About 4,000 University of Illinois Chicago medical employees are currently on strike statewide, including 150 employees of the College of Medicine in Peoria (UICOMP).
Chris McGregor is a UICOMP pediatric support employee and a member of Service Employees International Union Local 73, where employees are striking at the corner of Main and Kumpf.
"Basically, the main things we're fighting for are fair wages, PPE for the frontline people who need it, and basically just your respect for management and respect from the university that we deserve," McGregor said.
McGregor said Local 73 is seeking a $15 minimum wage, particularly for employees based in the Chicago area, where the cost of living is higher than other regions of Illinois.
The U of I says its unionized employees in the SEIU and Illinois Nurses Association (INA) receive competitive compensation, and the university said it follows all CDC and local health department guidance on employee protections during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
McGregor, who said employees have worked without a contract since August 2019, hopes the strike creates momentum for an agreement.
"We feel like that there is a good chance for some progress," he said. "I feel like there has actually been some made now that everybody is stopping the posturing and actually sitting down to talk. But we're remaining optimistic, and we'll see."
UIC officials said they have a contingency plan in motion to continue ongoing operations and patient care at UI Health.
The strike is now in its fifth day. Employees in Chicago, Rockford, Springfield, and Urbana also are striking.
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