CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago State University faculty and staff have continued to strike over salary and workload — and on Monday, the sixth day of the strike, mayor-elect Brandon Johnson joined the picket line.
“I’m here to demonstrate, to show solidarity with you all today and prepare to collaborate with all of the stakeholders to make sure that you all get a fair contract and that the services that Chicago State University provides — that those services are delivered,” Johnson said.
Ernst Coupet, professor of economics and finance at CSU, said the faculty and staff are among the lowest paid in Illinois compared to peer institutions. At the moment, he said about $300,000 annually sits between them and the administration coming to an agreement on a contract.
Although other resources are needed at what is among the lowest funded of the 12 public state colleges in Illinois, Coupet said that, in terms of salary, $300,000 breaks down to less than $2,000 a year per person employed by CSU.
“Obviously, money’s money, and I’m not belittling that, but when it’s time to bring the students back and start moving this educational process forward, that’s a very small price to pay,” he said. “It represents a very small proportion of the overall university budget. Very small amount. Miniscule.”
Johnson told the crowd gathered outside of the CSU administrative building at 95th Street and South King Drive that those resources are essential.
“This is an incredible institution that has a long history of pumping out some of the greatest minds to actually deliver services for the city of Chicago,” he said.
The mayor-elect attributed that to the work and commitment of CSU’s faculty and staff.
“You know what the minds that come into your classrooms or in this building — you know what they’re dealing with; you know what they’re struggling with,” he said.
There are about 160 members in the United Professionals of Illinois union who are employed by CSU.
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