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News :: Labor |
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AFSCME 698 Thursday weekly informational pickets continue |
Current rating: 0 |
by Paul Kotheimer
Email: herringb (nospam) prairienet.org (unverified!) |
22 Jun 2006
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AFSCME 698 held its third informational picket this afternoon. The next informational picket will be held at 11:30AM on Thursday, June 29, at the UIUC Main Library, Armory and Wright Streets in Urbana.
Well over 100 participants marched in the third AFSCME 698 informational picket this afternoon. Members of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees local 698 were joined on the picket line by members of the United Steelworkers, fellow AFSCME workers from the UIUC, and by members of the GEO, the AAP, and Jobs With Justice. |
Well over 100 participants marched in the third AFSCME 698 informational picket this afternoon. Members of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees local 698 were joined on the picket line by members of the United Steelworkers, fellow AFSCME workers from the UIUC, and by members of the GEO, the AAP, and Jobs With Justice.
The mood was bright: Frequent honks of support from passing cars and trucks; chants and cheers from the crowd on the picket line; kids and retirees out to support the paraprofessionals and clerical workers of Local 698.
American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 698 has been deadlocked in contract negotiations with the administration of the University of Illinois for nearly a year. The UI administration has left the bargaining table after laying out what it calls its "best and final" offer: A 2 percent pay raise the first year, followed by two years at 1.5 per cent less than the prevailing campus rate.
Members of Local 698 see this offer as a massive set-back. Measured against cost-of-living and inflation over the next three years, employees in the bargaining unit are looking at a significant decrease in wages. A contract like this one would set a precedent for give-backs by unions in negotiations with the UI adminstration, which would mean an overall downward cycle for the local economy.
Local 698 is calling for community support: Join the picket line at 11:30 AM next Thursday, June 29, outside the UIUC Main Library. The Main Library is located at the corner of Armory and Wright Streets.
SOLIDARITY |
This work is in the public domain. |
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Re: AFSCME 698 Thursday weekly informational pickets continue |
by Margaret Lewis
mlewis1 (nospam) uiuc.edu (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
26 Jun 2006
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Thanks for the great article.
We are happy to see support coming from all over the community. |
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Re: AFSCME 698 Thursday weekly informational pickets continue |
by Ricky Baldwin
baldwinricky (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
28 Jun 2006
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See you Thursday! |
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Re: AFSCME 698 Thursday weekly informational pickets continue |
by K.D.Swan
kswan (nospam) uiuc.edu (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
30 Jun 2006
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Thanks for your update! Nice to see local coverage of our activities!
We posted some pictures and info at
http://public.fotki.com/LOCAL698/ |