Lecturers, students protest with sit-in at Martin's office
Yesterday, adjunct lecturers and students joined together once again in an attempt to send a message to the administration at Eastern Michigan University.
Crowding into the hallway outside of President Martin’s office in Welch Hall, members of the Adjunct Lecturers Organizing Committee, Students for an Ethical and Participatory Government and representatives from the American Federation of Teachers made it clear they weren’t going to let the issue slide.
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“We urge president martin to set a meeting date with us to establish a bargaining unit definition so we can have an election and choose for ourselves whether to unionize,” said EMU mathematics lecturer Paul Horvath.
The group rallied outside the president’s office all day yesterday. Their goal was to get Martin and the university to set an appointment to meet and discuss the ALOC’s bid to be recognized as a union and have more control over the issues surrounding their jobs and working environment.
By the time this article went to press the group had not been given a firm date for a formal discussion, but both President Martin and Provost Jack Kay came out of their offices to talk to those assembled, which brings them one step closer to formal discussions.
Until those occur, the group remains steadfast and resilient in their mission to be recognized by EMU.
“You can tell a lot about someone as to how they treat their employees,” said Horvath. “The way that we’re treated is directly reflected in the way that the students are treated. And, typically, students are at the bottom of the totem pole and we have a lot of support from them because we’re also in a very similar position: both of us work part-time, both of us really just are getting what we can from the university while we’re here.”
Since mid-February the ALOC has grown more visible on campus with protest marches, rallies and now a sit-in reaffirming the group’s commitment to their cause while getting the word out to the rest of the campus community.
“Today was about people from all avenues in the university coming together and acting as a community to make the establishment a better place for everyone,” said Kassey David, a SEPE member and senior philosophy student at EMU.
According to AFT Union Organizer Greg Pratt, almost a third of the contact hours between students and instructors at EMU are from adjunct lecturers.
“So when that group of folks are not supported well by the university, I think that kind of brings into question the mission of Eastern Michigan University as having this ‘Education First’ motto,” said Pratt.
“It’s difficult to say ‘Education First’ if almost 40 percent of your employees don’t have basic needs, like health care,” added Horvath, who in addition to lecturing also manages student rental property in Ann Arbor.
“How can we teach well if we have nagging doubts about what we’re going to be teaching next term, who we’re going to be teaching it to? By addressing the standard of living of the employees you can raise the level of education for everyone.”
The demonstration in Welch will continue today, and anyone sympathetic to the cause is invited to come show their support for EMU’s lecturers and students.
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by Dave-EMU Grad
I remember EMU profs bragging about how the 60’s radicals (them) are now running the show (EMU). My, how things have changed for them—and for the worse.
Looks like their liberal stances on affirmative action and especially immigration have backfired in the worst possible way.
I’d bet the farm that these (mostly) American professors would have nothing to protest if their jobs had never been given to foreigners and/or under-qualified faculty.
I say TS. They made their bed, now it’s time to sleep in it.
Flag for moderationby Sam
I wonder how the “40 percent” number compares to other universities. I also wonder how this will affect students academically and financially.
Flag for moderationby Chai
This is great! Good work. Today at UM the lecturers are having a solidarity rally, too! And in public services we’re fighting privatization (AA public school bus drivers and custodians). Today, unionization. Tomorrow, nationalization of industry.
Flag for moderationby Johnny Lupinacci
There is no better time for the actions of the ALOC/EMUFT; as no time is a bad time for unions. Collectively the work that you all are doing is probably some of the most important work happening on campus at EMU. As a member, an adjunct lecturer, a PhD student, and an Ypsilanti resident I am proud to be in solidarity with all my sisters and brothers on foot making a difference. The commitment to good education goes far beyond the Neo-liberal influence to wage war on solidarity. EMU can, in fact, be a place where “Education First” is a priority and not rhetoric for a rising corporate agenda. We will not let profit driven power usurp rights to dignity and our collective contribution to the responsibility we all share in reclaiming education as a line to a strong social state!
Those impacted by decisions have a democratic right to participation in the decisions being made and when people have been marginalized from that process democracy suffers and thus with it freedom. So despite these dark times for laborers in our community, the collective strength grows stronger with each action.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, reminded congress in 1935 “The rights of employees freely to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining should be fully protected.” And then later in 1940 stated, “It is one of the characteristics of a free and democratic modern nation that it has free and independent labor unions.”
So when Kassey David, in the Eastern Echo, describes the actions of this past week as “…people from all avenues in the university coming together and acting as a community to make the establishment a better place for everyone.” I am reminded not only of how important unions are; but of the wisdom of Cesar Chavez, “The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.”
In this case the fight is about democracy and the rights of students to have the best education we can offer!
It is always about the people!
Thank you sisters and brothers in solidarity. Every action you take is one step closer to putting “Education First”
I appreciate you all.
Flag for moderationby Richard Kahn, Ph.D.
Those struggling for the right to organize and be heard in their labor demands at EMU have my full support and solidarity. What appears a campus issue is of course a larger national or international struggle that is advancing on many fronts. Every worker on every campus has a vested interest in resisting the further reduction or outright removal of our labor rights. Every campus in which we are standing up to name this issue and work against the so-called privatization model of higher education deserves to be celebrated, championed, and organizationally supported. An injury to one is an injury to all! In solidarity…
Flag for moderationby Cory L
I completed my Undergrad at Eastern a couple of years ago, and out of my memorable teachers there is a majority whom are lectures. I had the privilege of having Paul Horvath as a math teacher and I truly believe he embodies the “Education First” spirit. It is sad that there are many full time professors who horrible that get to float on by, while those who are actually good at what they do have to worry about adequate pay and health care.
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