Cash Poor Cities Seek Concessions from Unions

Budget gaps are propelling cities to try to reopen the contracts of unionized public workers to cut benefits and pensions.  The tone of the article (and granted it’s in the Wall Street Journal) is that union workers are privileged and have no right to their “luxurious” lifestyle, good health benefits, or secure retirement.  Too bad more American workers don’t try to unionize themselves instead of attacking unions and what they have managed to get.  Here’s the link.

Add a comment | By Suzanne | April 1st, 2010

Montaigne on Ethics

“There is no one but yourself who knows whether you are cowardly and cruel, or loyal and devout.  Others do not see you, they guess at you by uncertain conjectures; they see not so much your nature as your art.  Therefore do not cling to their judgment; cling to your own.  You must use your own judgment…With regard to virtues and vices, your own conscience has great weight; take that away, and everything falls [Cicero].”

Michel de Montaigne, “Of Repentance,” Essays (trans. Donald Frame)

Add a comment | By Suzanne | March 10th, 2010

Adorno on Community

A brilliant observation by Theodor Adorno, German social critic, specifically on folk music, but also an important reminder that we must always think realistically and critically about the relationships and dynamics that structure the social order (brought to my attention by Ric Brown, UFCT grievance team member).

“There is, above all, the display of an aggressive spirit of
community as an end in itself, played up artificially so as not to
allow any questioning of its real meaning.  The idea of collectivity
is made a fetish, glorified as such, and only loosely connected with
real social contents which may easily be changed with every turn of
/Realpolitik/.  This last element is perhaps the most important
one.  It bears witness to the calculated, synthetic nature of this
supposed folk music.  The more it pretends to be the expression of
“we the people,” the more certain we may be that it is actually
dictated by very particularistic clique interests, intolerant,
aggressive and greedy for power.”
Adorno “National Socialism and the Arts” (1944-45)

Add a comment | By Suzanne | March 9th, 2010

Huge Nationwide Protests to Support Public Higher Ed

Huge protests took place across the nation yesterday, including in New York State, with barely any coverage in the mainstream media. Here is a link to Democracy Now’s coverage.

Add a comment | By Suzanne | March 6th, 2010

Why Professors Turn to Organized Labor

I ran across this 9 year old editorial from the New York Times that is still relevant today. The author, Ellen Willis (at the time a professor at NYU) argues that the Yeshiva decision is essentially moot in today’s climate, characterized by the corporatization of the university, the burgeoning of the use of part-time faculty, the assault on tenure, and the centralization of power in administrations and Boards of Trustees. Unfortunately, although “common sense” indicates that Yeshiva may be moot, it is still the law of the land, a delightful legacy of the early years of Reagan’s assault on unionization in the United States.

Add a comment | By Suzanne | March 5th, 2010