2008 Woodie Awards
Misperceived Perspective
Issue date: 4/30/07 Section: Op-Ed
In recent weeks I have heard a lot of student concerns about the possibility that APSCUF, the union that represents university professors in the 14 universities in the state system of higher education (SSHE), may go on strike at the end of June. I would like to take this opportunity to try to explain why students should consider supporting the union in its fight for a livable wage here at West Chester University.
Unions are under attack from many quarters in the United States. There is a common misperception that unions are in business to "protect incompetents." This kind of reasoning is bandied about by managers and corporate owners as a way of deflecting their real worries - that they might have to pay their workers a livable wage and that doing so could hurt their profit margins. What unions protect are decent, fair wage scales and decent, fair working standards.
APSCUF professors need to prepare very seriously for a strike. We have signed two mediocre contracts in a row because administrators in the state system of higher education were convinced APSCUF professors would never go on strike, that none of us could afford a strike. We must show solidarity in the face of administrative "contract offers" that are laughable. SSHE proposes a 0-0-0-0 percent raise over the next four years.
Ask your parents if they would settle for such a proposal from their employers. Your families would be losing ground to rising inflation if they did. This proposal dares us to organize a strike.
The preservation of our livelihoods is at stake but, more importantly, the preservation of the quality of education at all universities in the state system is also at stake. APSCUF professors are worried that the quality of instruction will decrease if SSHE administrators are allowed to hire more part-time adjuncts instead of tenure-line faculty members.
Part-time faculty can be superb teachers, dedicated to their students. However, they don't (they simply can't) have the same commitment to West Chester. They don't serve as advisors; they don't serve on university committees; they don't help in curriculum development and all of the other work that insures the quality of a WCU degree.
Unions are under attack from many quarters in the United States. There is a common misperception that unions are in business to "protect incompetents." This kind of reasoning is bandied about by managers and corporate owners as a way of deflecting their real worries - that they might have to pay their workers a livable wage and that doing so could hurt their profit margins. What unions protect are decent, fair wage scales and decent, fair working standards.
APSCUF professors need to prepare very seriously for a strike. We have signed two mediocre contracts in a row because administrators in the state system of higher education were convinced APSCUF professors would never go on strike, that none of us could afford a strike. We must show solidarity in the face of administrative "contract offers" that are laughable. SSHE proposes a 0-0-0-0 percent raise over the next four years.
Ask your parents if they would settle for such a proposal from their employers. Your families would be losing ground to rising inflation if they did. This proposal dares us to organize a strike.
The preservation of our livelihoods is at stake but, more importantly, the preservation of the quality of education at all universities in the state system is also at stake. APSCUF professors are worried that the quality of instruction will decrease if SSHE administrators are allowed to hire more part-time adjuncts instead of tenure-line faculty members.
Part-time faculty can be superb teachers, dedicated to their students. However, they don't (they simply can't) have the same commitment to West Chester. They don't serve as advisors; they don't serve on university committees; they don't help in curriculum development and all of the other work that insures the quality of a WCU degree.
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