LIFE Central Michigan University
| Monday, August 22, 2011
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
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| Mount Pleasant, Mich.
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FACULTY STRIKE
photos by andrew kuhn/assistant photo editor
CMU Faculty Association President Laura Frey cheers with Waterford Graduate Assistant Michelle Campbell Sunday evening outside of Mount Pleasant High School, 1155 S. Elizabeth St.
CMU tells students to attend classes, files injunction against FA By Theresa Clift and Annie Harrison University Editor, Senior Reporter
Central Michigan University will take the Faculty Association to court today to challenge its decision to perform a full work stoppage. Under Michigan law, it is illegal for public employees to strike over economic issues, and CMU employees are considered public employees, said Director of Public Relations Steve Smith. However, the FA said the work stoppage is legal because it is in protest of unfair labor practices, and they it is a protected activity. As a result of the full work stoppage, the FA is withholding all services, including teaching classes, responding to emails, holding office hours, attending meetings and advising. CMU’s 439 fixed-term faculty and 591 graduate assistants will still hold classes as scheduled. The Student Government Association and university public relations are advising students to report to all classes, since a formal notification of cancelation will not be issued. The FA has several issues
with the university’s proposals as of July 14. These include the FA losing its MESSA health coverage, accepting a pay freeze for this academic year, and removing athletics, counseling and library groups from the bargaining unit. Both sides said progress was made on non-economic issues during Saturday’s
meeting, but major economic differences remained. The university sent an email to students and staff at approximately 11 p.m. Sunday, advising them to report to class. The FA has full support from the Michigan Education Association, which will pay faculty members the majority of their regular salary from the association’s crisis assistance fund, former FA President Tim Connors said. Laura Frey, FA president, made the announcement about 8:30 p.m. Sunday after the FA’s closed meeting at Mount Pleasant High School, 1155 S. Elizabeth St. The decision was made after more than 20 bargaining sessions with the university, beginning in April, failed to result in an agreement. Several of these meetings were mediated by the state. Frey said the FA will stay out of the classroom “as long as we need to.” She also said the FA is willing to take a risk to stand up for student rights, and said it is serving as a role model
for students to stand up for what they believe in. More than 100 students and community members marched from Warriner Hall to the high school in support of the FA. Connors said he could hear the marchers chanting from inside the auditorium and came out to greet them. “You have no idea about the goosebumps that gave me to know that you were here to show your support,” Connors said. FA members and supporters will hold a sit-in at Warriner Mall at 7 a.m. today to greet University President George Ross as he arrives. SGA President Vincent Cavataio said his concern lies with the 30,000 CMU students. He said he will wait to receive feedback from students before forming a resolution. “I am supporting what’s in the students’ best interest,” he said. The resolution will not come until Aug. 29, when the SGA house and senate A fa | 8a
Kent Miller, assistant professor of journalism, cheers with the crowd of supporters outside Mount Pleasant High School Sunday evening.
Cheering students support FA Other unions standing by FA By Ben Harris Senior Reporter
Students cheered and applauded for faculty as they left Mount Pleasant High School after approving a strike. “This is the first time in Faculty Association history that they’ve been working without a contract, and the FA is one of the oldest unions of its kind in the country,” said graduate student Michelle Campbell
and student liaison to the FA. About 100 people marched from Warriner Hall Sunday night to Mount Pleasant High School, 1155 S. Elizabeth St., waiting for faculty to walk out. “We want to see students get up and do something, and be the first people to see what’s going on and show our support for the faculty,” said graduate student Nicole Wood, who organized the event.
Wood said the group wanted to hear something from the administration so students had a better idea of what was going on. “I think the administration is being ridiculous,” said Grayling senior Storm Shriver. He eventually plans on being a professor, so Shriver said he sympathizes with the faculty. A rally | 2a
By Mike Nichols Senior Reporter
The majority of the Central Michigan University unions contacted by CM Life said they stand behind the Faculty Association’s decision to strike. Union of Teaching Faculty President Jim Eikrem, said it fully supports the FA. “We absolutely support them in striking,” he said. “We
93 Years of Serving as Central Michigan University’s Independent Voice
do advise them not to take any work.” Although the UTF agreed not to strike in its own contract, Eikrem said its sympathetic. Many of the other unions said their contracts have put them in the same position. Karen Bellingar, president of the United Auto Workers Local 6888, said it is also under a contract that prohibits members, who are office pro-
fessionals, from striking, but not from supporting their fellow unions. Bellingar said members can picket with the faculty so long as it is on their own time, and they plan to. Bellingar said they have picketed in the past. Union members said they are prepared to support the FA, but they have not voted on a plan yet.
A unions | 8a