[Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis
lfalen
lfalen at turbonet.com
Wed Apr 29 10:37:22 PDT 2009
My wife is classified exempt and has been with the UI for 40 years.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: "Mike Deleve" coolerfixer at roadrunner.com
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:30:58 -0700
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis
> 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>....
> >>
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