From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (Harel Barzilai)
Subject: BEKELEY STRIKE: 12/15
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 03:21:01 GMT

[email harelb@math.cornell.edu to join labor.grad.org conference/mail-list]




Topic 22	AGSE Newsletter 12/15/92 
erichsu	Grad student union efforts/info sharing	12:17 am  Dec 16, 1992 
(at math.berkeley.edu) 

From: erichsu@math.berkeley.edu (Eric Hsu at Lhasa) 
Subject: AGSE Newsletter 12/15/92 


This is the daily newsletter that is going out to AGSE members at UC
Berkeley who are walking the picket lines or engaged in other strike
activities.

The strike continues... I guess I'll post the daily newsletter to this
list, as requested by several people, until ordered to stop. If there
is enough interest, I'll post all the newsletters, starting from Day
Three of the strike, or maybe put them in some ftp archive, but only
if there's incredible demand.

DISCLAIMER: These are not official AGSE postings to the Internet. In
fact, I'm sure the leadership has no idea I'm doing this at all.
These are postings by me, an individual member of AGSE/UAW, who
co-edits the stuff, and also has access to computer versions and a
modem.  I.e. these postings are not sanctioned in any way by AGSE!!
This is just me exercising my right to free speech, etc, etc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
On the Front Lines: Day 17
  
Tuesday, December 15th, 1992
  
This is a newsletter intended to keep people on the picket lines and
in other strike activities informed. Please share this with others on
the picket line.  If there is some news you think should go into the
newsletter, please contact Susan Shepler (540-6794 or shepler@math).
  
Negotiations Update
  
At our Monday meeting, the Berkeley administration requested a
negotiations session for Thursday.  This is the day AFTER the
self-reporting forms are due.  All the old issues are still on the
table: "good faith", representation of our membership, dues deduction,
guarantee of no reprisals, and a binding agreement.  The
administration said that they wanted another shot at resolution.  They
have not yet invited systemwide representatives to negotiations.
  
Update on letter writing campaign to Undergraduate Institutions.
  
At last night's meeting over a hundred of us signed up to write
letters to our undergraduate institutions explaining the situation
here.  However, consultations with our lawyers led to the decision to
call off the campaign.  There is a problem of legal liability for
employees who bad-mouth their employer during a labor dispute and
disparage its "product".  We want to ask faculty to make an extra
effort to get UCB administration to address the issues.
  
Carolling with an Attitude!
  
We're carolling again tonight at Peltason's mansion from 6-7 p.m.
Lyric sheets will be provided.  Bring flashlights, candles, and
musical instruments.
  
Directions: After Arlington Circle, bear right to Arlington Ave.  Take
Arlington to the village of Kensington.  Take a left at Rincon Rd at
the Arlington Community Church.  200 yards on the left is 70 Rincon
(large stone gate). Call the office for more information.
  
UAW Strike Benefit Information
  
Hundreds signed up for strike benefits at Thursday night's meeting. If
you have registered for the strike benefits, if you've done your
picketing duty, and if your pay was docked in November, you can pick
up your benefit checks TODAY at the AGSE office from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If your pay is docked in December, you must pick up your check in
person on January 12th, 1993 or on a new second date January 19th,
1993 (the first day of classes).  The regional director of the UAW has
agreed that people, including readers and tutors, who joined the union
after the strike began will be eligible for strike benefits, but this
still has to be okayed by Detroit.
  
To IP or not IP?
  
According to Dean Duggan, submission of IP grades does fulfill one's
obligation to turn in grades by December 21st.  It seems UC "policy"
is changing every day.
  
The University can't simply assume teachers giving IP's are on strike.
Legal mayhem would ensue.  Note that the University can be sued for
triple damages if they incorrectly dock pay.  The fact that the
University is desperately asking us to turn ourselves in is a sign
that they are grasping at straws.
  
AGSE suggests you contact professors to encourage them to give IP
grades as an option that benefits faculty, undergraduates, and
graduate students for the duration of the strike.
  
Self-report forms... DISCO INFERNO (Burn baby, burn. Get it?)
  
People do not need to turn in the self-reporting strike forms the
administration wants.  These letters have not been legally served, and
many of us haven't received them.  If UC bills for health insurance,
the UAW will pay it.  If UC bills for the month's share of partial fee
waivers, UC will give us 6 months to pay (without blocking
registration).  Incorrectly docking pay of a non-striking worker would
likely result in the University's payment of damages.  Also, note that
in 1989, after the 2-day strike, UAW successfully represented a
student who was fired after striking.  If UC sends other forms asking
us to verify that we plan to fulfill our appointments for the Spring,
say "yes".  We plan to work, and we plan for UC to settle the strike
reasonably so that we can work.
  
So take those self-report forms and bring them to the rally, this
Wednesday at noon, at Bancroft and Telegraph!
  
Bates is on our Side
  
State Assemblyman Tom Bates was on KPFA last night with a proposal to
make collective bargaining with graduate students a state law, similar
to the situation in Wisconsin.  He was very supportive of AGSE's cause
but said he would only pursue this legislation if the University
administration really wants it.  He said it would be useless to get
such a bill through the Assembly, only to have it vetoed by Governor
Wilson.  This should put pressure on the administration to be public
about their true agenda in dealing with graduate student employees
without hiding behind vague legal arguments.
  
In a letter to President Peltason, Bates said, "AGSE/UAW had an
agreement with the Berkeley campus for three years, a relationship
which the campus administration, the faculty, and the graduate student
employees have all described as 'productive'.  It seems to me that
what they want now is essentially a continuation of that relationship.
What is the University's interest in blocking that?  Is the damage to
the University and this campus worth it?"
  
Give Assemblyman Bates a call or write a letter telling him how much you 
appreciate his efforts on our behalf. 
  
Assemblyman Tom Bates 
12th District 
1414 Walnut St. 
Berkeley, CA  94709 
  
540-3176 
  
  
Notes from Other Campuses 
  
The letters of support from Graduate Student Unions on other campuses around 
the country keep coming in.  We've had supportive e-mail from as far away as 
Germany! 
  
Closer to home:  Santa Cruz has finished finals, but they will continue to 
picket throughout the break (except during administrative holidays).  They'll 
be calling for a strike authorization vote for the winter quarter soon.  Also, 
UCLA, the last of the nine campuses to contact us, called in their support and 
asked for advice on setting up a union of their own. 
  
Committees need YOU! 
  
If you'd like to volunteer to call a column of undergraduates from the ASUC 
directory and talk about issues involved in the strike, contact Joe Harrington 
at 845-5618. 
  
Also, to get involved in the Public Debate Forum committee to set up public 
discussions between AGSE and UC speakers, contact Sarah Taub at 559-8489 or 
Florence Pore at (415)641-9838 sometime this week.  They still need help with 
publicty and outreach. 
  
Upcoming Events 
  
Tuesday 
  
5:15 p.m.       Meet at West Gate for car pooling to 
                Peltason's mansion. 
  
6-7 p.m.        Carolling with an attitude! 
  
6 p.m.          Stewards' meeting, Institute for 
                Industrial Relations. 
  
Wednesday 
  
noon            Self-reporting forms conflagration 
                rally!  At Bancroft and Telegraph. 
                Bring your letters from Tien. 
  
Thursday 
  
6-8 p.m.        General Membership meeting. 
                Location to be announced. 

Conf? 
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive