I guess we're striking

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’ve never taken part in a strike before. I’m not sure how I feel about it.

I teach part-time, but my position is permanent and safe. I’ve been at PCC for 14 years. I have what’s called a “multi-year contract.” Basically, I’m at the top of the ladder as far as part-timers go. And yet, I can’t help but feel like I’m going to get in trouble for taking part in this, even though I know in my head I can’t get in trouble.

From the article:

According to both unions, workers are prepared to strike after an “insulting final offer” from the administration of a 0.35% cost of living increase for both 2026 and 2027.

[…]

“If we go out on strike tomorrow, I think it’s going to be very cathartic. I mean, our members… they’re angry because we’ve been bargaining for nine months, and we’re not asking for that much,” said Michelle DuBarry, executive vice president of PCC-FFAP.

“We don’t think that the college can’t afford a cost-of-living adjustment. We think that the college refuses to pay a cost-of-living adjustment because their priorities are elsewhere. They’re not with faculty, they’re not with staff, they’re not with the folks who are serving students,” DuBarry continued.

More specifically, I think a big part of the problem is bloat at the top, like in many companies and organizations. There are I-don’t-know-how-many vice presidents of the college, who are pulling in six-figure salaries. I am mystified as to what their job descriptions are, or what they could possibly be doing on a day-to-day basis. My boss is the dean of the math department. Her boss is the dean of STEM. And her boss is… I have no idea. And I think there are even more layers of BS administrators before getting to the president. Maybe cutting out some of this chaff would free up some money?

Yesterday morning, one of those vice-presidents sent out an email to all faculty and staff stating that anyone going on strike must return any school-owned equipment (laptops and such) to their departments by the end of the work day, citing the safety of the equipment or some such nonsense. The same equipment that everyone takes home with them on a daily basis. The wording was “this is in no way meant to obstruct or interfere with your legal right to strike,” when in fact that’s exactly what it was. A petty excuse to cause inconvenience. As one response said, “you can say ‘I didn’t mean to eat all of the cookies,’ but that doesn’t change the fact that you ate all the cookies.”

Oh, and next week is finals week. One of the full-timers outlined his plan for having students take their finals online. I liked his plan, and shamelessly stole it, and his message to his students: “You may take the exam at your leisure, up until the due date. There won’t be any proctoring, but you are still expected to use only the skills and knowledge you have acquired while taking the test. Using any outside resources, such as books, notes, the internet, AI, etc., would be cheating. But no one will be watching over you. It’s about being honest.”

2

If your position is safe, participating actively in the strike would really help people who are unsafe. I don’t know much about Oregon and its unions, but I would say this is a great time to get involved in the union if you’re not. If you think a multi-year contract is safe, you haven’t met an administration that’s looking to cut costs (except, of course, those six-figure-salaried positions you mention). There’s lots to do behind the scenes that would help out but not necessarily brand you as a problem to admin or your department.

Good luck!

3

Best of luck with the strike and bargaining. It really helps the cause when people who “have nothing to lose” (or think they don’t, anyway) join the action anyway.

They’re always going to find ways to skirt the law wherever possible. There are professional anti-union consultancies with established playbooks and narratives that they could easily hire (if they haven’t already).

And there is always risk. The NLRB, which normally oversees such things, has been severely gutted under Trump and I would not expect the law (especially federal) to protect you at all.

Not trying to scare you away from striking… it’s an important, courageous, and necessary action. It’s just not as well-protected as it should be in this country, even outside (but especially during) Republican years.

4

Good luck! My institution is giving zero raises at present, but we aren’t unionized, so.

(Also, the hourly-wage workers and lower-level salaried staff ought to be the first priority when it comes to keeping one jump ahead of the cost of living, so I’m not particularly resenting my raiselessness in the current budget crunch. But yeah, if we were unionized and went for a strike, I’d stand with them.)

5

Since the link starts with K, I assume this is Portland, Oregon? Your state government might be willing to enforce the local labor laws, even if the feds aren’t.

6

Yes, Oregon. And yeah, if I were in a red state, I’d probably feel quite differently.

When I said my job is “safe,” maybe that was a bit overzealous. I realize that no one’s job is completely safe. And, if it came down to me, a part-timer with 14 years, and a new full-timer, I’m sure I’m the one who would be given his walking papers. But if it came to that, then the vast majority of part-timers would have been gone before they got to me. And if most of the part-timers are gone, the college is going under anyway!