CHICAGO — Hundreds of University of Illinois at Chicago faculty members began striking Tuesday to demand pay raises and protest a failure to reach an agreement with the administration on a contract.

Joe Persky, president of the 1,200-member University of Illinois at Chicago United Faculty union, said the school is refusing to pay professors what they’re worth, despite higher tuition and a big reserve fund. He said the university and union bargained all weekend, but the union concluded its core demands won’t be met without the walkout, which is set to continue Wednesday.