SIU General Strike Pending as Negotiations Continue

Southern Illinois University to be shut down by General Strike?

By D.J. Raspe - DJRaspy.com

A campus-wide strike has been in the air for months at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, as Campus Officials continue a stubborn attempt to hold out against the demands of the Unions represented on-campus. Teachers Strike outside another school. The strike might be coming to Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, if Union Educators and Campus Administrators cannot reach an agreeable settlement. Photo courtesy of Associated Press

After 475 days without a contract agreement, time is running out for the Campus Administration of Southern Illinois University, as all of the four Unions have already voted to authorize a strike. The bargaining process is ongoing, after a failed ploy by Campus officials 6 months ago to bluff an impasse was met with a public letter to the Southern Illinoisian, authored by William Stodden of the IEA-NEA.

The letter was a shrewd move by Stodden, and forced the Campus Administration back to the bargaining table. Bargaining has resumed, and the outcome of the proceedings is not yet known.

When reached for comment, Stodden said, "We stand in solidarity with our fellow unions, and we are fighting not only for improvements in our contract and the quality of working conditions, but for the principles of collective bargaining."

Stodden's letter to the Southern Illinoisian can be found here.  (Third letter)

Whatever the result of the ongoing bargaining at Southern Illinois University, the fate of the school hangs in the balance. While the posts at the Daily Egyptian seem to indicate that the student body and faculty are somewhat unsettled by the prospect of a strike, there appears to still be hope that a settlement between the Campus Administration and the Four Unions can be reached. 

When asked for comment upon whether or not a general strike was impending, Stodden replied, "We've been authorized to call a strike at a moment's notice, but we are not there yet. We need to do a lot more education."William Stodden: The New Haberdasher and Old-School Champion of Worker's Rights. And SIU - Carbondale chapter representative of the IEA-NEAIt should be noted that Union officials are hoping for more cooperation from the Campus Administration, in order to resolve the negotiations without having to resort to the ultimate tactic available to Union Workers. On this, Stodden was quoted as saying, "We are still bargaining, and we are still holding out for a settlement, because a strike is painful and hurts everyone. It's the equivalent of a nuclear weapon."

Will the SIU Campus leadership opt to settle with the Unions? It's anyone's guess at the moment, but one thing appears to be for certain. With a General strike authorized, if necessary, it is clear that the Union representatives have no intention of backing down.

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