Strike

The nearly two-week strike started after workers received their newest contract proposal.

Several rail workers' unions have not approved a new contract. The Biden administration is trying to broker a deal to avoid a strike that could start December 9.

Following a recommendation by their coordinating committee, members of the Indiana Graduate Worker Coalition – United Electrical Workers (IGWC-UE) voted against striking Monday.

From the picket line Friday, more than 100 workers were striking to demand a wage increase that accounts for rising health insurance costs after the company’s final 2-year contract proposal included a 50-cent raise.

Following a five-day strike, the university and the union reached a new deal.

Details won’t be released until the membership begins voting on the contract in the coming days. What is known is that it’s a four-year deal with raises taking place in years one through three.

Before hitting the picket line, the faculty union had been working without a contract since August 31 when its old contract expired. The two sides remain at odds over pay and health care benefits.

The EMU faculty union said 91% of its members voted Tuesday night to go on strike. A university spokesman accuses the faculty union of voting to “walk out” on EMU students one week into the fall semester.

More than 500 tenured and tenure-track faculty at EMU have been working without a contract since August 31.

Earlier this month, IU’s Task Force on Graduate Education recommended raising pay and eliminating fees. The Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition heralded the decision as a victory, but say without union recognition from the trustees, the strike is likely to resume this fall.