▁University ▁of ▁Illinois ▁system ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁members ▁of ▁G E O ▁are ▁committed ▁to ▁the ▁principles ▁of ▁particip atory ▁dem ocracy . ▁Their ▁object ives ▁are ▁ 1 ) ▁Organ izing , ▁ 2 ) ▁Collect ive ▁Represent ation ▁and ▁B arg aining , ▁ 3 ) ▁Education , ▁ 4 ) ▁Community , ▁and ▁ 5 ) ▁Co operation ▁and ▁Social ▁Justice . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁G E O ▁has ▁rat ified ▁four ▁employ ment ▁contract s ▁with ▁the ▁administration ▁at ▁UI UC . ▁With ▁the ▁fourth ▁contract ▁ending ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁G E O ▁and ▁the ▁administration ▁began ▁a ▁new ▁b arg aining ▁process ▁as ▁of ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁G E O ' s ▁Organ iz ational ▁Str ucture ▁ ▁G E O ▁is ▁a ▁recognized ▁union ▁affili ated ▁with ▁the ▁Illinois ▁Federation ▁of ▁Te ach ers ▁( IF T ), ▁the ▁American ▁Federation ▁of ▁Te ach ers ▁( AF T ), ▁and ▁the ▁A FL - C IO . ▁The ▁union ▁is ▁organized ▁broad ly ▁into ▁two ▁groups : ▁the ▁Co ordin ating ▁Committee ▁( CC ) ▁and ▁the ▁Ste wards ’ ▁Council ▁( SC ). ▁The ▁CC ▁is ▁elected ▁by ▁the ▁G E O ▁membership ▁every ▁spring . ▁ ▁Co ordin ating ▁Committee ▁( CC ) ▁ ▁The ▁CC ▁is ▁made ▁of ▁elected ▁officials ▁from ▁all ▁comm itte es ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Communic ations ▁Committee ▁( Comm