Stewards 12/3/2006

Attendance:

Minutes and Agenda: David Zwart (History), Jamie McCandless (Associate Members), Jessica Lynam (Spanish), Elise Boneau (History), Chris Pomeroy, Timothy Duby Mathematics), Erdal Terkivatan (Mathematics), Joshua Muia Chemistry), Mike Ciletti (History), Keith Russo (English), Julie Dare Houck (Mathematics), Amanda Bellino (Spanish), Dan Kueh (Biology), Lisa Horton (English), and Jason Trowbridge (Mathematics).

I-Agenda and Minutes

President Zwart distributed copes of the agenda. There were no corrections and no additions. The agenda was accepted.

The minutes from the 11/19/2006 were accepted without additions and with the minor corrections already made to the archive version.

II- Bargaining:

President Zwart circulated the platform and requested input from the stewards on priorities. Steward Russo questioned the priority of salary/pay and health insurance

Steward Trowbridge argued that full tuition remission is more important because our pay cannot ever be what we really need to live on, over health care. Steward Russo queried regarding what AAUP gets.

There was some general discussion about why tying our contract to AAUP’s might not be a good idea, and what points of the platform might be more expendable than others.

President Zwart pointed out that the discussion indicated the problems of prioritzation Both Steward Trowbridge and Houck argued that faculty pay half as much as graduate students and receive much less in the way of compensation. All agreed that this was unfair. President Zwart moved the meeting to the next three points, explicating their importance and encouraging input from the Stewards.

2-Posting and Hiring:

General discussion regarding the non-binding nature this clause would have on organic relationships between students and administration.

3-Class Size:

Similar explication about the purpose of this article given by President Zwart.

4-Curriculum

There was some discussion prompted by Steward Russo about requiring all departments to offer a minimum of four years of guaranteed funding. There was some discussion, but no proposal.

III- Organizing for Maximum Effectiveness

Presdient Zwart presented his thoughts on reorganizing the focus of the union: We need strength in order to achieve our goal. Our focus is going to shift on how we organize. Distribution of document titled “TAU Goal for Spring 2007: Get a Fair Contract at Bargaining”” Explanation of plan by month (sheet preserved in archive).

-Ask people to wear their buttons on the days of bargaining.

-Newsletters, (which will be available on 2pm on Monday.)

Month by month explanation of action with membership meeting set at Jan. 26th, 5:30pm and again in March, 30th.

After presenting his general attempts to plot out the contract campaign would run, the president opened the floor for comments by proposing the creation of a organization committee, research committee and an committee that would serve as a forum for international students.

Organizer Pomeroy suggested that the president offer some of the executive and bargaining committee conversations about how this would look like, how it would operate.

Steward Russo vehemently objected to the reorganization, arguing hat it was retrograde action. There followed some discussion about what a revised organizing committee would do, or if it was necessary. Steward Bellino argued that everyone on the Stewards Council should be on the organizing committee, in order to focus on organizing, less the administration. President Zwart agreed, and argued that the organizing committee should be larger than the Stewards Council, those people not willing to be a steward, or who can’t meet on Sundays-these are the more involved people, have them making calls, being more informed.

Discussion followed on how the organizing committee might work, how information should be distributed.

Treasurer Lynam questioned the proposal, asking if a formal proposal for the reorganization was necessary. She argued that earlier task-assignments had been very ad hoc based on what individual members had thought important. Steward Muia supported the tenor of Lynam’s argument, offering the counter proposal to leave the ad hoc organization to the executive committee to create ad hoc committees as they see fit.

Steward Muia’s motion was entered as: That the executive committee will make charges for committees as the officers see fit.

Seconded.

Passes.

Next meeting, Sunday at 3pm.

Meeting adjourned at 4:15pm.

Submitted by Jamie McCandless, CIO