[Newspoetry] [Fwd: The University denies its workers the right to unionize...]

[Mike Lehman]

Let's keep'um sweating over this.
Mike

chyn at onthejob.net wrote:
> 
> ...graduate employees are not considered workers by the State of
> Illinois.  Therefore the University refuses to recognize the Graduate
> Employees Organization as a union despite that fact that student workers
> voted to have GEO represent them as a union.
> 
> Recently the University defended this position in a "whitepaper."  The
> Text of the Whitepaper is available at
> http://www.uiuc.edu/unit/pa/ga/index.html>.
> The GEO's response is online
> at <http://www.shout.net/~geo>.
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> MESSAGE FROM SARAH:
> 
> We are now seeking YOUR HELP in making this resolution a powerful response
> to
> the Whitepaper.  I have volunteered to collect a list of individuals and
> organizations who have signed on to the resolution.  The more citizens and
> community organizations in  Champaign-Urbana sign on, the stronger our
> voice
> will be.  Please add your name or the name of your group to the bottom of
> the
> resolution and forward this message to any potential allies.
> 
> If you are the 25th signatory, please forward the resolution with your
> signature to me at skanouse at usa.net.
> 
> Thank You,
> 
> Sarah Kanouse
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE GRADUATE EMPLOYEE'S ORGANIZATION
> 
> Whereas the right of workers to form a union is a basic human right
> recognized
> in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 23,
> section 4) and akin to the rights of free speech, religious expression and
> personal safety,
> 
> and
> 
> Whereas democratic employee organizations help citizens become stronger
> participants in our nation^Rs democracy,
> 
> and
> 
> Whereas the Graduate Employees Organization won a democratic
> representation
> election in 1997,
> 
> and
> 
> Whereas the University of Illinois has consistently violated the basic
> human
> right to organize by refusing to recognize the Graduate Employees
> Organization,
> 
> and
> 
> Whereas the Chancellor, Provost and Council of Deans of the University of
> Illinois have used their power, money and influence to propagate
> misinformation about the Graduate Employees Organization and to
> rationalize
> their abrogation of a basic human right,
> 
> and
> 
> Whereas the violation of human rights results in swift state, national or
> international sanctions against the perpetrators until such rights are
> restored,
> 
> Be it therefore resolved:
> 
> that we, the undersigned individuals and organizations in the
> Champaign-Urbana
> community do hereby
> 1.  support the right of graduate employees to organize for the purposes
> of bargaining collectively,
> 2.  condemn as a human rights violation the refusal of the University of
> Illinois to recognize the right of graduate employees to form a democratic
> union,
> 3.  call upon local, state, national and international groups to apply
> appropriate sanctions against this violation of human rights,
> 4.  demand  the University of Illinois to support and honor the results of
> the 1997 democratic election of the Graduate Employees Organization and
> begin bargaining in good faith,
> 5.  call upon our fellow citizens of Champaign-Urbana and our brothers and
> sisters across the country to join us in our support of the basic human
> rights of graduate employees.
> 
> Signed,
> 
> 1.  Jenny Barrett, Senior Research Programmer, Department of Psychology
> 2.  A. Belden Fields, Professor Emeritus, Political Science
> 3.  Sarah Kanouse, Urbana
> 4.  Danielle Chynoweth, Urbana, IL
5. Mike Lehman, Urbana, IL