CMU (Central Michigan University) faculty goes on strike

[UrbScotty]

Source: Detroit Free Press

Central Michigan University faculty members went on strike tonight, complaining the administration did not bargain in good faith, according to reports from faculty and the student newspaper, CM Life.

The move comes hours before classes were to start Monday morning at the mid-Michigan school. It's unclear at press time which classes will be held and which will be canceled.

The move tops a weeklong, last-ditch effort to come to some sort of agreement between the more than 600 members of the union and the school.

The union voted on Monday to authorize the bargaining team to take any job related actions, including a strike.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20110821/NEWS06/110821041/CMU-faculty-goes-strike

[liberal N proud]

1. Oh - Oh!

[BadtotheboneBob]

2. While the Professors may have legitimate issues...

... Meanwhile, over 20k student have paid their tuition (with a 4% increase) and will be sitting on their butts in the dorms and apartments. I predict a PR disaster over this for what is otherwise an excellent university and faculty. A lot of student's parents are not gonna be very happy at this. Expect many transfers. The GOP (and Faux News) will eat this up. Professors striking over pay raises in this economy? Hoo boy, I can just see it now. Faux headline - 'College Professors strike for more pay! Will those Liberals want higher taxes on their new money?'
Or some such thing...

[jimlup]

4. Better check what they are striking over before assuming it is wages...

I have not seen the unions position - have you?

[boppers]

6. Better article here:

http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2011/08/06/news/doc4e3c4f005757f844846802.txt?viewmode=fullstory

It's over who can bargain, what a promotion can earn, when people can be promoted, what faculty workload is defined as, standards required for promotion, how often professors have to publish, who can determine somebody is worthy of promotion... it's not as simple as "wages".

[BadtotheboneBob]

9. "Economic issues" in this Union email...

The Faculty Union is planning to gather at 7:00 PM Sunday for a closed-member meeting. Below is an email sent to union members:

Bargaining Update: August 20, 2011

Today, we had another mediation session from 11am to approximately 3pm. The
administration is no longer willing to discuss economic issues. Although we
continued to assert our willingness to bargain 24/7 and insisted we could
foresee multiple paths forward, no additional bargaining sessions are
planned.

Tomorrow, all members are expected to join us for a closed-member meeting at
7:00pm in the MPHS auditorium. Bring your photo ID.

We will declare action together!
FA STRONG,
The Bargaining Team

http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=654079

[Cal Carpenter]

12. The students could be striking with them

Solidarity works wonders.

[mike_c]

13. few faculty unions walk out over pay....

My union-- also a faculty union-- will likely be authorizing a strike in the coming months. Stagnant salaries are only one of our complaints. But while we're on the topic of faculty compensation, do you know that in the California State University, faculty have not had a pay increase in several years and the increases we managed five years ago and more were so paltry as to not keep up with the rising cost of living. Over that period, when the administration cried poor due to the economic collapse, top executives (across 23 campuses!) received double digit percentage increases just about every year. The newly hired president of San Diego State was hired at a BASE SALARY of $400,000 annually (he gets other salary, allowances, and monetary perqs on top of that), or fully 25% higher than his predecessor, who was in the job for 13 years.

So while faculty salaries have not budged in years, and everyone says asking for better wages would be unconscionable during hard economic times, as usual top executives don't even have to ask-- they simply siphon all the cream off the top.

[jimlup]

3. Expected this ...

More like these will likely occur as fall progresses. Solidarity with CMU faculty!

[bluestateguy]

5. I'm not sure what the strategy behind this is

The grievances may be 100% legit, but with the semester about to start, this could wreak havoc upon students and parents who have already paid their bills.

From a PR standpoint it could seriously backfire.

[longstockinggirl]

7. PR should make the administration look bad, not the faculty

IMO, professors care deeply for their students. I can't imagine this would happen without serious and careful consideration.
Rather than placing the blame for missed classes on the faculty, shouldn't we look to the administration? Students can learn much from the faculty even now - the faculty are displaying great courage of conviction and taking a stand so that they are treated with respect and fairness.

[NashVegas]

8. If The Students Don't Stand With Them, The Staff Should Rightly Quit Altogether

The brats don't deserve qualified instructors if all they care about is protecting their investment.

[harmonicon]

11. That's why it's the right time.

Strikes don't really mean shit if they don't have an effect. This will have an effect. Good for them.

[russspeakeasy]

10. Bargaining in good faith....how quaint....

:evilgrin:

[UrbScotty]

14. Update: Students (and others) are staging a hell of a sit-in right now

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=228809810498081