Eastern Illinois University staff suspends strike to consider administration's offer

CHARLESTON, Ill. (CBS) -- A six-day employee strike at Eastern Illinois University has been suspended as staffers consider an offer from the administration.

The EIU University Professionals of Illinois decided to return to work at 8 a.m. Friday following a general membership meeting.

The full union membership will vote on the agreement sometime next week.

"We knew this wouldn't be easy from the start, and we were right. I am heartened by the unified strength and care that our members showed throughout this process, despite the administration's various attempts to derail and delay," union president Jennifer Stringfellow said in a news release. "We know our cause is just, and we stood up, together, for the entire campus to demand that this administration prioritize our students and the educators and staff who teach and support them."

The bargaining team did not endorse the administration's proposal at the meeting Thursday because the administration did not offer the union members a chance to do work they missed during the strike.

The Daily Eastern News reported classes will now resume.

Chicago State University faculty have been on strike since Monday, April 3, and Governors State University faculty have been on strike since Tuesday of this week. Both universities said they are continuing their strikes.

Northeastern Illinois University held a vote to authorize a strike this week if no progress is made with a mediator.