M-TH: BREAKING NEWS: Graduate Employees Win at U. of Illinois!!!

[Dennis Grammenos]

To all comrades,

It is my honor to announce to you that the Graduate Employees' 
Organization (GEO) at the U. of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign has 
won a resounding victory.

Below is the press release sent out by the GEO.

Thank you all for your support.

Comradely Regards,
Dennis Grammenos


_______________________________________________________
| Dennis Grammenos            dgrammen at prairienet.org |
| Departments of Geography                            |
| & Russian and East European Studies                 |
| University of Illinois        Phone:(217) 333-1880  |
| Urbana, Il 61801              Fax:  (217) 244-1785  |
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Urbana-Champaign, IL - 

Graduate employees have spoken:  they want the G.E.O. to be their union.   
In a union election held April 15th and 16th, 64% of graduate employees 
voting chose the G.E.O. to be their representative in employment 
matters.  The election turnout was exceptional, with almost 50%  (2,539) 
of  5,446 graduate employees voting. These statistics are comparable to 
some, but better than most percentages in any state or national election. 
By comparison,  recent University of Illinois Student Senate election 
turnout was only 5%, and Champaign county election turnout was 23%.

The Religious Workers Association of Champaign-Urbana, who conducted the
election have officially announced the results.  1,633 voted for the
Graduate Employees' Organization - IFT/AFT and 906 voted for "No
Representative."

Last year, 3,226 graduate employees signed our petition requesting an
election for union representation.  This week's election was the
fulfillment of that request in spite of the University's refusal to
sanction the election up front.

Now, with the solid backing of graduate employees, the GEO has called on
the administration to:


%       recognize and abide by the results of this election
%       drop their unnecessary lawsuit
%       begin an open discussion with the GEO on employment issues

The G.E.O. is ready to represent graduate employees, but will the
University administration recognize the  wishes of the majority?   With
this mandate from the majority, failure to recognize the graduate
employees' chosen bargaining agent  would be a flagrant attack on
graduate employees democratic right to negotiate and a demonstration of
the administration's anti-union stance. Regardless of the response, the
Graduate Employees' Organization will continue to fight for the rights of
graduate employees.

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