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Western Illinois University’s faculty union said Thursday that the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board granted its request to ask the state’s attorney general to prohibit the university from starting face-to-face instruction next week. The American Federation of Teachers-affiliated faculty union filed unfair labor practice complaints with the board last week, seeking an injunction against in-person instruction until it can bargain with the university about pandemic teaching conditions. John Miller, University Professionals of Illinois president, said in a statement that Western Illinois professors have been trying since May “to work with the administration to reach an agreement on health and safety measures that will adequately protect us all, but they have refused to make a serious effort to reach any agreement, so we were forced to act.”
Before any return to on-campus instruction, the union wants the university to provide systematic COVID-19 testing and ventilation mitigation in classrooms and buildings, among other safety measures. “Lives are literally at stake,” Miller said. “To do anything less is irresponsible.” The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
