Hands off our Healthcare!
Rally Reportback

September 10, 2025

Graduate workers' billing statements should finally reflect the correct amount, after nearly 100 GEO members from across campus rallied at the Quad Wednesday 9/10 to demand reinstatement of our Campuscare benefit. Chants of "UIC, you can't hide! We will rise up, we will fight!" resounded across the lawn. The event was the latest escalation in an ongoing labor dispute, after university administration had unilaterally withdrawn the fee waiver after the expiration of our contract. 

University representatives initially claimed that they are not obligated to honor the fee subsidy after the previous contract’s expiration on August 15, 2025. According to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, however, employers have a duty to bargain over unilateral changes to terms and conditions of work. Cases such as [Vienna School Dist. No. 55 v. Illinois Educ. Labor Relations Bd](https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/vienna-school-dist-no-888531117) have set a clear precedent that public education employees can expect benefits to continue uninterrupted after contract expiration. On these grounds, GEO called for mass protests to restore the status quo and defend member rights. 

Speakers connected the attack on healthcare benefits to the surging ICE operations and potential National Guard occupation, calling for solidarity and unity. Parallels were drawn between the attack on labor at UIC and nationally. "At the same time the white house denies its unions the right to bargain, our university decides an expired contract doesn't mean anything," as one worker explained "At the same time Trump and DC are gutting public health, UIC decides to cut our health benefit." Others emphasized UIC's continued refusal to commit not to cooperate with ICE raids on campus, advising coworkers of our rights not to work in dangerous conditions: "if UIC doesn't give us real healthcare and real safety guarantees against workplace raids - then the workplace may just not be safe enough to show up." The story was also picked up by WBEZ Chicago, which aired a segment that afternoon.

The action clearly got the message across. Within two days of the rally, UIC Labor Relations communicated to GEO leadership that the CampusCare waiver would be reinstated. The reversal demonstrates the power of militant collective action to protect graduate workers' interest against management attacks. 

While it is an important victory, the fight is far from over. UIC has refused to commit not to pull the same benefits reversal in the spring. And they continue to pressure the union to comply with its "Open Expressions Policy," even though labor law unequivocally exempts our union activities from these types of regulations. 

Ultimately, the union is fighting for total fee elimination and comprehensive healthcare plans so that no grad worker has to be subject to this treatment. But winning what we deserve will take every worker doing their part to win. Join the union today, and organize your department to win a fair future!