Fellow Academic Specialists,
Andrew's reply tells me that there is a substantial lack of information
on the pros, cons and the process in general of the unionization of
specialists at MSU. Thus, I completely agree with Sarah Handspike on
her assessment that all sides are not being told what they need to do or
can do. Thus, I would say that we should all be encouraged to ask Dr.
Curry that all specialists are properly informed of the process and are
aware of the consequences. Therefore, I already sent an e-mail to Dr.
Curry expressing precisely that.
Best regards,
Andres Vina, Ph.D.
Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability (CSIS)
1405 S. Harrison Road
Suite 115 Manly Miles Bldg.
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48823-5243
Phone: (517) 432-5078
Fax: (517) 432-5066
Andrew S. McCullough wrote:
> Greetings Fellow Academic Specialists -
>
> Please investigate this question further before you reply to this
> email. I believe, am not sure, but believe that only teaching
> specialists are now part of this unionization effort. Why that should
> be, I don't know. I do know as a former ASAC member for a semester
> that, while ASAC is a great group of people, they have very little
> actual power or influence. Their voices are heard, and the ASAC does
> serve as an information conduit to the rest of the Specialists on
> campus. That's great! But, can ASAC help a person who has had
> repeated one-year contracts for 20 years? Can ASAC help adjuncts get
> the opportunity to buy into benefit packages. Do you know that some
> adjuncts teach MORE than 3 classes in some semesters? To get a better
> idea of what unionization could do for Specialist teachers, please go
> to the LSJ article here for one view
> http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090207/NEWS06/902070320
>
> For more information, you could also read this publication by the
> American Federation of Teacher s (AFT):
> http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/higher_ed/FulltimeNontenure.pdf
>
> Yes, I have joined the UNTF. Many of my colleagues have not. I fully
> agree that the discussion should be public. From what colleagues who
> attended the Conclave told me, a few very vociferous anti-union voices
> made it difficult for those who wanted to learn more to actually learn
> more at the Conclave. We need information much more than we need
> emotional reactions.
>
> Finally, find out what AFT was able to do for the specialists - that
> in nontenure-track faculty - at the U of M. Just now, for example,
> the full time faculty at U of M have been told they will pay a
> substantially larger percentage of their salary for health care
> benefits. The unionized nontenure-track faculty will not have to do
> per their union agreement.
>
> Any union formed here will be comprised of us - Academic Specialists
> working at MSU. It is true that organizers on campus are AFT
> employees, but any union formed here would be formed by us, governed
> by us, to serve us! A union of the specialists, for the specialists,
> by the specialists.
>
> So, again, before you get hot under the collar, please investigate
> what a union could do for us, and what it would and could not do.
>
> All the best to all -
>
> ASM (my signature file at the end of the email)
>
>
>
> Sarah Handspike wrote:
>>
>> Dear Fellow Specialists:
>>
>>
>>
>> Following the Conclave last Friday, there was a scheduled discussion
>> about the possibility of subgroups of specialists becoming
>> unionized. It was not 100% clear from this meeting how far along in
>> the process this is, but it was VERY clear that it is right around
>> the corner. As an advising specialist, with administrative and
>> teaching responsibilities, I have not been one that the Union Reps
>> have targeted to give information to. Therefore, if I had not
>> attended the Conclave meeting, I would know very little. At this
>> meeting, I found out that some specialists have been ignored and on
>> the opposite side, some have spoken of borderline harassment.
>> Whether you are FOR the unionization or AGAINST it, everyone deserves
>> to be informed about something that could impact them this drastically.
>>
>>
>>
>> We were informed at this meeting that the dues for such a Union would
>> cost each one of us 1 ? 2% of our salary. This is whether you are
>> FOR it or AGAINST it. Non-tenured teaching specialists are small in
>> numbers, so advisors have been roped in so the union will be higher
>> in numbers and fight. Have advisors asked, in what way will the
>> advisors will be helped by the union? I have yet to see something
>> that would help me in my position, yet I will pay a lot of money for
>> it. In an economy like we have today, what are they really going to
>> accomplish anyway? We should all be thankful that we have jobs. Be
>> careful what you ask for.
>>
>>
>>
>> I respect that everyone has the right to pick their side, but I don?t
>> think that all sides are being told what they need to do or can do.
>> I don?t like secretive talks about something that I could be forced
>> to join and pay for.
>>
>>
>>
>> As a specialist I think that ASAC has done a great job representing
>> the specialists? needs and MSU administration has worked well with
>> them to address our concerns. These are the people we need speaking
>> for us. These are fellow co-workers who volunteer their time to
>> stand up for us and help us define who we are. The issues being
>> presented were never even brought to ASAC so that they could try to
>> help. I think ASAC needs to step up on this issue of unionization
>> and take a stand, because they may no longer exist under a Union
>> structure.
>>
>>
>>
>> At the Conclave meeting, we were informed that if we did not want a
>> union, we needed to make our voices heard. We were told that the
>> decision to move forward was in the hands of Terry Curry, Associate
>> Provost. We were told to e-mail Dr. Curry if we did not want to move
>> forward with this process ([log in to unmask]
>> <https://mail.msu.edu/imp/compose.php?to=thcurry%40msu.edu>). As of
>> right now, all he is seeing is a petition to start a union. If you
>> are not telling him that you don?t want one, he won?t know.
>>
>> Doing nothing IS making a decision!
>>
>> Sarah Handspike
>>
>> Senior Specialist
>>
>> Department of Psychology
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> (Feel free to cut and paste)
>>
>> Dr. Curry,
>>
>> I am not interested in having a union for the specialists at Michigan
>> State University. If a vote must take place, please make sure that
>> all specialists are properly informed of the process and are aware of
>> the costs.
>>
>>
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>>
>
> --
>
> Andrew S. McCullough
> ESL Lab Coordinator
> Academic Specialist (Faculty Lecturer)
> English Language Center
> A-714 Wells Hall
> Michigan State University
> East Lansing, MI 48824-1027
>
> ELC Phone: (517) 353-0800; FAX: (517) 432-1149
> Direct Phone: (517) 884-1506
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> The action of love has no motive; every other action has. - J. Krishnamurti
>
>
|
