The Graduate Employees’ Organization met at Wesley United Methodist Church on Monday night to further discuss the possibility of a strike.

GEO spokeswoman Stephanie Seawell said this was an opportunity for members to talk about what a strike would mean for graduate assistants. She also said the meeting was the beginning of the next step in the strike process: a strike authorization vote.

Although some GEO members voted at the meeting, members have until Thursday night to vote on the “concept of a strike,” Seawell said. If the vote passes, the GEO will form a strike committee, made up of its coordinating committee and a few other elected candidates. This committee will decide whether to issue a strike.

From Tuesday to Thursday, members can vote at various polling places throughout campus from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or electronically from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. All votes will be counted Friday.

Last month, the GEO filed intent-to-strike paperwork with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board amid contract negotiations with the University. This gave the organization legal permission to go on strike.

Seawell said the vote is the next step in the process, which means “a strike is on the table.” However, members have said they do not wish to authorize a strike, as they would rather finalize the contract through mediation.

“We want to settle this in the bargaining room, but in order for that to happen, we need the administration to talk to us about all of our issues, including tuition waivers,” Seawell said.

The GEO and University administrators met with a federal mediator Friday to discuss drafting a new contract, as the last three-year contract expired Aug. 16. Seawell said little progress was made with the mediator.

“It was encouraging because we got to the mediation,” she said. “What was not as encouraging was that we didn’t finalize any (contract) language.”

Campus spokeswoman Robin Kaler said in an email regarding Friday’s contract negotiations that the University has acknowledged that the GEO has a legal right to strike “as long as it complies with the strike-related provisions of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act.” But she said the University does not want a strike, nor does it believe a strike is necessary at this point.

“The University remains optimistic that we can reach an agreement with the GEO, without a strike occurring,” Kaler said. “It was helpful to work with (the) federal mediator Friday, and we have three more sessions scheduled with the mediator.”

But Monte Beaty, member of the GEO bargaining team, said the meeting with the mediator did not go as well as he had hoped. He said he thinks a strike is the next step if discussions do not improve in the next few meetings.

“We’re hoping the administration works with us because our interest here is to continue working,” Beaty said.

Lauren can be reached at [email protected]. Staff writer Tyler Davis contributed to this report.