Faculty Forum Papers
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING - WHERE ARE THE FACTS?
by
William Firey, Mathematics
&
Gary Musser, Mathematics
March 3, 1983
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING - WHERE ARE THE FACTS?
When deciding how to vote on this critical issue, we need to
find the facts which support
claims that are made. After reviewing the Faculty Forum Papers and attending two
meetings, we
have concluded that the Faculty Alliance seems to rely on promises and
emotions while the antiunion
speakers and writers appeal to research studies and personal experience.
In the one pro-alliance
paper that did quote research, the researcher was associated with NEA
Research, hence his findings
may be biased. In the Faculty Forum meeting, again there were several
instances of emotional
promises without factual backup. One case of emotion versus reason was especially
bothersome.
After a representative from the Attorney General's office
carefully stated various aspects of
collective bargaining law, an OEA official attempted to
discredit him by calling him "a person
who is legally charged with representing the management side," yet never disagreed with his
factual statements. Applause (by some) followed.
Apparently, one of the most important potential
benefits of a union is that it may improve
our salaries. The Alliance stated that since 1971, the Portland CPI rose
239.6%, public school
teachers' salaries increased at a rate of 220%, and we
have done even worse. The argument is
given that OEA has been instrumental in increasing teachers'
salaries. Even though it appears
that OEA has been successful in getting funds transferred from
higher education to secondary/elementary
education, teachers still have not kept up with inflation.
When Alliance representatives were asked
if salary ranges would be leveled, their answer was that it
was possible, but not probable. But, the
union would seek to put in higher floors. Inevitably, higher
floors mean lower ceilings in a closed
system! The retort to this statement was that through the union's
negotiations, more money would be
available for salaries, i.e., we would get a bigger share of the
state budget. Yet, when a union
official was asked to name any states where higher education
received a greater share of the
state budget after the faculty affiliated with a union, not
one example could be provided.
Review the effect of unionization on salaries at PSU provided
in the OSU Faculty Economic
Welfare Committee Report of 2/15/83.
Finally, it appears that the Alliance is asking us to
buy a pig in a poke. They have
not produced even a sketch of the by-laws which would
govern their proposed bargaining unit.
How and by whom will the bargaining leadership and the
legally responsible bargaining
representative be chosen? How and to what extent will
the faculty have a voice in deciding
to accept or reject a contract? Who will choose the
bargaining issues? When and by whose
choice will a fair-share agreement, requiring each
faculty member to contribute to the costs
of bargaining, come into effect? At the Faculty
Forum meeting, the alliance leadership displayed
a disturbing ignorance on several such major legal
questions. The Alliance gives oral assurances
that all these details will be worked out to our
satisfaction. We need more than such vague
statements: we need considered, precise, published
answers to these questions before handing over
to the Faculty Alliance this power that they seek.
In the words of one of the Alliance
leaders: "…it is increasingly important that we get
specified procedures out here so that
you can see what you're voting on." We couldn't agree
more. The Faculty Alliance has had
months to provide us with accurate facts: where are they?
We close with a plea to each faculty member: VOTE.
By law, one more than 50% of THOSE
WHO VOTE will determine the outcome of this election.
You cannot be neutral on this issue
by not voting. EVERY faculty member's vote is meaningful!
March 3, 1982
William Firey
Professor, Mathematics
Oregon State University
Gary Musser
Professor, Mathematics
Oregon State University
Opinions expressed by authors of Faculty Forum articles are not necessarily
those of the OSU Faculty or Faculty Senate.
