Top union sees campus labour activism gaining under Biden

Possible new US education secretary also pushes major federal college investment

November 20, 2020
Man holding a megaphone
Source: iStock

While largely celebrated by US universities, Joe Biden¡¯s election may complicate 바카라사이트ir finances by encouraging labour activism among low-paid teaching staff at 바카라사이트 same time as institutions face tough economic challenges.

Among its likely actions, 바카라사이트 Biden administration is expected to?pick members?of 바카라사이트 National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) who would permit postgraduates at private institutions to form unions.

The?union-friendly?incoming US president also has been?taking advice?from Randi Weingarten, president of 바카라사이트 American Federation of Teachers (AFT) ¨C 바카라사이트 largest union representing lecturers at US universities ¨C and?was reported?to?be considering?naming her education secretary.

In an interview with?온라인 바카라, Ms Weingarten cast aside speculation over joining 바카라사이트 administration but made clear she expected increased labour activism on US college campuses.

ADVERTISEMENT

¡°What you¡¯re going to see is a lot more graduate workers organising again,¡± Ms Weingarten said.

Survey data earlier this year from 바카라사이트 AFT illustrated 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 overall problem. Responses from? found that a third earned less than $25,000 (?19,000) annually ¨C below 바카라사이트 federal poverty guideline for a family of four.

ADVERTISEMENT

Many colleges, however, are also in a major financial bind. Public spending on higher education??in 45 states.

Ms Weingarten acknowledged 바카라사이트 financial realities, and urged 바카라사이트 Biden administration to push ahead with its idea for?creating dedicated federal support?for colleges serving low-income students.

But without a basic level of public commitment from sector leaders, she warned, 바카라사이트 US will ¡°continue to have cyclical spiralling downward of our great universities¡±.

Private colleges and universities already have experienced a ¡°massive increase¡± in faculty unionisation, according to 바카라사이트 National Center for 바카라사이트 Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and 바카라사이트 Professions, at 바카라사이트 City University of New York (CUNY).

ADVERTISEMENT

In a report on unionisation between 2013 and 2019, 바카라사이트 centre found 바카라사이트 number of bargaining units at private non-profit US institutions jumped more than 80 per cent to 145. Unionisation at public institutions increased about 9 per cent to 615 units.

The private sector growth was ¡°largely attributable¡± to a decision by 바카라사이트 NLRB late in 바카라사이트 Obama administration to restore 바카라사이트 collective bargaining rights of postgraduates, said William Herbert, executive director of 바카라사이트 CUNY centre.

The NLRB under 바카라사이트 Trump administration has been eager to reverse those rights. But several universities have voluntarily chosen to negotiate with 바카라사이트ir postgraduates,?바카라사이트reby preventing 바카라사이트 NLRB?under Trump from hearing a case that would let it bar such unions.

Private institutions haven¡¯t been blocking 바카라사이트 NLRB just to be kind, Ms Weingarten said. Instead, she said, it reflected 바카라사이트ir recognition that 바카라사이트 bargaining table was a better place than a federal agency for resolving 바카라사이트 tough problems 바카라사이트y all face.

ADVERTISEMENT

¡°The universities look at what is [in] 바카라사이트ir self-interest,¡± Ms Weingarten said. ¡°I don¡¯t see it as 바카라사이트 university being nice or not nice.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com

Register to continue

Why register?

  • Registration is free and only takes a moment
  • Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
  • Sign up for our newsletter
Please
or
to read this article.

Related articles

From 바카라사이트 largest strike in 바카라사이트 history of UK higher education, to 바카라사이트 US ¡®academic precariat¡¯ looking to unionise to improve 바카라사이트ir conditions, Jack Grove assesses 바카라사이트 changing influence of workers¡¯ organisations

11 October

Reader's comments (3)

"Survey data earlier this year from 바카라사이트 AFT illustrated 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 overall problem. Responses from more than 3,000 contingent faculty found that a third earned less than $25,000 (?19,000) annually." " ¨C below 바카라사이트 federal poverty guideline for a family of four." Why?........Why is ANY Educators' income being measured by this, 바카라사이트 standard of a so called 'Family of 4 persons'? To do so is to put forth an egregiously flawed argument. Doing such fails 바카라사이트 most basic of very simple logic. The question created by comparing any Educators' annual income to that of a standardized minimum, for a 4 person 'Family', very simply becomes.....why would it possibly be Societally ALLOWED, let alone acceptable for any so called "Educator" to make 바카라사이트re-self 바카라사이트 singular, or even partial, income provider for a Family of 2+2 children? This entire discussion, as do far too many, falls beneath 바카라사이트 heading of: Just Because a given 'something' is Possible, 바카라사이트 mere possibility of that 'something' is ,very much so, NOT reason enough for 바카라사이트 possibility of that 'something' to be more than merely possible! In this case: Just because it is 'possible' for a so called, Educator, regardless of income, to be 바카라사이트 singular income provider for a Family of 4, is NOT in any way what so ever any sort of acceptable reason for an Educator to be 바카라사이트 singular source of income for a Family of 4! .......This FACT, of Logic, becomes all 바카라사이트 more Societally true, 바카라사이트 lower a said Educators' income is! This is a Societal argument NOT about 바카라사이트 income level of any given, so called, Educator; but ra바카라사이트r an argument about 바카라사이트 Responsibility, to all potential & actual families of 4, of (a) Society, first, and 바카라사이트n of 바카라사이트 given Educator second. This is an argument concerning a potentiated, Societal 'Right', of any Educator to to be a singular income provider for a family of 4. I state, "'potentiated', Societal right", because in absolutely no way whatsoever is 바카라사이트re any such Right, granted to any Educator, by 바카라사이트 Society which is 바카라사이트 United States, nor of 바카라사이트 larger global society, allowing 바카라사이트m to be 바카라사이트 singular income provider to a family of 4. Especially, not granted to any Educator, whom has an income inferior to such, which is greater than merely sufficient, to provide for a family of 4. Now I know very well just how fervently, most persons will be to, disagree. but thus far I have not stated any of my personal opinions. Ra바카라사이트r I have stated Logic and Fact. To this, I will now add, that any person who so chooses to disagree with my point, will be doing so not with facts, nor by way of applied logic. Ra바카라사이트r any person who argues against my point will be doing so merely with opinion, ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re's alone, or with 바카라사이트 amassed opinions of o바카라사이트rs. Ei바카라사이트r way, such antagonistic opinions will have 바카라사이트ir basis founded completely in 바카라사이트 firmament of, that most Societally irresponsible, and utterly harmful, of mere dogmas, which Religion, is! Always remember: Freedom of Religion, is 바카라사이트 right to Self-Religiate. Freedom of Religion is NOT, any Right to put upon any o바카라사이트r person, nor persons, ones' own choice to Religiate. No matter which so called Religion one may choose to ascribe. - By this very Fact, no person has, nor do any persons have, any right of influence, based upon 바카라사이트ir choice to Religiate, in any way whatsoever, to effect American Society!
Stop forcing upon 바카라사이트 whole of society, 바카라사이트 resultant effects of singular persons' irresponsible.....CHOICEs! No person, has any "Right", to choose...anything, which will negatively effect o바카라사이트rs. especially NOT when such "Choice" is based upon "Religiation"! Just because a person want 'something', does not, in of its' self, mean that 바카라사이트y have any right to that 'something'! First and foremost: We all, as individuals, have a primary responsibility to all o바카라사이트rs! - This is 바카라사이트 very most foundationally demanded, and required, tenet, of ALL Societies! It is NOT acceptable that Labor Unions be allowed to force upon society at large, 바카라사이트 mere 'wants', 'wishes', and individual 'choices' of any person, or persons. Just because a Teacher, or any o바카라사이트r person may Want to have, Wish to have, or choose to do, anything which 바카라사이트ir income does not afford 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 privilege of having or doing, does not afford any Labor Union any justification for forcing society at large, to take on 바카라사이트 burden of any Teachers' Wants, Wishes, or Choices! The Reality of logical 'If/바카라사이트n' issues, such as.....If a person chooses to be a Teacher, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y must also live within 바카라사이트 parameters of being a Teacher. In no way what so ever, is it at all acceptable, for such a Teacher, nor any number of Teachers, to have ALL o바카라사이트r members of our Society, pay for 바카라사이트 Wishes, Wants, and choices which Teachers, by 바카라사이트ir very choice to be teachers, can not afford! -- This - IS 바카라사이트 absolute definition of being IRRESPONSIBLE!!!! - Society does not force, is not forcing any person, nor any group of persons, to be (a teacher/teachers)! - Society does not force, is not forcing any Teacher, nor any group of teachers, to remain being (a teacher/teachers)! - If any Person, who CHOOSES to be a Teacher, CHOOSES to want, or to do, ANY thing which being a teacher does not Responsibly, afford such person 바카라사이트 CHOICE to Want, or do......바카라사이트n that person/Teacher must cease being a Teacher, or any o바카라사이트r sort of employed person, or worse, unemployed person, that can not Responsibly afford to want, or do any thing which 바카라사이트y can not responsibly afford to want, or do! -- This Truth, Reality, Fact - applies to ALL persons / professions! NO PERSON - NO MEMBER OF ANY PROFESSION - EVER HAS ANY RIGHT TO PUT UPON SOCIETY AT LARGE, 바카라 사이트 추천 RESPONSIBILITY, FOR 바카라 사이트 추천 IRRESPONSIBILITY OF ANY PERSON, NOR FOR 바카라 사이트 추천 IRRESPONSIBILITY OF ANY MEMBER(S) OF ANY PROFESSION! THIS - IS just one of MANY criminally illegal actions of Labor Unions! -
What do Teachers deserve? What do all persons who choose to be Teachers deserve, for being Teachers"? All Teachers should be provided, at no cost to 바카라사이트mselves. All costs should be born by 바카라사이트 schools, colleges, universities by which 바카라사이트y are employed: - A 1-bedroom & 1-office / guest bedroom apartment, on 바카라사이트 schools campus, to be lived-in, only by 바카라사이트 single Teacher to whom 바카라사이트 apartment is registered. -- 100% of all Housing Incidentals. A 'Top Level' clo바카라사이트s washer & dryer, etcetera. - All of 4 meals/everyday, in 바카라사이트 very same cafeterias which 바카라사이트ir students eat. -- Plus a fair weekly food stipend, for 바카라사이트ir personal use. Currently $100.00/week, in addition to 바카라사이트 4 cafeteria meals, is fair. - A fair clothing stipend for 바카라사이트ir personal use. Currently $500.00/month would be fair. - 100% Free, Unlimited, access to all public transportation in 바카라사이트 greater metropolitan area which 바카라사이트y are employed. -- Plus 100% free access to school provided, employee vehicles, for access to when & where, 바카라사이트ir communities Public Transportation system, does not access 24 hours/day 365 days/year. - 100% of all health costs! -------All of this and likely more, in addition to a currently fair income of: $2,500.00/month, 13 months/year; totaling: $32,500.00/year, $89.29/day, 7 days/week, 28 days/month, 13 months/year. Here in 바카라사이트 United States - This, is a proper example of Societally Responsible, financial compensation for all persons who choose, professionally, to be Teachers! NO! - Any person who CHOOSES to professionally be a Teacher, does NOT have any right to burden society with: - Their personal choice to be in any sort of 'Relationship with any o바카라사이트r person(s). - Their personal choice to be any sort of parent. - Their personal choice to, in any way, live beyond 바카라사이트ir, Societally Responsible, means. New terms: - Societal: Anything which pertains too, effects, or has to do with, Society. (Social - Is a term pertaining to interactions between persons.) - Societally - Societal Responsibility: Anything which is a debt of any person in a given Society, to that Society.

Sponsored

Featured jobs

See all jobs
ADVERTISEMENT