Enter the Mediator

December 22, 2010 by Leave a comment

No, it’s not the recently discovered Bruce Lee movie in which he renounces violence and takes up labor relations, it’s merely the administration’s latest ploy at the negotiation table.  GAU was notified this morning that in response to our proposals, namely a freeze on fees and a reduction in health insurance deductibles from $1000 to $250, that it thought little progress could be forthcoming as things stand now.  As is their right, they desire to employ the services of a mediator.  The mediator’s decisions will be non-binding, however.  By not even attempting to meet us halfway on any issues of importance, the administration’s illegal attempts to lay off or reduce the hours of non-tenure track faculty and now its threats to junior tenure-track faculty, the administration has revealed itself for what it is: a bully.

On January 17th at 3:00 p.m. in the Student Center’s Mississippi room  we’ll be discussing where we go from here.  Your feedback is essential, and it is definitely in your own self-interest to be there.

I’m sorry for not wishing you this sooner, but have a great break!

Jim P.

Filed under bargaining, meetings

A busy time for the administration

December 18, 2010 by 1 Comment

Well, the administration’s been busy this week; we knew the NTT’s were going to take it in the neck and they have, with, according to the Southern Illinoisan, the administration sending out “78 letters informing non-tenure track faculty that they will be laid off from their position or reduced to part-time hours if they do not take the four administrative closure days.”  To my mind, this discourse between the unions and the administration is becoming less and less about issues of mutual importance, and more about power.  And not just power, but power in the zero-sum sense of the word.
To that end, the administration is employing the traditional approach of divide and conquer.  Within our context of GAU, this policy may manifest itself by having graduate assistants covering the classes once taught by NTT’s.  Needless to say, that policy would see graduate assistants become scab laborers against our fellow union sisters and brothers, a policy that GAU leadership is completely opposed to.
To my mind, we have entered a new phase in our relationship with the administration.  Layoffs and the like are no longer in the realm of theory.  Rather, they are a reality.  If there is any possible positive to this situation, it is this: finally, the administration has revealed its true nature.  No longer do we have to tolerate looking at the hypocritical facade of an administration whose actions never matched its rhetoric.  We always suspected, and now we now know the administration for what it is, an institution still mired in outdated modes of governance, who sees collaboration as a threat, and power as a one-way relationship.  But I have no doubts whatsoever that come what may, we will look past our own self-interest and maintain our solidarity.

Filed under news

General Meeting

December 11, 2010 by Leave a comment

Save the date of January  27 for a general meeting on addressing our unfinished business with the administration.  Among the other topics will be improvements to our student healthcare plans and fee freezes.  The location is to be determined, so watch this space!

Filed under meetings

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.