1974-09-04; Central Michigan Life

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acuity disapproves of agency
(Editor's Note: Conducted Friday, this survey was done by a teafefif,.
MLIFE reporters who contacted 100 randomly selected pnemburs of.t$e.t
[acuity, getting responses from 62. With the current faculty total standing it
"\bont 600, the 62 persons contacted represent .10 per cent'of the teachers
tmphyed by the University:,  , / ■-
This story was written by LIFE News Editor Loretta Pizzo with ndtes
m CM LIFE Reporters Carol Damioli, Marci persky, Dave Talaga, Jdve
'einberg and Ross Wilkinson.) » , ";' \ \
. A telephone survey of more than 60 faculty members to determtoe theiry
reactions to the new contract, revealed the majority1 to be anti-agency tjjiqp-;-
fnd generally unsatisfied with the overall contract.'
[    The agency shop provision (requiring faculty members to join thct union/ *
ir pay a $150 service fee) was the most unsatisfactory part of the contract toy**
ie largest number of people—60 per cent of those surveyed disapproved ojL.
ie provision. ' "     ,'
"I don't like it," said Freddie Simon-da, associate professor of hoa*$
conomics and family life. "Why should someone tell me what I have to data,'
teep my job when they aren't the ones hiring me?" ,. ^
Betty Jean Smith, associate professor of physical education, said' she',
as against it and added, "I'm not generally union-oriented, but I do feel ad5
jbiigalion to the group representing me. I don't think, people should be
•reed to join." .   .
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. "In my honest opinion anil this Is not Intended
to bo flippant, the p&pt S liked the least was the
beS/lnnlng, the middle and the end?"—George L.
Stengren, chairman ot the philosophy department
•.-. * One department chairman Who said he is "for" the agency shop clause
butrdoes not wish to be named, added, "It will strengthen the union."
,--* Another person speaking for the provision, Wilbur Harris, professor of
Secondary education, said, "I suppose I'd say yes, (I like it.) I don't like the
compulsory idea but we have to involve more than one-third of the faculty
somehow so we can have some power base." *
,' ' Other' supporting arguments were, "It becomes necessary for the
faculty to become unionized one way or another," "This will give the union
greater strength in future negotiations with the administration," and "If
they \the other faculty members) receiye the benefits, they should pay for
them;" .--...
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Volume 55 No. 4. Wednesday, September 4, fS?^'
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Arguments against agency shop included, "It's non-professional and
creates an adversary, relationship between the faculty and administration,"
"It's irrespective^ academic freedom," "Collective bargaining undermines
the whole concept of higher education," "It's coercive:' and "Unions lead to
mediocracy."        • .
On© associate professor called the contract "The second Louisiana
Purchase-it was a sale." An assistant professor indicated he "might go to
court" while a third pointed out, "It was a vote only of union member's and
the union was voted in by only 13 or 14 votes back in 1969."
Karel Topinka, assistant professor of foreign languages, said he was
•against it and would pay only the $150 service fee if "the Faculty Association
makes a fund for handicapped teachers. I don't want to pay it out and not
know where it goes,"
While 60 per cent were unhappy .with the contract due to the agency
shop clause, 60 per cent also were less than pleased with financial provisions
of the agreement. Only 38 per cent of those surveyed indicated an overall
satisfaction with the contract, while 35 per cent expressed approval of the
binding arbitration pact.
Common complaints stemmed from the financial aspects'of the contract,
with many of those surveyed pointing out the "meager" size of Ithe actual
take-home pay increase and comparing it to the rate of inflation: "The cost of
living has gone up 10 or 12 per cent, yet we get only a 5 per cent increase,"
one professor said.
Richard J. St, Andrei assistant professor of mathematics, said, "In my
position, I get a $250 salary increase, but then I have to pay $150 dues, so it
doesn't seem like much of an increase," St. Andre also said the part of the
contract he felt was best was the new health package. "It seems superior to
Blue Cross coverage," he added.
Although many indicated their dissatisfaction with the salary package, '
many also said they "appreciated the efforts of the bargaining team" and
realized the "difficulties of the times financially."
According to Kobert Herrera, professor of foreign languages, "I think
there is some room for improvement, but I think it's the best we could get
because of the financial situation of the country at the present time." He
added he liked the new benefits of the life and health insurance plans,
(see "Faculty dislikes agency shop" on page 5A)
:s Robinson -
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one room total loss
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by MITCH HEAD
CM LIFE Reporter
An early morning fire in
Robinson Hall Sunday gutted a
study room and trapped one of the
occupants of the room in ' the
bathroom for nearly 20 minutes
before the blaze could be extinguished.
The cause  of the  blaze  was
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FIRE AGAIN'.'-After an early morning fire in Robinson Hall Sunday,' this & what Room 220 looked like* the
cause of the blaze is believed to be a hanging candle that fell to the floor, cfttriftg'the -night. One of the occupants
of this room was trapped in the bathroom nearly twenty minutes before the Saze was extinguished.
eerfield tenants sign
upplemental agreement
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believed to be a hanging candle
which apparently fell to the floor
during the night. Authorities have
not yet reached an estimate of
damage.
JOE MRACNA, Royal Oak
sophomore, woke up at 5 a.m.
Sunday to his smoke-filled room at
220 Robinson Hall. He apparently
tried to escape through a bedroom
door, but was forced back by leaping
flames.
.>- He proceeded.to the bathroom
where he wrapped his face in a towel
to aid in breathing easier. Mracna
then proceeded to a window in the
room and began calling for help.
According to Ron Gishpert,
Robinson Head Resident, a neighbor,
Harvey Leffring, Orland Park, III.
junior, heard the screams and set off
the fire alarm. The desk receptionist,
Ken Warren, Perry junior, also
heard Mracna's calls and summoned
the  Department of Public  Safety
(DPS).
Then, according, to Gishpert,
Peter and John Gorton, Benton
Harbor seniors and Mracna's neighbors, unlocked the main door of his
room, They were unable to enter the
room, however, because of the
flames.
Residents of the hall used six
fire extinguishers to put out the
blaze before the Mt. Pleasant Fire
Department arrived On the scene,
Gishpert said all six of the fire extinguishers used to combat the fire
were full and worked adequately.
Mracna was taken to University
Health Service Center and was
released later in the* day. The other
occupant of the room was working in
town at the time of* the blaze.
The residents of the room have
been moved to other rooms in
Robinson Hall.
by SANDRA L.DICKEY
LIFE Ass't News Editor
Moving   into   the   Deerfield
nex, Central's  newest  dorm,  is
der way with 30 students already
|oved in and, 18 more expected by
ay.
According to Patricia Giardini,
anof students, if there are empty
aces after 5 p.m. today, the annex
ain will be opened to interested
[udents for immediate occupancy.
However, students who want to
gn up still may do so in the Student
Hairs office even though there are
empty spaces right now, Giardini
ded. \
The University decided to lease
e annex from Deerfield as a result
overcrowded    dorms.    The
angement between Deerfield and
e University .was finalized at 1
m. Friday. s ,
STUDENTS must sign an
reement upon moving to the
nex. The supplemental housing
reement outlines certain
dvisiqns to be followed fey students
ing in the annex, most of which
e differeht from rules in the
irm's.
For example, students living in
e annex apartments are
sponsible for their own telephone,
eluding installation and future
lephone bills.
Students living in the annex also
ve the opportunity to get cable
■Ievision, however; they must
ntract with the Deerfield Complex
anager for cable tv and pay
eerfield Village for this service.
Other provisions  of the  aup*
pemental  housing   agreement   laude;
—Cjb-letting is prohibited,
—No animals of any kind shall
kept or harbored on or about the
onuses. <■
—All residents must enclose all
ibbish,  garbage,  etc.   in   plastic
•  They   bags   must   bo   tied
securely and placed in the dumpster
at the rear of the annex.
the "check-list" when vacating tl*
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tended period of time should cfee'clc
with   apartment  supervisor's.  The;
building is  scheduled  to. he  ope*
during   vacation   periods 'and   tfeK,-
cupants   should   make   sure   their
valuables are protected or re»o*V»ft-
since the owner or University fa rioty
liable for the loss of or damage to aity*
property    or    other    valuables*
belonging to persons in the apartments.
—Each   student   will   sign :*
"check-list" when the groups, movfc..
into the apartment and again sign
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~.    ap»rt|II«?«ii-. xsaiuagS CRSrgS'
vac,   tvral
' assessed from this list in addition !o
.Charges which may be made for
'public areas and apartments durini'
■the period of the lease.
—Students assigned as
jfoormftates are expected to move
' into the facility at the same time and
srgree to live together for the
academic year. If students wish to
terminate their contract for. the
."Deerfield annex, they will need to go
through the Appeals Committee
procedure the same as all other
students living in residence halls.
Dean of Students
urges fire safety
CM LIFE PHOTO BY CRAIG PORTER
J&NGA-It's doubtful whether this
telephone will be ringing after the
. beating  it took in Sunday's fire in
Robinson Hall.
Despite reservations
by SANDRA L. DICKEY
LIFE Ass't. News Editor
A program for future fire
prevention is being worked on by
several University divisions including Resident Hall Assembly,
Housing Programs, Residents
Advisory Council, the Physical Plant
and Students Affairs and according
to' Particia Giardini, dean of
students, .a workable plan for
prevention will be formulated and
presented in the next few days.
Following a fire in  Robinson
Boyd Will ink faculty contract
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Although he hafc' resex^atibii**%|!itttii'e agency shop clauae of Ihe
Faculty Association (FA) coai^a^-rati^i^^st^onday. President WifliaiaB.
Boyd said he will sign the contract Oct. J£" ,   ". "
During an "unstructured" question and comment session in the
University Center Auditorium Fiidayv'jBdyd told approximately 200 faculty
members present, although he didn'tlike the agency shop provision, there
would have been no contract with&ut ft.
As approved by the union, JtgeMy «hbp requires non-union faculty
members to pay a $150 service fee difjeiiSfSfj* Union.
Unlike traditional agency shop methods, faculty members who don't pay
'the fee will not lose their job. Instead, they will be taken to small claims
edurt by the Faculty Association. '    '       I ,     •
„ Although the contract was approved last week 127-17 .by union members, Boyd Said the faculty had the legal right to move toward decertification
of the union until the day the contract is signed.
Harold Johnson, a former labor relations worker, said later the lack of a
signed contract means the iaculty could file for the removal.of the FA as its
legal bargaining agent. Johnson pointed out all that would be hecesSary is
"one person and 200 signatures" for the National Labor Relations Board from •
Lansing to come to Mt. Pleasant and bring the matter up for vote.
AFTER THE contract is signed, Boyd stressed, a move to decertify the
union could hot take place until the agreement neared expiration. "Once it is
signed," he said, "it cements ifl the union for long periods of time."
A big concern of the faculty members present at the forum seemed to be
the legality of agency shopland one person oven questioned the ethics of the
provision. "I'm not so sure that an agency shop provision voted on by 125
people is ethical," the faculty member said, "It seems to me, they have
usurped their mandate." . .
Boyd admitted he didn't like the agency shop provision, but defended its
legality and morality. "We held out and held Out,*' Boyd said of the
bargaining sessions With the FA. "It finally came down to the choice of
yielding to a modified agency shop, or not having ft contract."
In answering questions, Boyd said non-union members would be eligible
for toftjsefito -the"aevr contract will provide* including a five per cent take-
. %^0kpifUwtoa& and more comprehensive healih care insurance, But.
(see "Boyd will sign... " on page SA)
i
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Hall Sunday (see related story) and
one in Troutman Hall Aug. 24, both
of which resulted in no injuries to»
students, Giardini said, "Fate has
been very kind to us. We simply can
no longer afford to tempt it."
- Chance has bees on our side in
sparing students'- lives when they
have been clearly less than prudent
in protecting themselves and
others," she continued.
According to George Jennings,
director of Housing Programs, there
have been . 30 reported fires in
residence halls   since 1967.
Fortunately, he said, no one has
been seriously injured, but the loss
of property has been substantial.
After several meetings
regarding fire safety, * Giardini
concluded, "We have to raise the
level of consciousness of the dangers
of fires."
"We cannot have a good safety,
program unless the students realized
this danger," she continued.
Therefore, she said, "my idea is
to demonstrate to the students so
that they will know,"
"It is my hope that all students
both off campus and on will give both
thought and deed to preventing
fires. No amount of administrative
action or pleading can insure personal Safety. Educational programs
help; regular patrolling of halls
certainty helps/' she said, "But the
final responsibility rests with each
individual."
"We are in favor of taking some
absolute    measures;   we "will   be
pursuing this in the next 24 hours,"   '
Giardini said, '
Giardini emphasized, "this is a 'x--
.very dangerous situation, Iti is the   {'!l-'
ramifications of carelessness.*'
> "Everyone feels so safe," she   i|('
added, "when really they aren't."
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