Downstate

U of I students, teachers, workers
stand in solidarity on national Day of Action

0304urbana242

Urbana-Champaign
March 4, 2010

About 300 U of I students, teachers and campus workers, including SEIU members, banded together to protest against tuition increases, budget cuts, layoffs and furlough days in front of the Alma Mater at noon on Thursday.
The protest was in coordination with a national Day of Action to Defend Public Education and the second “common” furlough day taken by some members of the faculty.

SEIU Local 73 photos (picasawebgoogle.com)
Read more at dailyillini.com and ireport.com
VIDEO: March 4th Day of Action at UIUC (youtube.com)

----------

Local 73, union allies question
Decatur School District's finances

February 24, 2010

     Members of four unions who work in the Decatur School District, including SEIU Local 73, held a news conference Tuesday prior to the school board meeting to raise questions about the district's financial stability.
     Local 73 and the other unons also sent a letter to Decatur School Superintendent Gloria Davis, demanding to bargain any decision for a reduction in force.
     Jim Forrester, president of the Decatur Education Association, said the financial health of the district is a priority for all of the employee groups.
     Chief Steward Mike Wetzel spoke for Local 73 at the news conference, raising questions about projections that show a steep and alarming drop in the education fund balance.
     Local 73 represents maintenance and custodial workers in the district.

Read more about the news conference at herald-review.com

Click below to read our letter to Decatur School Superintendent Gloria Davis:
Decatur letter
Click below to read the news release issued by SEIU Local 73 and its union allies:
Decatur news release

----------

Protesters flood Springfield
to push for fair, sustainable budget

Springfield
February 17, 2010

Today, SEIU members and staff were among the more than 1,000 members of the Responsible Budget Coalition who traveled to the state capitol in Springfield to remind lawmakers that they must pass a sustainable budget this year.
At large rally in the rotunda -- followed by individual office visits -- the protesters reminded their representatives that no part of their job is more important than passing a budget that protects the health, education, and well-being of Illinois' citizens. And doing so will require new revenue.

Click here for coverage at progressillinois.com
VIDEO: RBC members rally in Springfield (progressillinois.com)

Downstate Division Quarterly Newsletter

FIRST STUDENT WORKERS NEWEST UNITS TO JOIN THE SEIU LOCAL 73 FAMILY:

Brand new units negotiating their first contracts, First Student bus drivers, attendants and a mechanic are looking forward to the protections that come with a labor agreement. First contracts are harder than later contracts, because there is so much ground to be covered. The best contracts are those that have been in existence for many years, gone through many negotiations. But the negotiating teams from Galesburg and Farmington are focused on the things that matter the most to their units and look forward to ratification by the new school term.

» Read more

State Division Annual Report 2008

Click here to read the State Division Annual Report for 2008.