Hat tip College Insurrection
Not everybody at UC Berkeley is beserk. Take math professor Alexander Coward, for example. He decided that just because a lot of students were supporting striking campus workers, that was no excuse for canceling a class.
http://collegeinsurrection.com/2013/11/bravery-at-berkeley-prof-crosses-picked-line-to-teach-class/
Currently, UC campus workers are fighting for higher wages and what they say are better working conditions. Down here at UCI, they seem to be getting a lot of student support- at least if you read the campus paper and listen to the student activists. I am unaware of any faculty movement to cancel classes at UCI, where things tend to be less beserk than at UCB. Of course, if it ever comes to that, you can be sure I will teach my class. After all, that's what I am paid to do and that's what my students and their families are paying for.
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At the University of Utah, the students get maintenance and other jobs at the school. It helps them finance their education and they do a much better job. You can't push open a glass door before some student rushes over to wipe away your hand print.
They are grateful for the opportunity, not only in this season, but always. It helps all concerned.
There may be other schools that do this because I think giving preference to students is a great idea.
The workers get a higher pay and tuition rises too. I wonder if they would be in support of them if they had to pay for their own schooling?
No doubt campus employees deserve better pay and working conditions. Most employees of employers do.
Boycotting classes or declining to teach classes as an act of solidarity is a knee jerk response that omits either strategic or tactical thinking.
When employees of a manufacturing company go on strike, the company loses a valuable stream of saleable goods. That's why strikes can be effective.
When university employees go on strike (coverage here did not say they have), the university saves the cost of their paycheck, but loses no revenue at all. Academic work has to be carried on in somewhat deteriorated circumstances, which may be an effective incentive to settle.
When students do not come to class, the university keeps their entire tuition, and loses nothing.
When professors do not teach, the university might save the cost of their salary for a few days, and might receive complaints from parents who are paying tuition, but it loses nothing else. Thus, it is not a particularly effective way of supporting campus employees.
I am reminded of a commentary written in 1976 about a strike by San Francisco bus and trolley drivers. When an urban transport system shuts down, the county saves money. Only the general public is hurt. Drivers should have stayed on the job, but refused to collect fares until their grievances were settled. Instead of being groused at, they would have been very popular with the general public.
"No doubt campus employees deserve better pay and working conditions."
Pretty subjective evaluation, isn't that? Do you know what the pay and working conditions even are?
As I said, most employees do. Wage levels in America, in general, are shamefully low. These employees MIGHT be an exception, but I doubt it.
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