Union Picket

By CHRISTINE VIDAL
Reporter Editor

The informational picket was one of many held across the state last week to draw attention to the stalled contract negotiations. UUP members have been working without a new contract since July 1, 1995, and have seen dental and vision care benefits withheld.

Thursday's demonstration was "part of a state-wide effort by the union to impress upon a number of people that our situation is quite serious. We want to convince the local administrators that we need more unity to save SUNY," said Jean Dickson, president of the Buffalo Center Chapter. "We need the help of more political forces than just our union to get this (message) across to the citizens of the State of New York."

At the heart of the issue is whether the new contract will include language that would allow the state to outsource jobs. This ability to "contract out" and "contract in," the union contends, would in effect give SUNY administrators unlimited power to cut faculty and staff salaries, reduce benefits and fire union members at will. Both private corporations and SUNY's own internal corporations, such as the UB Foundation, would be able to outsource jobs, according to the propos5 changes to the UUP contract.

"I've been here for almost 30 years," said James Lawler, associate professor of philosophy, who braved last Thursday's cold to join the demonstration. "If we sign the contract they're offering us, it says they can contract out our jobs by a paper shift. All of a sudden our department is closed and the University Foundation says, 'We'll hire you back on our terms.'" Lawler noted that while UB's administrators may not agree with such moves, "the governor is going to put the university under pressure and they'll have to do that to people. (President William) Greiner may be put in an economic bind and have to act on it."

Some of the signs protesters carried, including "Toothless professors who can't see the chalkboard do not make a quality university," showed better humor than perhaps the marchers themselves felt.

"Nineteen months without a contract is ridiculous," said Don Erb of the University Residence Halls. "It's one thing to disagree, it's another to sit down and talk about this....I'd like dental care and eye care back for my family. It's ridiculous. It's not fair."

Other professional staff said stagnant salaries were the issue they wanted to see resolved.

"Nineteen months without a contract, and four out of six years without a raise....Basically, we're on a fixed income here," another protester said.

Thursday's informational picket also was about education-of both the campus and Western New York communities.

"I think a lot of faculty don't understand contracting out and I want to make sure they understand the issue," said Mary Bisson, professor of biological sciences. "Contracting out allows the state not to do away with tenure, but to circumvent tenure, and this is the point I want to get across."

Contracting out is about more than tenure, said Boris Albini, professor of microbiology. "It really is the way to lose any participation of faculty in the governance of the university because it opens a floodway to outsource any unit." Unfortunately, he added, too many people believe that privatization is a way to make things more efficient, "but in the end, it doesn't work," and in fact winds up costing the institution more money. Contracting out should be allowed "only when it is clear there is some advantage," Albini said.

Tenure and permanent appointment should continue to be available under the same terms as they currently are to faculty and staff, Albini said. "It's not a question of security for faculty and professionals as it is for keeping the structure of higher education intact."

Last Thursday's demonstration also drew the support of emeritus faculty.

"I taught here for 30 years and wanted to express my solidarity with my colleagues," said Irving Massey, professor emeritus of English, who noted that contracting out and cuts to the SUNY budgets were the issues that he found most problematic. "Maybe you can run a technical institute without tenure, but you can't run a university without tenure," he said.

UUP is just one of the first groups to feel pressure from New York State, said Dickson. "We feel we're just the present target and there will be other targets." And that's why it is important to get the message out to people all across the state, she said.

"Obviously, this is an ongoing battle."

The union effort was effective, Dickson added, "partly because it was held on SUNY campuses state-wide." Locally, faculty and staff demonstrations also were held at Feb. 13 at Buffalo State College and Feb. 10 at Fredonia State College.

PHOTOS BY DON HEUPEL