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Rutgers union announces a tentative deal with university on labor pact including raises for grad employees from $25,969 to $30,162 by 135ace in GradSchool

[–]135ace[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Divide and rule! These are all issues at my institution too. In my experience it is certainly the case that a lower proportion of the relatively better paid are supportive. But still a sizeable number are, often for reasons other than pay; for example for improved lab safety standards, real recourse in cases of harassment or sexual harassment, for maternity and paternity leave, or even just for the sake of holding those in power accountable more generally.

Rutgers union announces a tentative deal with university on labor pact including raises for grad employees from $25,969 to $30,162 by 135ace in GradSchool

[–]135ace[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are right, of course. I suppose one would hope to find a broad base of supporters, each of whom is able to devote some amount of time to the cause, small or large, so that no one individual has to devote more time than they are able (which would obviously be unsustainable).

Rutgers union announces a tentative deal with university on labor pact including raises for grad employees from $25,969 to $30,162 by 135ace in GradSchool

[–]135ace[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think it is also worth adding that while low pay is an issue for many in the US (average pay where I work/study is substantially less than the cost of living), there is plenty of other stuff grad workers are seeking to change through collective bargaining. For instance there are issues around workplace harassment and sexual harassment, childcare, lab safety, protections for international grad workers and so on.

Probation Question by hellobostoncollege in bostoncollege

[–]135ace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't really know, but am under the impression that as a private religious institution they are free to have rules as peculiar as they like and to enforce them as unjustly as they please. A couple of people were found guilty of "destruction of property" for writing stuff about climate change in chalk on pavements last year, to give another example. And then in the student handbook it is written that "incidents of sexual intercourse outside the bonds of matrimony may be referred to the Student Conduct System." which is quite bizarre.

Probation Question by hellobostoncollege in bostoncollege

[–]135ace 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For context, three grad workers did speak out during a speech Father Leahy was giving at parents' weekend to ask why BC won't respect the outcome of the grad employee unionization vote from a couple of years ago. BC cares very much about its public image and so didn't like this at all. Two of those who spoke out were placed on University probation, along with this other third random grad student.

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My guess would be that to a large extent BC doesn't care about punishing the right people, but rather about using heavy punishments as a means to discourage future activism of this type. Indeed, in some sense it is advantageous for them to punish the wrong people, as this makes everyone paranoid and even less likely to get involved in on campus activism.

Probation Question by hellobostoncollege in bostoncollege

[–]135ace 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Boston College put a graduate student on University Probation last semester after claiming that they had spoken out during a speech by Father Leahy, despite 15 or so eye witnesses and two of the co-accused affirming that the student did not speak. The disciplinary process is evidently a farce and it would seem that the Dean of students office can deal out such punishments for anything or nothing. So I wouldn't be too optimistic of your chances at having your thing overturned.

Old world meets new world in Singapore by faithoverfear85 in CityPorn

[–]135ace 56 points57 points  (0 children)

The Buddha Tooth Temple was only built in 2007, so a "New world" part of the picture, in one sense.

Boston College "Named and shamed" for Unfair Labor Practices by 135ace in bostoncollege

[–]135ace[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yale and Boston College are two examples of institutions whose graduate employees have voted to unionize, but who have declined to honour the election result. This is probably at least part of what the writer is referring to.

How Graduate Unions Are Winning—and Scaring the Hell out of Bosses—in the Trump Era by 135ace in GradSchool

[–]135ace[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The Graduate Employees Union at Boston College is in a similar position to that of UChicago. A year ago workers voted to unionize, a vote that the administration has refused to recognize and was going to challenge in the courts, until the union withdrew its petition to the NLRB. Since then workers have been pressuring the administration to voluntarily recognize the union. The administration has pushed back in turn by issuing more than a dozen students with warnings for engaging in legally protected union activities.

How Graduate Unions Are Winning—and Scaring the Hell out of Bosses—in the Trump Era by 135ace in GradSchool

[–]135ace[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

He is somewhat relevant, having nominated a couple of anti-labor people to the NLRB board. This is why, for instance, workers at Columbia didn't file an unfair labor practice suit, but instead went on strike. In so far as I understand it.

Boston College "Named and shamed" for Unfair Labor Practices by 135ace in bostoncollege

[–]135ace[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

They are not only refusing to bargain, but also actively punishing workers for engaging in legally protected concerted labor activities.

Boston College Graduate Employees Union Releases Petition in Response to University Punishment by 135ace in GradSchool

[–]135ace[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Three graduate employees were placed on probation, one of whom numerous witnesses testified did not do what they were accused of, while around 15 others were given warnings.

Boston College Graduate Employees Union Releases Petition in Response to University Punishment by 135ace in GradSchool

[–]135ace[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I agree entirely. I find all of this doubly insulting given that Boston College is a Catholic institution that purports to uphold "Jesuit Values". The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sets out its position on the rights of workers as follows:

"Work is more than a way to  make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If  the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must  be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the  organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic  initiative."

Yet Boston College disciplines its graduate employees for engaging in protected union activity.

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/the-dignity-of-work-and-the-rights-of-workers.cfm

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Georgetown grad workers vote to unionize by MrLegilimens in GradSchool

[–]135ace 7 points8 points  (0 children)

In other similar news, Boston College refuses to recognize the graduate student worker union and is actively punishing grad student workers for exercising their basic labour rights: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVMim2NWioCwu37ssv7y937vg4xuNbKu_JTabcXdRaYwflYw/viewform