3,700 support staff join nurses on strike at University of Illinois Hospital

Nurses at the University of Illinois Hospital who’ve been on strike since the weekend were joined Monday by about 3,700 other hospital support staff who are calling for better pay and COVID-19 protections.

The workers — all members of Service Employees International Union Local 73 who are employed by the University of Illinois at Chicago — went on strike at 6 a.m.

They include parking attendants, cashiers, custodians, lab animal caretakers, emergency medical technicians and physical therapists — all seeking pay raises along with better personal protective equipment and virus testing.

“They’re on strike indefinitely, until they get a fair contract,” said SEIU spokesman Adrian Rojas.

Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/9/14/21436840/3700-support-staff-join-nurses-strike-university-of-illinois-hospital