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CHICAGO — Graduate workers at the University of Illinois at Chicago went on strike Tuesday.

The workers staged a picket outside Jane Addams Hull-House at 800 S. Halsted St. They have been without an agreement for more than a year now.

Over 1,500 graduate and teaching assistants are expected to participate in the strike.

Talks between the Graduate Employees Organization and university administration are at odds over wages and fee waivers.

The union claims some members make just $18,000 a year despite serving as the primary instructors for particular courses, such as sociology.

UIC issued the following response:

“If a strike occurs, our primary objective will be to continue normal operations, including minimizing the disruption of instruction, meeting course objectives and ensuring timely grading. All members of the university community will be expected to meet for classes as usual…” “We sincerely value the contributions made by our graduate employees to our academic mission. We remain optimistic that we will, together, reach a collective bargaining agreement that is fair and beneficial for all involved.”

To read the university’s full statement, and to read the latest on the strike, visit geobargaining.uic.edu.

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