▁reduction ▁in ▁tu ition ▁wa ivers ▁and ▁failure ▁to ▁comp ly ▁with ▁the ▁arbitr ator ' s ▁r uling . ▁ ▁B arg aining ▁for ▁the ▁fourth ▁contract ▁began ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁After ▁several ▁months ▁of ▁no ▁resolution , ▁G E O ▁passed ▁a ▁strike ▁authorization ▁vote ▁by ▁ 8 7 %. ▁On ▁November ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁the ▁administration ▁and ▁G E O ▁signed ▁a ▁tent ative ▁agreement ▁and ▁G E O ▁rat ified ▁this ▁contract ▁with ▁a ▁ 9 5 % ▁vote ▁of ▁appro val . ▁ ▁G E O ▁today ▁ ▁In ▁spring ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁G E O ▁began ▁b arg aining ▁for ▁their ▁fifth ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois ▁management ▁team ▁in ▁anticip ation ▁of ▁the ▁fourth ▁contract ▁exp iring ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁As ▁voted ▁on ▁by ▁membership ▁at ▁the ▁General ▁M emb ership ▁Me eting ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁contract ▁prior ities ▁were ▁organized ▁around ▁protect ing ▁tu ition ▁wa ivers , ▁raising ▁w ages ▁and ▁elimin ating ▁fe es , ▁ens uring ▁quality ▁health care , ▁and ▁prom oting ▁access ▁and ▁equality ▁( which ▁includes ▁creating ▁child care ▁support , ▁strength ening ▁the ▁n ond isc rim ination ▁statement , ▁and ▁expand ing ▁parent al , ▁bere av ement , ▁and ▁vis a / imm igration ▁leave ). ▁ ▁In