[Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis

[Saundra Lund]

I thought it was an excellent post as well . . . I had the privilege of
meeting Mr. Dickow last night for the first time & told him so in person.

I also have a question:  will the new UI president also be taking a pay cut?
If not, then I see why anyone should have to take one.

I have another question as well:  a couple of friends I have who are staff
members at UI are far more in favor of furloughs than pay cuts to keep
anyone from being fired.  One friend explained it as a pay cut is going to
be a major hardship on many whether it comes from an actual pay cut or
furlough, but at least with mandatory furloughs, you get something in
return:  some free time and the opportunity to look for a little part-time
gig to make up for the reduced pay from working fewer hours.  She said
that's what she did the last time to keep her head above water.  I'm
wondering what others think about furloughs instead of pay cuts?

And, I have a comment as well.  I think it truly admirable that so many are
willing to take pay cuts to save the jobs of others in the university
community!  However, I'd be happier if I saw that same caring spirit from
those at the top by them being willing to sacrifice for those at the bottom
who can ill-afford *any* pay cut.  There's a *huge* difference, IMHO,
between taking a pay cut that may cause you to have to skip one of several
vacations this year or not be able to buy a new car and not being able to go
to the doctor what with that $2300 deductible on the only coverage plan you
could afford in the first place or not being able to buy your kids new shoes
or being able to afford to pay your child support.

The people I know at the lower end of the pay scales have a different
attitude about these pay cuts:  they'd love to be in a position to be able
to comfortably advocate for pay cuts to save jobs.  That doesn't mean that
they don't prefer taking pay cuts to losing their own jobs, but it's a lot
harder for them to swallow taking cuts that will threaten their families to
save the jobs of others.  Some are very scared about how they'll manage to
live with a pay cut.  And, I can't say as I blame them.


JMHO,
Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
~ Edmund Burke

***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2009 through life plus
70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside
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-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Joe Campbell
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 5:50 AM
To: Dickow
Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis

This is a great post. I wonder why no one has responded.

Joe Campbell

On Apr 27, 2009, at 12:23 PM, Dickow <dickow at turbonet.com> wrote:

> The problem in my book concerning a 3% cut to state employees is  
> that it is, in effect, a direct tax on a special segment of the  
> state's population. The state would be making up its shortfalls at  
> the expense of state employees. I think that the state shouldn't be  
> thought of as an entity like a company, which might indeed have to  
> trim their employees in some form or other. But in in the case of  
> the state, the employees would be making a sacrifice that directly  
> benefits other people in the state, not the owners of a somel  
> corporation. A more equitable solution to the state's budgetary woes  
> would be to impose a tax of some kind on everyone in the state.  
> Then, everyone might have to kick back 1/2 percent or something, and  
> all would be well. But alas, raising taxes is political NO NO!  
> And... by the way, whatever happened to the state's Emergency Fund.  
> did they spend that already?
>
> Bob Dickow, troublemaker
>
> -----Original message-----
> From: Joe Campbell philosopher.joe at gmail.com
> Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:37:18 -0700
> To: lfalen lfalen at turbonet.com
> Subject: [Spam] Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to  
> Financial Crisis
>
>> I'm sorry to hear about your wife's situation, Roger. Staff is  
>> getting
>> the worst of it at WSU, too.
>>
>> But I still think Nick has a point. Here is one way to put it. Would
>> you or anyone else on this list be willing to "cut" your pay by  
>> giving
>> 3% more to the state of ID to help prevent folks at UI from being
>> fired? If you and others say "yes," then I'm on board, as well!
>>
>> Joe Campbell
>>
>> On Apr 27, 2009, at 10:03 AM, lfalen <lfalen at turbonet.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Joe
>>> I do no want you or any one else to lose their job. I think that pay
>>> cuts are preferable to layoffs.It is inevitably that some programs
>>> will be cut. there are no students or very few for a class it will
>>> be cut. My wife is staff in the PSES department at UI. She runs the
>>> Soils Pedology Lab. She will receive an award for 40 years of
>>> service today. She puts in 10 to 12 hours a day and does not get
>>> comp. time. She had cancer in 2003. She had surgery, chemo,
>>> radiation and the whole ball  of wax.  She is still suffering from
>>> the after affects. She takes a lot of Ibuprofen and diuretics to
>>> keep on going. She is not yet eligible for full Social Security.
>>> <snip>....
>
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