| 2020 University of Illinois Hospital strikes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | September 12–24, 2020 (12 days) | ||
| Location | |||
| Goals |
| ||
| Methods | |||
| Resulted in | New labor contracts with provisions that included:
| ||
| Parties | |||
| |||
The 2020 University of Illinois Hospital strikes were the result of a breakdown in contract negotiations between labor unions and hospital management over salaries, staffing levels, and access to personal protective equipment.
The background for both strikes stemmed from negotiations over labor contracts between the Chicago-based hospital and two unions, the Illinois Nurses Association (INA) and Local 73 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The unions had been negotiating for new contracts for several months and had held over 70 bargaining sessions with hospital management, but despite this, no agreement could be concluded between the parties. In mid-September, both unions declared their intent to strike, citing unfair labor practices. The INA strike started on September 12, with Local 73's strike commencing on September 14. These were the first strikes at the University of Illinois Hospital in 46 years. Both strikes involved several hundred workers from each union, though court rulings limited the total number of union members allowed to strike by several hundred. Goals shared by both unions included increased staffing, increased pay, and greater access to personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On September 19, the INA announced an end to their strike, stating that progress had been made towards new contract agreements. On September 23, the SEIU came to a tentative agreement on a new contract, with their strike ending the following day. That same day, the INA announced a tentative agreement with the hospital. In early October, membership of both unions voted to accept the new contracts.