Saturday, May 14, 2011

IEA on the state budget struggle

I'm not up on all the details of the legislative process, but a quick glance at this IEA report shows that the union is indeed fighting to prevent the sort of pension troubles I mentioned in the last post.  My worry about the IEA's role was misplaced.

This is what happens when one posts in a great hurry--I'm hoping it's at least as much a reflection of the nature of blogging as of my sloppiness & ignorance.

Those of you who wonder about why we should have to pay union dues ought to check out the news on the IEA website.  If the IEA helps prevent (or at least alleviate) these massive cuts to our pensions, you'll have the IEA (and its dues-paying members) to thank. We won't agree with every position the IEA holds, or every tactical decision the union makes, but they are huge player in state politics, and state politics matters.

3 comments:

  1. Dave,

    Thanks for posting this (and I hope you've sent it on to Bean Bag). Coupled with Rita's plans for semi-permanent furloughs, this would drastically reduce salaries for everyone on campus moving us "back to the future: of the pre-SIU Union days, a world celebrated by Marvin Kleinau in his Carbondale Times column.

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  2. Tony,

    Just checked out Kleinau's article in the May 11-17 Carbondale Times (not available online), and, like you I suspect, am not entirely in tune with his suggestion that we faculty children have our say than then just do what our mother chancellor decides is best.

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  3. Marvin resembles a blunderbuss with a rusty flintlock. He is one of Rita's cheerleaders and is opposed to the JRB or any unit that stands up for faculty against higher administration.

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