UFISU contract negotiation status

Image courtesy of the UFISU official Instagram page

The WZND Newsroom will continue to update this developing story as it develops. The following information is accurate as of 4/4/2025 at 4:30 p.m.

NORMAL, Ill. – UFISU and the university have reached a tentative agreement many bargaining sessions. The details of the agreement may be released at a later date.

The following information is accurate as of 4/4/2025 at 1:30 p.m.

– The most recent results UFISU and University negotiations available are from Wednesday’s session with the two parties working on enhancements to funding pools, an increase to the average Assistant Professor salary and paid parental leave. 

The union has been bargaining with the university for over 13 months now and have seen improvement on the issues they are pressing, but not enough growth to resolve the conflict.  

A decision on whether a strike will take place may be reached by 5 p.m. There is no official information released on whether or not a strike will take place once the post-authorization period comes to an end.

The results of yesterday’s UFISU and University negotiations have been released with one day left before the 10-day post-authorization period expires.

As of the last negotiation session, the two parties agreed on enhancements to funding pools, an increase to the average Assistant Professor salary and paid parental leave.

The enhancement to funding pools will go towards across-the-board, merit-based annual base salary increases to tenure-track faculty beginning the first day of the first full month after the initiative is approved. The increase is set at 4.5%  once first implemented, descends to 3.5% for 2026 and 2027, and goes up to 4% for 2028. This is an upgrade from the university’s previous offer of 3.75% upon ratification and 3.25% in the years following.

Assistant and Associate Professors’ average salary will be at or above the projected market average for similar positions at peer institutions, starting the first full month after the proposal is approved. This will also go into effect for tenure-track faculty starting Jan. 1, 2026.

Six weeks, or 30 business days of paid parental leave, will be granted to all tenure-track faculty. This time can be extended by combining it with other paid benefit time. The university’s original offer for paid parental leave was four weeks.

The final negotiation session before a possible strike is currently underway.