Members of the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU Local 73, are protesting recent University proposals that would alter vacation and days-off policies for some unionized employees.

One University proposal calls for campus mail messengers to work on Christmas and Thanksgiving days, among other national holidays.

Another proposal would require Building Service Workers and Food Service Workers to schedule vacations one year in advance, while only being able to use vacation days earned up to the point of scheduling, according to an SEIU press release.

The union and the University are negotiating these two proposals during ongoing bi-weekly meetings, said Robin Kaler, campus spokeswoman.

The SEIU represents approximately 25,000 public employees in Illinois and Northwest Indiana, including 800 University employees, said Ricky Baldwin, SEIU’s senior field organizer.

“The whole point of negotiations is to propose different possible sets of wages, benefits and working conditions, with the goal of settling on a set that is deemed as the most agreeable to both sides,” Kaler said.

She said the wages for mail messengers are non-negotiable, but “tied to an outside collective bargaining agreement.”

“The University was inclined to offer these employees holidays that were similar to the holidays afforded to other prevailing (wage) rate employees,” Kaler said.

According to policies under the State Universities Civil Service System, employees in prevailing wage rate groups are excused from work on holidays observed by the employer and may still have a chance for compensation.

Regarding the change in vacation day policies for Building and Food Service Workers, Kaler said the University is making “every effort to accommodate individual employee’s requests for vacation and personal leave, while also taking into consideration any competing requests by other employees, as well as the operational needs of the University.”

Union members, employees and their supporters held two pickets Thursday to protest these proposals. Baldwin said the picketing may continue on a weekly basis, and he said he hopes the University takes notice.

All employees are currently still working, and Baldwin said a decision has not been made on whether or not the employees will go on strike.

“We’re going to be requesting a federal mediator pretty soon,” Baldwin said. “We’ve discussed all the proposals. It’s not that there’s not more to discuss — there is — but we think that a mediator can help us. The University is digging in their heels, and we don’t frankly understand that.”

Kaler said the University is anticipating that it will reach an agreement with the union workers, and there “won’t be a need for a strike.”

“We’ll continue to bargain in good faith. We’ve made good progress together so far, and we’re optimistic that we’ll continue to reach agreements going forward,” Kaler said.

Scott Johnson, a building service worker, has been with the University since April. He said he wanted to come out and show his support Thursday because he believes the University will take note if the employees’ voices are stronger together.

“I’ve seen what happens, if the workers don’t have a voice. The ones at the bottom are the first to lose,” Johnson said. “Just realize we’re here. We don’t resent doing what we do, we take pride in what we do.”

Emma can be reached at [email protected].