Eastern’s faculty union hopes to hear the financial package from the administration during their next meeting.

The union said the teams are waiting to schedule a meeting until the administration can present a financial package in response to increasement proposals.

Every four years, Eastern’s chapter of University Professionals of Illinois has a negotiation team bargain for proposals to be added to the new faculty contract. 

EIU-UPI’s objectives are to increase the salaries of all members to address inequities, address the need for all members to have true discussions with supervisors regarding work responsibilities and assignment of duties, recognize Unit B ASPs and ACFs for their long service at Eastern and have administration acknowledge EIU-UPI members have always been all in for incoming and current students.

Billy Hung, the lead negotiator for the union and professor of biological sciences, said waiting for the Board of Trustees to approve the fiscal year 2023 budget was frustrating because it slowed the negotiation process.

“We anticipate a lot of work to do between the two teams to reach some kind of compromise on the financial piece,” Hung said.

Administration’s former lead negotiator, Amy Calvert, stepped away for family reasons and Laura McLaughlin will serve as interim lead negotiator. A search will take place later next month. 

The union also wants to discuss job security for Unit B annually contracted faculty during their next meeting.

Currently, the two teams have tentative agreements on six proposals out of 26, with the “bigger” proposals coming up.

Hung spoke at June’s Board of Trustees meeting to give administration an understanding of what EIU-UPI’s objectives are.

Rob Le Cates is a sophomore journalism major. He can be reached at 217-581-2818 or at deneic@gmail.com