Who we are
We are faculty concerned with the establishment of the UO Faculty Union. We are not affiliated with United Academics or with the Faculty Union Bargaining Team. Many of us have not joined the union.
Our specific concerns:
* We are concerned that union governance in general, and of United Academics in particular, doesn’t live up to the democratic standards we expect among faculty.
* We are concerned that collective bargaining agreements can harm the University, in particular in its ability to attract and retain excellence, and that not enough information has been shared to allay our concerns about such possibilities.
* We are concerned that unionization, as a general matter and as how it is being implemented here, weakens existing governance structures – for example by bypassing departmental discussions and approval. We know that a union has no legal standing to strengthen faculty governance, and we worry that trying to co-opt such concerns will be unfruitful or even harmful.
* We are concerned by incomplete and misleading characterizations and analysis of our campus’s financial and educational situation, and the distraction from efforts which are more likely to lead to greater resources and increased excellence.
** In summary, we feel like there is a bargaining process at which we are not being adequately represented, and as a first step we are setting up a forum to invite a larger part of campus to weigh in with their thoughts.
Rebecca Dorsey, Professor, Geological Sciences
James A. Isenberg, Professor, Math
Michael G. Raymer, Knight Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Physics
Kim Sheehan, Professor, Journalism and Communication
Dev Sinha, Associate Professor, Math
Are you concerned with the Union and wish to add your name to the list? Leave your name and affiliation in the comments section (or email us at [email protected]) to be added.
While we accept anonymous posts and comments, we prefer all participators to identify themselves.
I think this is awesome. Thanks for posting.
yes yes yes. thank you
Wow, finally someone with sense who isn’t drinking the union kool-aid. Trust me, that kool aid gets pretty sour after a while especially when you hook your wagon to a national organization which really doesn’t have your best interests or your students’ best interests in mind and has their own agenda.
Make that two organizations. Are we doubly screwed?
Maybe not, it will be interesting to see how this shakes out.
Dog says
this is the UO – its impossible to be doubly screwed since,
at any given time, your maximally screwed.