UIC strike: Bargaining session underway after after months of negotiating, no contract

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A bargaining session is underway in an effort to end a strike at UIC.

Union faculty members walked off the job on Tuesday, calling for better base salaries and more investment in student mental health.

UIC's faculty strike moved into its fourth day Friday, with no end in sight.

"Once it gets to two or three weeks from now, that's when the semester starts to pick up. It could be really rough for us," said UIC sophomore Jack Chylak.

Some classes have been cancelled for many of the 34,000 students enrolled at the Chicago campus.

Third year molecular biology major, 20-year-old Isabella Clarkson, worries about getting behind in her studies.

"I'm trying to get in the rhythm and it's still like new content, so it does throw off the schedule. And the teachers aren't responding to emails and stuff," Clarkson said.

Members of UIC United Faculty took to picket lines earlier this week after their union and UIC failed to reach an agreement following several marathon bargaining sessions.

University faculty have been working without a contract since August.

The walkout doesn't include faculty from the colleges of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy or the school of law.

Major sticking points remain pay and cost of living increases.

UIC is offering a 4-year contract, proposing single digit salary increases for both non-tenure track and tenure track faculty,

On the other side, the administration's proposal also includes a one-time $4,000 lump sum for all faculty and a 17.25% annual salary increase.

The union wants a 3-year deal and is demanding double-digit pay raises for both the first year of any contract.

Educators have countered with a $3,000 permanent across the board salary increase and a 17.25% annual salary increase on top of that.

Both sides still disagree on funding for student mental health and diagnostic and testing accommodations.

"We're not looking to get rich. We are looking to have salaries that are just at a sustainable level for professionals -- for educators," said Jeff Gore, with the UICUF bargaining committee.

Students said they hope the strike ends soon.

"The longer it takes, the more we're not going to learn the material from the professors. We'll have to learn ourselves," said UIC sophomore Zahra Nabvi.