Pay raises reached, but no strikes allowed under NIU’s new instructors’ union contract

DeKALB – After more than a year without a collective bargaining agreement, Northern Illinois University and the NIU Instructors’ Unit, Local 4100 of the University Professionals of Illinois have settled on a new contract for full-time faculty assistants, lecturers and instructors.

The new pact is retroactive to July 1, 2021, and continues through June 30, 2025, according to university documents.

The union represents 236 employees, with 224 in the Division of Academic Affairs and 12 in the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development, university documents show.

“I think our members are happy with the agreement,” said Keith Nyquist, chapter president for NIU Instructors’ Unit, Local 4100 of the University Professionals of Illinois. “They ratified it unanimously. We’re looking forward to the end of the contract to work together hand-in-hand with the university to provide the best education and best educational experience for our students. That’s the one thing that we all have in common here is we’re here for the students.”

Pay increases are in order for full-time employees under the new contract. That includes a 3% increase for fiscal 2022, 6% for fiscal 2023, 6% or salary adjustments for fiscal 2024 according to the non-negotiated faculty and staff salary increment guidelines approved by the NIU Board of Trustees, whichever is greater, university documents show.

In fiscal 2025, bargaining unit members become eligible for a 5% increase or salary adjustment, whichever amount is greater.

NIU officials issued a statement Sept. 22 on the new collective bargaining agreement after bargaining talks.

“We are pleased that we were able to work with the leadership of Local 4100 of the University Professionals of Illinois to arrive at a contract that not only meets the needs of the university but also received the unanimous support of their membership,” according to the statement. “Our instructors are an integral part to our mission of delivering an outstanding education for students at NIU, and we look forward to working with them to meet that goal during the term of this contract and beyond.”

Under the new deal, bargaining unit members are discouraged from participating in strikes, work stoppages or slowdowns. But it doesn’t deter picketing, as some did before the union secured a new agreement with the university.

“I mean, we’re not only discouraged, we’re legally prohibited from participating in a strike,” Nyquist said. “We can’t strike under the agreement, and we’re fine with that. Those are the terms we agreed to, and we’re moving forward with that understanding.”

Nyquist stressed that a work stoppage was never in play for bargaining union members.

The university administration also agrees not to lock out any of the employees covered by the collective bargaining agreement while it remains in effect.

The university administration also agreed not to lock out any of the employees covered by the collective bargaining agreement while it remains in effect. until they agree to come back to work,” Nyquist said. “Strikes and lockouts are tactics usually reserved for the negotiating process. But once the contract’s in place, there’s no reason to do either.”

Nyquist stressed that the potential for a lockout never came up in talks with the university.

In a related development, the Board of Trustees recently authorized a side agreement for a one-time $2,500 supplemental increase to the current base salary for full-time faculty assistants, lecturers and instructors.

The board’s actions will follow the implementation of the contractual salary adjustments for fiscal 2022 and 2023 for bargaining unit members who are in active pay status and who are on the primary employee roster as of Aug. 16, or July 1 for 12-month appointments, university documents show.

The pact stipulates that bargaining unit members cannot be capped at less than 75 days for sick leave or sick leave bank that may accumulate during the duration of the collective bargaining agreement. Employees are granted benefits and entitlements in accordance with campus policies and the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993.