There are many rumors circulating about how the pink-slip and subsequent lay-off process works.  I have created a list of FAQ.  Please click on the title to read them.

As the campaign to organize UW academic staff and faculty gains momentum, AFT-Wisconsin, TAUWP's parent union, has developed printed and electronic resources to address questions and concerns about academic unionization. The AFT-W Higher Education website, www.aftwhighered.org, offers a wealth of resources, including links to higher education unions throughout the nation, fact sheets and FAQs specific to both faculty and academic staff and information about collective bargaining and shared governance. Check back often for new content!

In this article we list the 21 unionized public institutions that are ranked Very High or High in the Carnegie Research ranking, the 4 public institutions in the AAU whose tenure-related faculty are unionized and 11 public institutions in the AAU whose non-tenure-related faculty are unionized. Click on the article title to read the story.

United Academics projects that union dues at UO will be no more than 1% of gross monthly salary. Click on the article title to see a table of dues at various unionized institutions in Oregon and throughout the country.

Up until March 4, 2010, there was a two-tiered, double ballot requirement for conducting representation elections among OUS faculty. This requirement for university employees differs from the how elections for all other state public employees are conducted. SB 989 cleans up the language in the Oregon Revised Statute that created this inequity for faculty. It was passed by both chambers of the legislature during the special session and was signed by Governor Kulongoski on March 4, 2010. Click on the article title to read more.

According to Education Week, California ranks 47^th in the nation in K-12 education spending and spends $2,000 per pupil below the national average. Our current state deficit is $20 billion and you can find relevant state budget details on the state comptroller’s webpage: http://www.sco.ca.gov/. Considering the above numbers, there is no doubt that California desperately needs to explore alternative forms of revenue if it wants to support quality education for its young citizens.

Your urgent help is requested. I am appealing directly to you to help our profession through this current budget crisis. Please participate in the following to show policy-makers how concerned we are about the current state of education in California:

 A Movement is Born

When PEEHIP and the Teachers Retirement System announced deep, painful cuts to health and retirement benefits, Birmingham-AFT mobilized to fight. Thousands of teachers and paraprofessionals have met, signed petitions and reached out to their brothers and sisters across the state of Alabama. A movement has been born. The voice of educational professionals is being heard in Birmingham.

The university has created a website on unionization and has sent various emails with "neutral" information on unionization. The information provided has only told part of the truth and has been misleading on a number of counts. In this article, which is under development, we will dispel the myths surrounding what dues will be, fair share (also called agency fees, card check, and other matters.

Several members have approached me about compiling a list of ways for the school district to save money.  Please contact me or any of the union leadership about ideas you have to save money.