>(P)eople seem all too ready to assume that they know how best to spend the
limited funds available. Yes, principled behavior is good, but folks act as
if all acts have no costs and that media-worthy cases are so much more
valuable than other work that is being done.<
We're all making assumptions here; you that any questioning of NEA priorities is uiltra-left blather and me--at least--that an unfortunate remark by one NEA character is indicatve of a trend of union thinking and acting. But, come on, Nathan, you're not doing PR work here, among us chickens.. Cut the shit. The case, as Mike Yates describes it, has ramifications for teacer unionism. There are a lot of ways a union can respond, beyond "we set our own priorities, bub!" If the CEA is indeed cash-poor and legal-muscle strapped, they can at least evince an interest in a case that can cut their own throats if it isn't won. They can be in regular touch with the folks who are execrcised about Bennish, rights. They can be at the table, involved in coalition-efforts, and help out in any way they can. (Something the AFT does, BTW. And the SEIU.)
One last point. Doug was being ironic in citing a Fitch "law." It was a trope. Don't take it at face value. If all Bob's analysis (which is challenging and required reading, btw) is summed up in "he don't pay dues, fuck 'em," then all Karl Marx ever wrote reduces itself to "The people united will never be defeated," (no shit!) which--if taken at face value is among the stupidest, most herd-like and least helpful slogans the left ever produced.
Mike Hirsch
On 3/4/06, Nathan Newman <nathanne at nathannewman.org> wrote:
>
> As I said, if the guy had no lawyer, that would change the issue. Then
> it
> might be a useful campaign to build up support around his defense,
> although
> it's unclear if such a political case would help or hurt recruitment.
>
> But if the guy has a lawyer, spending scarce funds on the issue,
> especially
> in states like Coloado where no teacher has to join the union, would
> create
> a massive burden on the small number of dues paying members to shoulder.
> In Copeople seem all too ready to assume that they know how best to spend
> the
> limited funds available. Yes, principled behavior is good, but folks act
> as
> if all acts have no costs and that media-worthy cases are so much more
> valuable than other work that is being done.
> lorado, the rightwing Governor Bill Owen used an executive order to
> deny unions the ability to collect dues through payroll deductions and
> they
> have been scrambling to keep membership up -- they've lost fifty to
> seventy
> percent of union membership in the last couple of years. Which staff
> jobs
> and services to members should they cut now to pay for a lawyer for a
> non-member, who already apparently has a lawyer? And if non-members get
> such lawyers, why should anyone even think about paying dues? Why not
> just
> free ride since all services are apparently available?
>
> The statewide Colorado Education Association has a total of six lawyers on
> staff; a case like this would eat up a large chunk of their time. Should
> they really drop everything else they are doing, which may involve a lot
> of
> less media worthy cases and issues but which often matter a lot for the
> members effected?
>
> Maybe a case could be made for defending this guy with those limited
> staff,
> but people seem all too ready to assume that they know how best to spend
> the
> limited funds available. Yes, principled behavior is good, but folks act
> as
> if all acts have no costs and that media-worthy cases are so much more
> valuable than other work that is being done.
>
> Colorado is a tough state, with a rightwing Governor and a whole range of
> wedge issues being thrown specifically at the teachers union, including
> the
> so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) and a new one called the 65%
> solution -- a lovely financial straightjacket on schools which is
> designed
> to pit in-class teachers against teaching support employees like
> librarians.
> CEA is also handling a range of grievances related in places like
> Jefferson
> County where they have formal contracts. Why are all those issues less
> important than this one?
>
> Nathan Newman
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "MICHAEL YATES" <mikedjyates at msn.com>
>
>
> Dear Nathan,
>
> I don't know if Bennish is a union member or not. I am just reporting
> what
> the NEA affiliate said. But in any event there is a lot more at stake
> here
> than a free-rider thing. Bennish is a very young man. We don't know his
> view of the teachers' union or any unions (or even if the union has
> bargaining rights and a contract) The union should support him and oppose
> what is going on here, irrespective of anything else. Show everyone what
> a
> good union does. I'll bet Bennish would join then. Your black and white
> view here is really stupid. I've known lots of anti-union folks who have
> come around to support the union. After they and trouble or after they
> saw
> what a union could do. Just like in the classroom, patient organizing and
> principled behavior sometimes win the day.
>
> Let me add that the teachers' unions don't have such good records on
> trying
> to expand the civil rights of teachers and certainly not on fighting for
> the
> civil rights of students.
>
> Yes, Bennish has a lawyer. But what does this have to do with
> anything? The
> union needs to support him. It can do this without providing a lawyer for
> him. Though I don't see why it couldn't offer one.
>
> And Nathan, I hope you are going to call the school board or at least send
> an email.
>
> Michael Yates
>
>
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