[Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis

lfalen lfalen at turbonet.com
Tue Apr 28 11:48:00 PDT 2009


Saundra
I would be on the fence about furloughs, but agree with your last two paragraphs.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: "Saundra Lund" sslund_2007 at verizon.net
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:54:56 -0700
To: "'Joe Campbell'" philosopher.joe at gmail.com, "'Dickow'" dickow at turbonet.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis

> 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
> the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of the
> author.*****
> 
> -----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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