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Employee union votes to strike in fall

By Daily Bruin Staff

May 15, 1996 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 16, 1996

By Michael Angell

Daily Bruin Contributor

In their next step to gain recognition from UCLA, the academic
employee union voted Tuesday night to authorize a strike this
fall.

While its date and duration have yet to be determined, this
strike is expected to occur simultaneously with strikes at other
University of California campuses.

"It’s a powerful and serious step and I think we’re taking it
with responsibility and resolve," said Lynn Svensson, union board
member at large. "We’re resolved to strike if we are not
recognized."

Currently, students employed as readers, tutors, teaching
assistants, and research assistants individually negotiate the
terms of their employment with the university. Union recognition
would allow a single bargaining body to negotiate with the
university over contracts.

The university, though, has no plans for recognizing the Student
Association of Graduate Employees (SAGE/UAW). Additionally, the
university considers strikes a breach of contract, possibly subject
to disciplinary actions.

"Academic apprentice employees at UCLA and throughout the UC
system are forbidden from striking." said Robin Fisher, associate
dean of the Graduate Division. "As far as taking a vote, anyone can
take a vote."

After reaching a self-mandated quorum of 300, union members
debated whether the union should strike. There were 274 votes for
the strikes, 14 against and 4 abstentions. Berkeley’s student union
also passed a strike vote on May 1.

Union members hope that the mere possibility of a strike may
make Chancellor Charles Young, as well as other UC chancellors,
recognize the student employee unions, said Mike Miller, lead
organizer of the union.

"The actual threat of a strike that has been authorized not only
at UCLA, but also at Berkeley and probably at other campuses is a
pretty serious thing," Miller said. "They (the universities) may
think twice about their intransigence and decide to recognize us
without our ever having to go on strike.

"We hope they’re that reasonable that they will act to prevent
disruption of research and education," he added.

Last year the union went on strike for two days in April 1995.
While the duration of the next strike has yet to be determined,
Miller said that this may last longer and would be a UC-wide
effort.

"Berkeley and (UCLA) alone have the majority of academic student
employees," Miller said."So we’re talking about a serious
disruption and this may go longer than two days."

No students were subject to disciplinary actions after last
year’s strike because of low union participation and minimal
interruption of university activities, according to Fisher.

The only penalty for an "unauthorized absence" is a loss of pay
for the time absent. But other disciplinary action could take place
according to "nature and duration" of absence, Fisher added.

Although the union did not receive recognition after the 1995
strike, members believed that the union has grown stronger in the
interim and will be in a better position for this fall.

"We have had a year and a half to do more organizing and that
strike raised our visibility on campus," said union member John
Medearis. "We got a lot of new members right after that."

This time around, the union hopes to gain more support from
undergraduates, since there are undergraduate union members who
work as readers and tutors.

Mainly, Association of Graduate Employees members said they hope
to get more people to honor their picket line in the fall.

"The point is to explain to them who we are, what we’ve done up
to this point, what we’re asking for, what a picket line means,"
Medearis said. "There’s nothing you can do to make a person obey a
picket line but we can persuade them to honor it."

"Some people came in the meeting and raised concerns about the
effect this strike would have on undergrads. All SAGE members are
very concerned about undergrad education." Medearis added.

This year, the union has the support of the undergraduate
student government. The last two undergraduate administrations have
made proclamations in favor of the union’s struggle, according to
Miller. And the incoming administration will also support the
strike, he added.

"Before the meeting, John Du said that his administration would
organize in favor of a strike," Miller said.

But some administrators argued that the union’s strikes subvert
undergraduate education.

"If you agreed that you’ll accept instructional
responsibilities, then you should fulfill those responsibilities
because of your duty to those you’re trying to instruct," Fisher
said. "That’s the heart of being a good teacher."

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