[lbo-talk] ASA changes its conference venue due to labor dispute

[Wojtek S]

Yes, the American Sociological Association.  Sociology is perhaps the most
left-leaning and pro-labor discipline in the US, which may explain why it is
held in such a low regard by economists (who tend to be stooges of the
capital.)  Although the reason for the change of venue is technical (most
likely to avoid penalties for a breech of contract) - I am reasonably
certain that refusal to cross the picket line was a big factor in that
decision.

This brings to memory a story my ex told me when she was a student at the
UCSC in the 1980s.  Her department (I forgot which it was, but it was not
sociology), which had a radical reputation, was approached by a union with a
similar request  - to change the venue of their graduation party due to
labor-management dispute.  They refused - only a handful of students
(including my ex) joined the picket line and challenged the self-styled
progressive faculty and students who did cross it.

In that context, I really appreciate the recent ASA decision to change the
venue.

Wojtek

On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 4:19 PM, Patrick Bond <pbond at mail.ngo.za> wrote:


> Is that Sociology, Wojtek?
>
> We had a fight with the African Studies Association in SF a few weeks ago
> but lost, and as a result pulled our panel out of the hotel they were using
> for the same reason (to a local African American museum).
>
> Glad you're making progress!
>
> Ciao,
> Patrick
>
>
> On 2010/12/15 02:47 PM, Wojtek S wrote:
>
>> Dear Colleagues:
>>
>> I know that many of you who have been following the news about stalled
>> labor
>> contract negotiations in Chicago are wondering about our 2011 Annual
>> Meeting.  A very protracted labor dispute between the service workers of
>> UNITE
>> HERE Local 1 and Chicago hotels has been taking place and there is no sign
>> of an end. We have been concerned for some time that the uncertainty of a
>> union agreement will adversely affect the ASA 2011 Annual Meeting.
>>
>> The contracts between Chicago union hotels and UNITE HERE expired August
>> 31,
>> 2009. Since that time, there have been 11 bargaining sessions but contract
>> negotiations are stalled. We have waited as long as possible to see if the
>> contract situation would be resolved in deference to the importance of
>> Chicago as a venue to the 2011 program. Without any resolution clearly in
>> sight, *the ASA Council voted unanimously to move the meeting from
>> **Chicago
>> ** because ASA cannot guarantee that the facilities and environment
>> necessary for our scholarly deliberations will be available.***
>>
>>
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