NEIU workers win “life-changing” contract

As members of AFSCME Local 1989 at Northeastern Illinois University entered contract negotiations in 2024, they weren’t feeling like management respected the important work they do.

Many employees at NEIU have worked there for years, even decades. “I’ve been around NEIU since 2002,” Local 1989 president Mary Serio said. “I know this university, I know the issues the students go through.”

Union members had a plan to turn up the pressure on management. In February, they set up a table in a heavily trafficked part of the university with a giant Valentine’s Day card to get the attention of university president Katrina Bell-Jordan.

Colorful and boldly stating their Valentine’s Day message—“Love is a Fair Contract”—the card soon garnered dozens of signatures from AFSCME members, as well as students, faculty and other campus workers.

Next, local union members marched into Bell-Jordan’s office to deliver the card.

“The message we sent was that we are important to the life of this university,” said Criage Althage, a library specialist and member of the union bargaining committee. “This helped us show that management was holding back the progressive change we were demanding.”

In the contract ratified by members in July, the union made significant gains on several fronts. 

One of the biggest fights during bargaining was over parental leave. The bargaining committee succeeded in tripling the amount of leave members are entitled to after the birth or adoption of a child. 

The union also won improvements to bereavement leave and extended tuition waivers for workers who may be laid off so they can continue their education.

The new contract raises wages by 12% across the board over four years. The union also won the right to a pool of equity money totaling $415,000 to be distributed by mutual agreement throughout the bargaining unit over the life of the contract. 

“Some people are going to get some life-changing raises as a result of this contract,” Serio said. “That means a lot to a lot of people.”

The union bargaining committee included Serio, Althage and Rebekah Fitchett. The committee was led by Council 31 Staff Representative Kathy Steichen.