ers ▁( AF T ), ▁they ▁formed ▁the ▁Alliance ▁of ▁Gr adu ate ▁Employee ▁Loc als ▁( AGE L ). ▁ ▁Sec uring ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁union ▁ ▁By ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁ 3 2 2 6 ▁gradu ate ▁assist ants ▁had ▁signed ▁cards ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁G E O ' s ▁call ▁for ▁a ▁union ▁election . ▁The ▁G E O ▁file d ▁these ▁cards ▁as ▁a ▁pet ition ▁with ▁the ▁Illinois ▁Edu c ational ▁Labor ▁Rel ations ▁Board ▁( I EL R B ) ▁to ▁request ▁a ▁union ▁election . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁the ▁Labor ▁Board ▁review ed ▁the ▁pet ition ▁and ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁members ▁in ▁the ▁committee ▁ruled ▁that ▁gradu ate ▁assist ants ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁considered ▁employees . ▁G E O ▁then ▁appe aled ▁this ▁case ▁to ▁the ▁Illinois ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als . ▁ ▁Dec iding ▁on ▁the ▁B arg aining ▁Unit ▁( BU ) ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁a ▁student ▁refer endum ▁( sp ons ored ▁by ▁the ▁Illinois ▁Student ▁Government ) ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁gradu ate ▁employees ’ ▁right ▁to ▁union ▁representation ▁passed ▁with ▁ 7 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁March , ▁ 5 5 ▁gradu ate ▁employees ▁and ▁supp or ters ▁( including ▁cler gy , ▁union ▁members , ▁and ▁student ▁government ▁leaders ) ▁held ▁a ▁ 2 0 - hour ▁sit - in ▁at ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust