Evergreen faculty approves forming a union

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Evergreen faculty approves forming a union

Submitted by Rick on Wed, 11/01/2006 - 11:04am.

OLYMPIA — Faculty members at The Evergreen State College have voted to form a union, the fourth at a four-year college in the state.
About 82 percent of those eligible, full-time professors who teach at least eight credits and instructors who teach classes at any of Evergreen's campuses, mailed in ballots during the three-week voting period and the tally was 55 percent yes, film professor and United Faculty organizer Laurie Meeker said Tuesday.
Marvin Schurke, executive director of the Public Employees Relations Commission, said the tally was 113 to 91 with 15 ballots in dispute and uncounted.
"We're legal, we're certified and we're looking to move forward with all our colleagues to form a strong union", Meeker said.

The Seattle Times

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Being that you are an

Submitted by Norm on Wed, 11/01/2006 - 11:40am.

Being that you are an evergreen prof ( are you considered full-time? ) how do you feel about this Rick?

I voted for the union...

Submitted by Rick on Wed, 11/01/2006 - 12:09pm.

...as an half-time adjunct. I think it is a good development. There has been a lot of discretion on the part of the administration about how decisions affecting careers get made, and little protection from abuse of that power. It is my hope that one consequence of this change is that there will be more explicitness about personnel practice. I also hope that the union will cause the college to adopt a more rational approach to how it deals with part-time folks like me (and 40% of the faculty). I've been working at the college for 6 years with little predictability about the future. Luckily, I have a clinical practice, and am not dependent on the college, but many are less able to maintain financial independence from the institution. They are subject both to economic trends in higher education and personality issues with administration. Not a good way to invest in social capital.

When you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion. -C.P. Snow

Right on, Rick!

Submitted by Tahoma Activist on Fri, 11/17/2006 - 8:09pm.

Dude, that's awesome! I just posted about this on my blog as well as rattled off an email of support to Larry Mosqueda, one of the solid lefties at that august institution. This is a tremendous development. Honestly, when I was attending Evergreen, I just naturally assumed that everyone there had a union. Thank God you guys had the numbers.

Keep up the good work!

Tahoma Activist
Northwest Media Action. Internet Unit
www.mediaaction.blogspot.com

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