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Letter of Support From the American Federation of Teachers |
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Letter of support from the American Federation of Teachers September 8, 2003
On behalf of the 1.3 million members of the American Federation of Teachers, I am writing to express our solidarity with your effort to win a just and fair contract for the faculty at the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University. Our critics claim that all unions are interested in is defending the status quo-that we don't care about the next generation of faculty, we don't care about the financial health of our institutions, and we certainly don't care about educational quality. I would challenge them to take a look at what is happening at LIU. Your union is seeking better wages and working conditions for long-serving full-time faculty members, but it is also doing much more. You have made a priority of moving toward equity for part-time faculty in both pay and health benefits, as well as recognition for distinguished service. The administration says no. Your union wants a contract that insures its members have time to devote to research and professional development and thereby strengthen educational quality. The administration says no. Your union is willing to explore steps to lessen costs and contribute to the institution's financial health. The Administration says yes to the savings, but no to using any of these savings to advance the institution. What else does the Administration say yes to? The Administration says yes to cutting back real salary and yes to setting up a caste system in which new faculty pay higher health premiums than senior faculty. In unity,
SF : jb cc: Dr. Ralph Engelman, LIUFF
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