[Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis

Tue Apr 28 12:30:58 PDT 2009

Meant to send this to the Viz too....

  Well, the axe has been falling already. I personally know for a fact that 
classified exempt positions are being terminated. A family friend lost a job 
last week after being with the UI for around 10 years.
  The money just isn't there. Period, end of story. I have a real problem 
with the lowly staff losing jobs and faculty gives up nothing. For being 
generally progressive, it seems to me that the faculty is being more than a 
little hypocritical.
 When it comes to tax code, the progressive stance is an increasing tax rate 
for the more you earn. Shouldn't it be the same when it comes to cost 
cutting measures? As Saundra says, there is a difference between losing one
of several vacations a year, versus feeding your family. The faculty 
position is indefensible in my opinion.

 Mike
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Saundra Lund" <sslund_2007 at verizon.net>
> To: "'Joe Campbell'" <philosopher.joe at gmail.com>; "'Dickow'" 
> <dickow at turbonet.com>
> Cc: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 9:54 AM
> 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>....
>>
>> =======================================================
>> List services made available by First Step Internet,
>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>>               http://www.fsr.net
>>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> =======================================================
>
> =======================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
>
> =======================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.12.6/2084 - Release Date: 04/28/09 
> 06:15:00
> 