And Worth Every Smoloka . . .

 

Over the past month or so, the media have been falling over themselves praising writer George Saunders - look here at The New York Times Magazine and here at NPR, for example. And I felt a bit dim since, not only had I never heard of the guy, but I really like reading short stories (apparently Saunders' preferred genre) and the guy had done a bunch of his early writing right here in Rochester. And, on top of that, he is, as the reporters allege, funny and politically incisive. (Try this mocking personal reflection on his youthful love affair with Ayn Rand at The New Yorker.) So, this afternoon I read The Brief & Frightening Reign of Phil* and it too pretty much confirms the press reports. It is a book about borders, among other things. The red string and green string and the conflagrations they induce bring to mind in some ways not just politics writ large but border patrols in the department where I work.

Just before his demise, having usurped Presidential powers, co-opted the media, implemented his repressive 'Border Area Improvement Initiative' and punished citizens suspected of disloyalty for voicing qualms about the genocide, Phil warned: "I wouldn't be surprised if some of us didn't start getting smaller and doing mathematical proofs. We'll have to watch that. We'll have to be vigilant."
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* George Saunders. 2005. The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil. Riverhead/Penguin.

UR - SEIU Impasse Update

According to this story in The Campus Times the negotiations between the University of Rochester and a sub-set of its employees represented by SEIU continue to be troubled. I've posted on this here and here before. It is nice to see that a group of students - among them one of my really smart advisees - is supporting the union.

UR - SEIU Impasse (again)

I posted a couple of days ago on the current impasse between the University of Rochester where I teach - which, by the way, is the largest employer in a city beset of economic hardship - and employees represented by SEIU. Here is a page from Metro Justice with a link to various documents providing background on the conflict as well as a link to a petition you can sign on to. Which side are you on?
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Update: (18 October 2012) Here is a report on subsequent actions, taken by the union on alumni weekend.

UofR and SEIU Standoff

For the last month there have been workers posted at the entrance to the University of Rochester with a large banner decrying unfair labor practices . . . here from The Campus Times, is why:

UR, Labor Unions Resume Contract Negotiations Today
By Leah Buletti · Published on October 08, 2012 11:24 AM

Negotiators on behalf of UR and the Service Employees International Union will meet today to discuss terms of a new labor agreement after talks stalled on Sept. 28. A federal mediator called for discussions to resume Monday.

Discussions for a new contract for 1,800 UR service workers at the UR Medical Center (URMC) and the River Campus began in August. The current contract, which expired on Sept. 22, has been extended twice while talks continue.

Union members say that most “non-economic issues” have been resolved, but issues including wages, education benefits, child care support and health insurance are still being contested. In particular, union members say they are aggrieved with a proposal to eliminate the current health benefits fund and replace it with an inferior and more costly health plan.

The news that talks would resume Monday comes as the service workers said last week that they would begin to picket URMC and various other campus locations beginning Oct. 12.

For expanded coverage and developments on this story look to our print edition, which will resume publication on Oct. 18.

I tend not to comment too much here on happenings on-campus, but the administration has recently pushed back on a set of employee benefits for non-unionized employees. The union deserves support.