ISU Graduate Workers Union

09/28/2026

‼️We’re bargaining this week! ‼️

All GWU members are encouraged to attend our upcoming bargaining session with ISU administration and the federal mediator. The bargaining session is this Thursday from 10am to approximately 5pm.

We will be using the federal mediator’s official Zoom link for this meeting. Please read the latest listserv message or click the linktree in our bio to learn more about your two options for attending. Remember to RSVP by noon on Wednesday!

09/23/2026

Solidarity with the ISU Student Support Professionals! You deserve to feel safe in your workplace. ✊

Please give their page a follow!

📗🔉SSP Union Bargaining Update 🔉📗

Last Thursday, our bargaining team went to the table with ISU Admin wearing all pink. While we use green to represent solidarity with our cause, it was significant for our all women bargaining team to represent our majority women unit and their stories of feeling unsafe in the workplace. The lead on ISU’s team said, “Don’t make it about gender,” but we think it’s time to call out the nuances of the systemic issues happening at ISU that are consistently making Student Support Professionals (SSPs) feel unsafe in the workplace.

We need to GET SAFE FIRST.

Members: Check your email for more details, and join us for our next GMM on October 6 from 12-1 PM. Location TBD. Food will be provided.

08/17/2026

Hi Grad Workers! Welcome back to campus. We hope you all are doing well and recovering from the storms. We’d like to give a shout-out to the wonderful campus staff who have been working hard to get campus safe and operating for us all. ✊

This is also an invite to all GTAs to our first membership meeting of the semester on Thursday, August 27th. Join us in State Farm Hall of Business (SFHB) 133 or Zoom from 4:00pm to 5:00pm to discuss bargaining updates, committees, and contract questions. We had our first mediation session via Zoom, so there is lots to talk about! Please RSVP for pizza and the Zoom link using the linktree in our bio.

As always, you can email us at [email protected] with any questions!

05/06/2026

After 28 days on the line, the ISU strike is OVER—and AFSCME Local 1110 prevailed!

Members ratified their new contract last night and return to work today. For four weeks, they held the line and refused to back down until they won fair pay and respect. And that’s exactly what they got.

Helping to make it happen was the incredible support of the students, faculty, staff, alumni, elected officials and AFSCME members across Illinois who showed up and stood together. Solidarity carries the day!

05/06/2026

Congratulations to AFSCME 1110!

AFSCME said more than 95% of the 300-plus affected workers who cast votes approved the deal. The five-year contract still needs formal approval from the university. The board of trustees is scheduled to meet on Friday.

05/05/2026

Illinois State University and the AFSCME union that represents buildings, dining and food service workers announced late Monday that they've reached a tentative deal, likely ending the longest single-unit strike in ISU history.

05/03/2026

Great op-ed in Sunday's Bloomington Pantagraph by Trades & Labor President Jason Pascal on the ISU AFSCME strike.

04/29/2026

📢 Solidarity Forever 📢

GWU stands in solidarity with AFSCME Local 1110 on day 22 of their strike for a fair contract. It was great to see so many people across campus out in support of these workers that make ISU run!

We’ve also learned more about shameful strike-breaking behavior from ISU admin. See our bio for the link to read more, below is an excerpt from AFSCME Council 31:

“Documents show that Illinois State University has already paid or committed to pay more than $150,000—at rates from $38 to $197 an hour—in just three contracts with private, for-profit companies for temporary replacement workers, commonly known as strikebreakers or scabs.

At least two of the contracts—revealed by a Freedom of Information Act request—were developed before more than 300 buildings, grounds and dining services went on strike April 8. They show ISU contracting for scabs even as the parties remained at the bargaining table, where the university was refusing to negotiate—suggesting that, rather than bargaining in good faith, ISU administrators were secretly scheming to break a strike and force workers to accept the university’s takeaway demands.…”

04/24/2026

🚨Attention GWU membership 🚨 We have another bargaining session scheduled with ISU admin on Tuesday, April 28th. Are you a member and want to observe the bargaining process? Please see the listserv email for details! Then, join us for a membership meeting next Wednesday, April 29th from 5-6pm in Stevenson 101 and via Zoom. Please see the listserv to RSVP with your pizza preferences! This meeting will discuss important bargaining updates. We’ll get your feedback on next steps and what you’re willing to help fight for in a new contract.

As AFSCME continues their strike for a fair contract, we encourage everyone to show your support on the picket lines, on social media, and at rallies. See the link in our bio for more ways to support!

04/23/2026

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1110 said Illinois State University has been sued for violating state laws.

With AFSCME on strike, ISU hired over 300 replacement workers, commonly known as scabs or strikebreakers.

The strike began April 8.

📲 Read more here: https://www.videtteonline.com/news/lawsuit-filed-against-isu-for-use-of-strikebreakers/article_c538d0d6-d3f0-4b90-bb7b-7bf3b3396dc0.html

✍️: Written by Lauren Kunesh

📸: Picture by Jordan Snow