May, 2017
Volume 44, Issue 5
United Professors of Marin – AFT Local 1610
P.O. Box 503, Kentfield, CA 94914 – Phone and FAX (415) 459-1524
Office Location - VS 11(B) ● upm.website
PONDERINGS OF THE PRESIDENT
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
By Laurie Ordin
PONDERINGS OF THE PRESIDENT – Right to
W
E HAVE MARKED (“SURVIVED”) THE FIRST 100 days
of the Trump administration and there has been a
lot of talk about how successful President Trump has been
during this “honeymoon” period. Some of us look at the
polls in which President Trump stands at about a 40%
approval rating. We may be in the 40% or we may be in
the 60% who don’t approve. We may look at the many
things that he has tried to accomplish and agree or
disagree with the results, but there is very little question
that he has had one massive achievement, the
appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.
Work… for less.
MAY DAY ON THE KNOLL – Faculty Gather to
Defend Student and Immigrant Rights –Pics Pg. 4.
WAR GAMES AT COLLEGE OF MARIN – Pepper
Spray Classes, Pg. 6.
GOOD OF THE ORDER – Heroes and Neros –
Kudos to Us –
- Join Your
Colleagues For a Party on May 26, Details Pg. 7.
END PAGE – “Knowledge Workers” Deserve
Respect.
I don’t think that there is anyone who would question
Justice Gorsuch’s qualifications. He is a very accomplished
man. The question in the minds of many people is: How
will he decide cases brought before the court?
The truck driver sued and during an appeal, two other
judges sided with the driver. Gorsuch dissented, siding
with the employer. Liberal observers have questioned the
judgment of a person who would take the side of a large
company over a person who, it could easily be argued, felt
his life was threatened by staying in the freezing
cab. Many feel that we now have a Supreme Court that
has a five to four majority of justices who will side with
corporations
over
people.
Whoops...I
forgot...
corporations ARE people...right! I’ll believe that when
one of them gets “life” in prison, having been found
responsible for the death of a real person). >>
By now you may have read or heard of a case that Justice
Gorsuch heard involving a truck driver who missed a
refueling stop and was stranded in freezing weather. He
radioed for help and the dispatcher told him to stay
put. According to a Washington Post article, he fell asleep
while waiting for assistance. He awoke hours later in the
unheated truck cab, numb and with his speech slurred.
Ignoring orders, he unhooked the truck from the trailer
and drove off to look for help. He turned around when the
repair truck arrived. Later he was fired.
UPM Newsletter
1
May 2017
>>All of this does not bode well for unions and the labor
movement. I recently received a brochure from the
California Labor Federation. The title of it was
“Overcoming Right to Work!” I’ve written about Right to
Work before, but in case you missed it, here is a little
summary
about
what
“Right
to
Work”
means. Unfortunately, living in a "right to work" state
doesn't mean that you have a right to work. It doesn't
even mean that you have a right not to join a union. No
one ever has to join a union. It means that you don't have
to pay for union representation in collective bargaining
even when the majority of the workers in your company
have democratically voted to be represented by the union.
Right to Work manifests itself in many ways. For example,
in the federal sector it might be contracting out and
privatization. In education it might be vouchers and/or
charters. In construction, prevailing wage or Project Labor
Agreements may be eliminated. The list goes on. One
thing is certain. Right to Work really means the right to
work for less. Without the ability to collect representation
fees, unions will be further weakened.
The California Labor Federation has developed a five point
plan as follows:
1. Build a strong and permanent internal
membership recruitment program in every union.
2. Tell the Union Story...In the workplace and
beyond.
3. Fight back against federal attacks.
4. Support local union organizing.
5. Go on the offense to win in 2018: Grow the army
of member activists and organizers.
The union is still mandated to bargain wages, benefits and
working conditions for you. Members of the union
sometimes even go out on strike to make sure you get
these benefits. If you have a grievance under a unionnegotiated contract, the union has to pursue your
grievance. You get all the benefits of union coverage
without any of the costs of union membership. Workers
who do not pay representation fees but who benefit from
union representation are called “free riders.”
In 1961, Dr. Martin Luther King stated in his most eloquent
of ways: “In our glorious fight for civil rights, we must
guard against being fooled by false slogans, such as
‘right to work. It is a law to rob us of our civil rights and
job rights. Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the
freedom of collective bargaining by which unions have
improved wages and working conditions of
everyone….Wherever these laws have been passed,
wages are lower, job opportunities are fewer and there
are no civil rights. We do not intend to let them do this
to us. We demand this fraud be stopped. Our weapon is
our vote.”
Perhaps now is the time when it is especially important to
stay informed, stay in touch, and stay involved. □
Right to work cases are lined up to go before Courts of
Appeal and the Supreme Court. Plaintiffs are recruited
and the legal expenses of the plaintiffs in these cases are
paid for by foundations funded by well-known enemies of
unions such as the Koch brothers and the Walton family
(heirs to Sam Walton and the Walmart fortune.) With the
new 5/4 conservative majority on the court, observers feel
that the SCOTUS will be ruling in favor of Right to Work
proponents.
UPM Newsletter
2
May 2017
QUALITY OF LIFE IN ”RIGHT TO WORK” STATES COMPARED TO
“FREE BARGAINING” STATES.
AND REGARDING GENDER EQUITY:
80% OF “RIGHT TO WORK” STATES HAVE GREATER PAY GAPS
BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN THAN “FREE BARGAINING” STATES.
UPM Newsletter
3
May 2017
MAY DAY ON THE KNOLL
ON MAY 1st, TWENTY + MEMBERS OF OUR FACULTY GATHERED ON THE “GRASSY KNOLL”
ACROSS FROM THE STUDENT SERVICES BUILDING, TO CHANT AND MARCH AND SHOW
SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS.
UPM Newsletter
4
May 2017
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER
MAY DAY
HEROES AND ‘NEROS’
H
AY DAY - MAY 1 - INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY
is an official holiday in nearly every country around
the world – a day to honor and celebrate the contributions
of organized labor.
EROES: WHILE CONGRESS DOES NOT RECOGNIZE
May 1st as a legal holiday, nor do private businesses
grant a paid day off to their employees on May 1, there
are two local retailers that do honor International Workers
Day and give their employees a paid vacation on that day.
GOOD EARTH NATURAL FOODS market in Fairfax and
WOODLANDS CAFÉ in Kentfield were closed on May 1st in
honor of International Workers Day. They recognized that
their employees deserved rewards and respect for their
service. Other things being equal, you might consider
patronizing these businesses because of their labor
consciousness.
But in the United States we do not celebrate May Day as a
day to honor working people.
Which is strange – because it was in the United States, in
Chicago, in 1886, that May Day originated, in
commemoration of a police massacre of workers who
were demonstrating for the eight-hour day.
The US government has been so averse to recognizing the
contributions of American labor that
starting in the early 1900s nearly every
US President tried to subdue worker
solidarity
by
prohibiting
or
suppressing May Day parades
throughout the country.
N
EROS: WHILE COM HAS THE POTENTIAL of crashing
and burning as a result of our continued decline in
student enrolment, the Neros on our Board of Trustees
are fiddling amid the flames by planning to build a
completely new 12 million dollar swimming pool at IVC.
Couldn’t that 12 million be better spent on facilities and
services that would more directly increase student
enrolment? □
In 1921 the US Congress declared
that May 1st would be called
“Americanization
Day,”
an
obvious attempt to denigrate
the contributions of foreign born workers.
And in 1949, as urged by J. Edgar Hoover, Congress
declared May 1st as “Loyalty Day.” And in 1958 President
Eisenhower proclaimed May 1st as “Law Day.”
KUDOS TO US
Yet despite these attempts to diminish working-class
consciousness and solidarity, May 1st remains a day of
pride and protest for millions of working people.
In 2006 Latino immigrant groups chose May 1st as the day
for the “Great American Boycott” a general strike of
undocumented immigrant workers protesting U.S.
immigration policy. And on May 1st in 2008 ILWU
Longshore workers refused to load cargo to protest the
Iraq War. And in 2012 the “Occupy” movement held their
“Occupy Wall Street” protests on May 1st. And this year,
2017, on May 1st there was a massive labor protest
against Donald Trump, where at least 340,000 people
around the U.S. walked off their jobs.
F
OR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, our UPM
Newsletter has won journalism awards from the
California Federation of Teachers at their 2017
Convention. This year we received the top prize in
California for our July memorial issue honoring Paul
Christensen. We also received awards for the best use of
graphics and for overall newsletter excellence.
And this year, our UPM website (www.upm.website) and
webmaster Derek Wilson received an award for
excellence. Kudos to newsletter editor Arthur Lutz and to
UPM Webmaster Derek Wilson. □
May Day has remained in people’s consciousness as a day
to honor labor and to speak out for worker, student, and
immigrant rights. □
UPM Newsletter
5
May 2017
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER (2)
PEPPER SPRAY CLASSES
CRA TRUST
O
O
UR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS OFFERING Pepper Spray
classes to help students, staff and faculty be better
prepared to escape dangerous situations.
UR RECENT CRA TRUST ELECTION resulted in the
re-election of Ira Lansing as trustee for 2017-2019.
And with the resignation of Bruce Furuya, his slot was
filled by the UPM Executive Council (as stipulated in the
Trust By-laws) with the appointment of Scott Serafin. The
current CRA Board of Directors are:
 Ira Lansing (Reelected)
 Judy Coombes
 Theo Fung
 Scott Serafin (Appointed)
 Laurie Ordin (UPM President)
Pepper Spray (Oleoresin Capsicum, [0C]) is derived from
plants in the Capsaicin genus, which includes chili peppers.
If It gets into the eyes, nose and skin it causes intense
burning, coughing and temporary blindness that can
disable an attacker. It is considered non-lethal.
Pepper spray has been outlawed as a weapon of war since
1993 by the Chemical Weapons Convention. However it is
legal in most countries for law enforcement and in the
United States it may be used for personal protection.
The CRA Trust was established in 1989 as a 501(c)(11)
under the Federal Tax Code to provide permanent COM
faculty with assistance in paying for health care benefits
when they retire.
From the first day of its existence the CRA Trust
recognized domestic partners and same sex partners as
beneficiaries of the trust.
For more information about the CRA Trust, see
www.cratrust.com □
DEAN HUMOR
C
HOWEVER, PEPPER SPRAY MAY NOT BE AS NON-LETHAL
OR BENIGN AS CLAIMED.
ORINNE
HAD WORKED FOR A DEAN as his
administrative assistant for over 20 years, but he
never treated her very kindly or with much respect,
and never recommended her for advancement. And he
often complained if she took a day off to care for a sick
child.
But one day she became terminally ill and lay dying in the
hospital, and he dutifully came to visit and pay his last
respects.
According to the ACLU, in a two year period, twenty-six
people died after being sprayed with pepper spray, one
death for each 600 times the spray was used; with seventy
people suffering permanent disabilities. And according to
medical researchers at UC Berkeley, “we significantly
underestimate the number of deaths due to pepper
spray.”(1)
As he leaned over her pale face she whispered to him, “I
have one request of you.” “Please satisfy this last wish of
mine.” The dean replied, “I will if I am able Corinne, what
is it?” “Hire Brittany to fill my position,” she said.
So there may be an issue of liability. If Pepper Spray is
used erroneously due to a misunderstanding of the
intentions of a suspected antagonist, the sprayer might be
subject to a charge of assault for injury or death.
The dean thought for a minute and then said, “OK, but I
thought you hated Brittany?”
Please be aware that there are dangers asociated with the
use of Pepper Spray. This product may not be as risk-free
as the manufacturers claim.
(1) (www.Forbes.com – Judy Stone; “Lethal in Disguise”
Mar 16 2016). □
With her last breath Corinne replied, “I do.” □
UPM Newsletter
6
May 2017
GOOD OF THE ORDER (3)
PARTY, PARTY
LABOR LITERATURE
DEAR MEMBERS,
U
PM WILL HOLD AN END-OF-SEMESTER CELEBRATION
to culminate the hard work of another academic year
and the success of newly tenured faculty. Please join us
for pizza, beer and wine before the Spring Graduation
ceremony.
What: End-of-Semester and Tenure Celebration.
When: Friday, May 26th, 3-5 PM (graduation this day is at
6 PM; faculty participants need to be at gym at 5:30).
Where: Redwood Grove/BBQ area, between SMN and the
Fine Arts building.
OUT IN THE UNION: A LABOR HISTORY OF QUEER
AMERICA , By Miriam Frank; January 2015
Because alcohol will be served, this event will be adults
only. We will have a beer and wine license, but as with all
similar events on campus, beer and wine cannot leave the
restricted area. We hope to see you there! Please come!
T
RACES THE INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN the gay rights
movement and the labor movement in America. A
groundbreaking history of ‘queer’ activists who advanced
the cause of labor organizing and LGBT rights.
And please RSVP by May 24, 2017 by emailing Laurie Ordin
at [email protected].
Through in-depth interviews with LGBT and labor activists,
Frank provides an inclusive history of the convergence of
labor and LGBT interests. 221 pages paperback.
LABOR HUMOR
L
ABOR AND MANAGEMENT NEGOTIATORS were
working late one night struggling over a new
contract. Suddenly, a genie appears and offers each of
them one wish. Management’s unionbusting chief-negotiator shyly admits, “I’ve
always dreamed of writing the great
American novel. I’d like to go to a tropical
isle where I can concentrate and write my
masterpiece.” The genie says, “No
problem!” and poof! The union-buster
vanishes.
Then the company’s chief of finance says, “I’ve always
wanted to create a painting so beautiful it would hang in
the Louvre. I want to go to France to work on my
painting.” “Your wish is granted!” says the genie and
poof the finance officer vanishes. The genie then turns to
the union negotiator and says, “And what is your wish?”
The union negotiator says, “Thanks, those last two wishes
took care of it.” □
Miriam Frank is Master Teacher of Humanities at New
York University □
LABOR LINGO
BOULWARISM:
A
NEGOTIATING TACTIC USED BY MANAGEMENT,
named after General Electric's former vice president
Lemuel Boulware, where management presents a take-itor-leave-it, final and best offer to union negotiators that
precludes any further bargaining. It’s an attempt to
intimidate and prevent the give-and -take of collective
bargaining. VP Boulware thought that no union should be
able to force an employer to negotiate. But the NLRB
disagreed, and Boulwarism has been ruled an unfair labor
practice. WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT, THE EMPLOYER
IS OBLIGATED TO NEGOTIATE! □
UPM Newsletter
7
May 2017
‘KNOWLEDGE WORKERS’ ARE ALSO PART OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT
SO PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO OUR UPM POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
WE’LL BE ABLE TO USE THE FUNDS TO HELP ELECT TRUSTEES
WHO RESPECT THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE DO.
UPM Newsletter
8
May 2017