-tenure track (NTT) at Loyola University Chicago went on strike. Nearly two years after faculty voted to form their union, the university has yet to agree to a fair contract. Fighting for better wages, benefits and job security, faculty set a deadline of April 4th to reach an agreement. In an effort to avoid the strike, faculty engaged in a marathon bargaining session well into night. The administration, however, refused to agree to a deal on key issues related to job security and union busting.
On top of mounting pressure from faculty, Loyola University Chicago has recently been the center of other controversies. In early 2017, graduate workers also voted to form their union, but the administration refuses to bargain with them claiming they are not employees. A few weeks ago, students of color were recently victims of police brutality on campus. These groups joined forces with faculty to call on the school to live up to its social justice values. On April 4th, also the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, hundreds of striking faculty rallied and walked out with students, graduate workers and the Poor People’s Campaign in protest.
Following the strike, faculty hosted an open town hall meeting to update prospective students and their families on negotiations. The next bargaining session is April 20, 2018.
Read more about this story in Inside Higher Ed, The Washington Post, WGN 9 News, PBS Chicago Tonight, and ABC 7 Eyewitness News
