The faculty union at the University of Illinois Chicago began contract negotiations with UIC administration on Monday. UIC United Faculty (UICUF) delivered their intent to bargain, the first step in the bargaining process, to Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda and Provost Karen Colley on February 2, 2026. The current contract expires August 15, 2026. The UI system is bargaining with multiple unions whose contracts have already expired; several of those unions, such as UIC’s Graduate Employee Organization (GEO), have taken strike votes or are already on strike. The union’s proposals ensure job security for all; autonomy in research and instruction, safeguarded from external policy changes; transparent procedures for the adoption and regulation of artificial intelligence technologies and the sharing of faculty and student intellectual property; protections for the safety and right to learn of all at UIC regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexuality, or immigration status; and sufficient disability and mental health resources for students, faculty, and staff. The UIC United Faculty (Local 6456) represents the bargaining units of Tenure/Tenure-Track and Non-Tenure Track faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago. UICUF is affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers, and the American Association of University Professors.