[lbo-talk] Throwing out seniority

[Carrol Cox]

I don't 'hate' it at all. And in the past the "last one hired, first one
fired" has had serious sexist and racist consequences. So it is a fucking
bind! And there is the _further_ complication that goes the other way: lay
off the senior faculty and you penalize them the remainder of their life
through  lower pensions having to last longer. And that is intensified under
the present attack on pensions & benefits. The Sandwichman's position could,
probably should,l be applied to schools as well: More teachers, shorter
hours. There would also be 'room' for younger (poorer) teachers if Senior
teachers (no salary cut) would become advisory staff, helping younger
teachers or helping the incompetent to conceal their incompetence from
management.

Solidarity remains the key however, and despite its many penalties,
seniority seems an essential right to fight for.

At the university level all appointments should carry _immediate_ tenure.
Even if the _rank_ remains "adjutant" or whatever, the job should be secure
for life.

Taxes have to go up, and it is not going to happen without a terrible
struggle -- lobbying and electioneering and logical argument won't cut any
ice. And for a fight like that you can't afford the wobbling of the
'disinterested' intellectual.

Carrol

-----Original Message-----
From: lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org [mailto:lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org]
On Behalf Of Miles Jackson
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2011 3:25 PM
To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Throwing out seniority

On 03/05/2011 01:46 AM, 123hop at comcast.net wrote:
> Here we go:
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/05/us/05layoffs.html?_r=1&ref=education
>
> Note the spin. Experienced teachers are being let go to protect
students....
>
> Joanna

It's a bit more complicated:

"The plan would most likely mean teacher layoffs in middle-class areas 
that are accustomed to having the same teachers come back year after 
year. So while Sonia Miller, the principal at Gompers, will have less 
turmoil this year, the churn will be passed on elsewhere."

First thing to say: It's fucking stupid to lay off any teachers at all.  
We should be hiring more.  Note, though, the institutional classism of 
the seniority system: if the primary criterion of layoffs continues to 
be seniority, middle class families will benefit, and poorer families 
will get screwed over, as usual.  Carrol will probably hates this, but I 
think it's irrefutable: seniority preferences for public school teachers 
reinforce the class system by providing stable education in affluent 
areas and encouraging "churn" in poor areas.

Miles
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