Comments on: The strike http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/ it's another red day Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:38:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: melocoton http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-49 melocoton Mon, 14 Nov 2005 14:22:28 +0000 http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-49 Well, I hope she called Sexton to complain. I can't emphasize enough what a bunch of nonsense the academic interference charge is. Just for your info, even thogh you might know all this already: the two cases NYU complains about were cases where they hired non-NYU graduate students or law school students to lead recitation sections, but paid them as "adjuncts" (which is much less money and doesn't include health coverage, for example). The union claimed that these teachers should be paid at the TA rate, rather than at the much lower adjunct pay rate, since they were doing TA work, i.e. leading recitations. The union didn't make an argument about WHO should be hired to teach these classes, much less what they should teach, it just said that whoever NYU hired should be paid at the TA rate. That's all. It's hard to see why these two cases constitute some absolute obstacle towards negotiating a second contract. Basically, the "academic interference" thing is just a tactic designed to play on stereotypes about unions (i.e., "autoworkers" who don't know about education) and that's why they don't ever give examples to back it up. But GSOC is run by grad students! Anyway, that's my spiel. Thanks for supporting us. Well, I hope she called Sexton to complain. I can’t emphasize enough what a bunch of nonsense the academic interference charge is. Just for your info, even thogh you might know all this already: the two cases NYU complains about were cases where they hired non-NYU graduate students or law school students to lead recitation sections, but paid them as “adjuncts” (which is much less money and doesn’t include health coverage, for example). The union claimed that these teachers should be paid at the TA rate, rather than at the much lower adjunct pay rate, since they were doing TA work, i.e. leading recitations. The union didn’t make an argument about WHO should be hired to teach these classes, much less what they should teach, it just said that whoever NYU hired should be paid at the TA rate. That’s all. It’s hard to see why these two cases constitute some absolute obstacle towards negotiating a second contract. Basically, the “academic interference” thing is just a tactic designed to play on stereotypes about unions (i.e., “autoworkers” who don’t know about education) and that’s why they don’t ever give examples to back it up. But GSOC is run by grad students! Anyway, that’s my spiel. Thanks for supporting us.

]]> By: Ally http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-48 Ally Sun, 13 Nov 2005 19:57:42 +0000 http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-48 Oh, I didn't mean to make it seem like I don't support the strike. I am definitely on the side of the graduate students, I just can't afford to strike with them. Thanks for the information though. That "interfering in academic decision-making" bit was keeping my mother from calling to complain to John Sexton. Oh, I didn’t mean to make it seem like I don’t support the strike. I am definitely on the side of the graduate students, I just can’t afford to strike with them. Thanks for the information though. That “interfering in academic decision-making” bit was keeping my mother from calling to complain to John Sexton.

]]> By: melocoton http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-47 melocoton Sat, 12 Nov 2005 11:44:39 +0000 http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-47 Hi A Just FYI, the administration says we interfered in academic decision making. But notice they never really tell you how, or in what way. They've only managed to come up with two examples, buried deep in the provost's website: http://www.nyu.edu/provost/ga/uaw-grievances.html. And these are bad examples, because they are grievances that NYU won anyway. NYU just wants to get rid of our union, no matter what, and "academic affairs" is a paper-thin excuse. grad student Hi A
Just FYI, the administration says we interfered in academic decision making. But notice they never really tell you how, or in what way. They’ve only managed to come up with two examples, buried deep in the provost’s website:
http://www.nyu.edu/provost/ga/uaw-grievances.html. And these are bad examples, because they are grievances that NYU won anyway. NYU just wants to get rid of our union, no matter what, and “academic affairs” is a paper-thin excuse.
grad student

]]> By: Ally http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-45 Ally Sat, 12 Nov 2005 07:34:39 +0000 http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-45 Yes, I saw that link. They make it seem like you can call for support if your class is canceled, but they really just want to know what the TAs are doing. It's a shame that the administration and the faculty can't get along. Yes, I saw that link. They make it seem like you can call for support if your class is canceled, but they really just want to know what the TAs are doing. It’s a shame that the administration and the faculty can’t get along.

]]> By: Michael http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-44 Michael Sat, 12 Nov 2005 00:11:13 +0000 http://www.nortongrad.org/2005/11/11/the-strike/#comment-44 Wow, that's pretty messed up. I suppose NYU's administration is pretty bad as well. Most of the students/professors/TAs hate the administration here, but at least they don't go on strike or anything. On that page you linked, one of the links was: Students Asked to Report on TA's Absences That's kind of pitting students against their TAs like you mentioned in your post. It's like those events where kids report their own parents for doing "unculturally sound" things. And, I lost my point so I'll just stop now. Wow, that’s pretty messed up. I suppose NYU’s administration is pretty bad as well. Most of the students/professors/TAs hate the administration here, but at least they don’t go on strike or anything.

On that page you linked, one of the links was:
Students Asked to Report on TA’s Absences

That’s kind of pitting students against their TAs like you mentioned in your post. It’s like those events where kids report their own parents for doing “unculturally sound” things.

And, I lost my point so I’ll just stop now.

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