Faculty vows to continue to fight
MT. PLEASANT -- Update: August 23rd
Tuesday, CMU President Laura Frey issued the following statement on the faculty strike:
For the second time in a week, the university refused to come to the table to bargain with faculty. With the start of classes at stake last week, the university told faculty bargainers that they would not negotiate unless the faculty agreed to their proposals.
The faculty organized a work stoppage on Monday in response to the administration’s continued bad-faith bargaining. The faculty has filed several unfair labor practice (ULP) charges citing the university’s refusal to bargain.
“Our job action was not an illegal strike—it was a legal job action based on our ULPs. And when the university twice refuses to bargain and uses bully tactics, it just proves our point,” said Laura Frey, CMU Faculty Association President.
In retaliation, the university maneuvered a temporary restraining order forcing faculty back to work on Tuesday.
But claims by the university on Monday that they were ready to bargain any time proved false when they refused the faculty’s offer to bargain that day.
Frey commented, “How can you believe any of the administration’s claims that they want to bargain when their actions speak otherwise. You can see why we charge them with bad-faith bargaining,”
A show cause hearing on the temporary restraining order is scheduled for Aug. 26.
“We will have our day in court and show that the faculty is the only side truly working to settle a contract,” said Frey.
The Associated Press says a State appointed "fact finder" will help CMU and the tenured faculty reach a contract.
The Michigan Employment Relations Commission named Barry Goldman to oversee the case after both sides requested the intervention.
Central Michigan University faculty have agreed to obey a court order and resume classes Tuesday.
The school has issued the following release concerning the issue:
“The Central Michigan University Faculty Association will return to class tomorrow as ordered by Circuit Court Judge Paul H. Chamberlain in a temporary restraining order issued today.
Laura Frey, CMU Faculty Association President said, “We will obey the court order and return to work tomorrow. But this does not end the issue. The faculty remains strong and committed to securing a fair and equitable contract for members.”
Despite the court order, the FA considers the work stoppage a success. Students joined faculty on the picket lines this morning while members of local labor unions did not cross the lines.
A show cause hearing is set for Friday, Aug. 26.
Frey said, ‘This is just a temporary order. We will still have our day in court where we’ll have the chance to present our case.’”
NBC25 was in Mt. Pleasant Monday and will have the complete latest on the faculty strike on NBC25 News.
