Union suspends UIC graduate workers' strike
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CHICAGO (AP) - A union representing graduate-student employees at the University of Illinois at Chicago says it's suspended their strike following a tentative contract agreement with the school.
The Graduate Employees Organization said Friday evening the graduate employees will return to work Monday. The union represents over 1,500 graduate and teaching assistants.
A deal was announced Thursday, when the union said the administration's bargaining team didn't have authority to negotiate how lost pay during the strike could be made up. So they stayed on strike. The union said Friday the settlement will allow graduate workers to make up lost work hours.
The agreement includes a 14 percent wage increase over three years. The union calls that the highest increase in the union's history.
Members are expected to vote on the contract as soon as next week.