[Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis
Saundra Lund
sslund_2007 at verizon.net
Wed Apr 29 13:38:24 PDT 2009
No, I believe this was an actual mandatory furlough, according to my friend.
She’s been at the university for her entire career (probably around 30 years
or so), and I doubt she would make such a confusion given her profession.
I’ll double-check with her again since it’s always possible I’ve
misunderstood her through the years if no one else can clarify. I seem to
recall her mentioning it was in the 1980s, but I’m not sure. I’ve been
“around” since 1988, and I think it was before that. But, since I’m over my
daily posting quota, I’ll not report back until tomorrow, so I’m hoping
someone else can clarify sooner J
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.*****
From: Paul Rumelhart [mailto:godshatter at yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 1:22 PM
To: 'lfalen'; 'Tom Hansen'; Saundra Lund
Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis
I wonder if they were thinking of the payroll lag? When we changed
administrative systems, we moved from being paid on Friday for work done the
bi-week ending that week to being paid on Friday for work done in the
previous bi-week. In this case, there were at least three options: lose one
day of pay a bi-week for ten bi-weeks, lose one week of pay a bi-week for
two bi-weeks, or lose one whole bi-week of pay once. There might have been
other options I can't remember. The difference, though, is that there was
no time off associated with it. In effect, it moved one paycheck to the end
of your job life - you'll get one more bi-week worth of pay after you stop
working.
I don't know if we ever did an actual furlough before that. I've worked
here since 1989, and I don't remember one.
They could implement this furlough in lots of different ways. It wouldn't
have to be all at once.
Paul
--- On Wed, 4/29/09, Saundra Lund <sslund_2007 at verizon.net> wrote:
From: Saundra Lund <sslund_2007 at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis
To: "'lfalen'" <lfalen at turbonet.com>, "'Tom Hansen'" <thansen at moscow.com>
Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com
Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 10:52 AM
Roger, one of my friends who has been through the whole furlough deal with
the UI before told me that you *don't* do without a paycheck -- she said
that people had a day a week (or maybe every two weeks or once a month -- I
don't remember) where they didn't work. So, yes, paychecks were reduced
because people were working fewer hours, *but* their base pay was preserved,
they were getting something (time off) in return for the reduced paycheck,
and because they the furlough days were set, people had the opportunity to
find other small things to try to supplement the income decrease that came
from the mandatory furlough days.
Now, times are tough all around now, so perhaps opportunities to supplement
income due to mandatory furloughs will be scarce, but there seems to be
something less objectionable for most people about having unpaid mandatory
time off. That's probably not a universal, but it's the case with my
friends who are staff.
I don't know what happens with faculty when there are mandatory furloughs --
clearly, it doesn't seem to be fair for classes to be cancelled since
students have paid for those classes -- does anyone know how that was
handled with the previous furlough?
And, from Mike's post yesterday, we now know that the whole "I'll take a pay
cut so that no one loses their job" idea at the UI is misleading since his
family friend has already lost their job at the UI :-( So, maybe pay cuts
will keep *some* people from losing their jobs, but it certainly doesn't
look like it's going to protect *everyone's* jobs, and I think it's
important in these discussions to realize that.
BTW, I'm still hoping for an answer as to whether the new president will
take a pay cut if that's what winds up happening to everyone else? Does
anyone know???
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: lfalen [mailto:lfalen at turbonet.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10:35 AM
To: Tom Hansen
Cc: Saundra Lund; 'Joe Campbell'; 'Dickow'; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis
The things to consider on furloughs are: Can you make it with out a pay
check if you can't find a fill in job and are you eligible for unemployment
if you take a furlough? If you can not make your payments then it would no
be a viable option. If you can make it financially then a furlough might be
preferable to a pay cut.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: "Tom Hansen" thansen at moscow.com
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:53:04 -0700
To: "lfalen" lfalen at turbonet.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis
> I would be more than willing to take a pay cut (including my military
retirement pension) if it
> meant saving the job and keeping food on the dinner table of another.
>
> But, then, I guess that I just ain's as self-serving as some.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> > 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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> >> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> >> > http://www.fsr.net
> >> > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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> >>
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> >>
> >
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> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
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>
>
> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts
> his sails."
>
> - Unknown
>
>
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