SUPPORT UNITED FACULTY STRIKE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

On February 18, the tenure track and non-tenure track faculty who make up the University of Illinois-Chicago faculty union UICUF Local 6456 will walk out of the classroom and onto the picket line for a two-day strike. Barring a dramatic change-of-heart by university administrators at the bargaining table the weekend, it will be the first faculty strike at a major research university in a very long time.

There are a number of ways to support them over social media.

Here’s a set of strike graphics you can share on your Facebook wall. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.674831679226963.1073741845.523003031076496&type=3

We’re holding a Twitter Storm using the hashtag #UICStrike on the evening of Tuesday, February 18th between 7-9PM (Central Time). During that window, send out tweets and Facebook messages using that hashtag to get it trending.

Here are some sample tweets. Feel free to write your own tweets, modify these, or simply copy and paste them. If you have any original content from the strike (photos, videos, etc) it would be great to post during this window. Retweet and share other people’s #UICStrike posts. By no means must you wait until the 18th to start your social media support. You can show solidarity today!

Sample Tweets:

“Administrators at UIC have increased by 10%, while tenured faculty positions have decreased by 1%.” http://ow.ly/tDMSp #UICStrike

Tuition has increased by 25% since 2007, while student enrollment is up by more than 10%. http://ow.ly/tDTDF #UICStrike

Small class sizes, individualized instruction, support for research, well equipped classrooms and labs http://ow.ly/tDTOr #UICStrike

The point of #UICStrike is to help fulfill UIC’s mission — providing quality education for working class students. http://ow.ly/tDEZt

UIC United Faculty President Joe Persky explains #UICStrike to Chicago Tonight on @WTTW http://ow.ly/tDI6q

Professor Lenny Davis explains why he’s striking http://youtu.be/ke9moptBV4Q and in Jacobin Magazine http://ow.ly/tDL2S #UICStrike

Looking for ways to show solidarity with #UICStrike? We have details here. http://ow.ly/tDLjq

UIC Professor Dick Simpson is striking for the future of teaching! #UICStrike Here’s his video —> http://youtu.be/3BlSK6NOxB0

“We’re losing faculty to universities willing to pay a fair salary; it’s our students who pay the price.” http://ow.ly/tDMEy #UICStrike

UIC Professor Gerry Gorman on union voice and #UICStrike Video —> http://youtu.be/QaaRikZ63Ns

Professor Bill Watkins Explains Why He’s Going on Strike http://ow.ly/tDLTK #UICStrike

Here are some links to news stories on the strike:

Chicago Tonight featuring UIC Faculty Union President Joe Persky http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2014/02/13/uic-faculty-union-threatens-strike

Jacobin Magazine https://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/02/faculty-on-strike/

Chicagoist http://chicagoist.com/2014/02/13/teachers_at_uic_may_strike_next_wee.php

The News-Gazette http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2014-02-13/uic-faculty-union-sets-strike-date-next-week.html

UICUF Press Release: http://uicunitedfaculty.org/2014/02/uic-faculty-union-plans-two-day-strike-fair-contract/

Follow

@IFTAFT (Illinois Federation of Teachers)

@UICUF (UIC local twitter)

@kenzoshibata

Also on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/UICUF

and

https://www.facebook.com/iftaft