Stand up! Fight back!
That's just what the faculty at Green River College did despite the hostility, retaliation, and threats from the college president and the board of trustees.
The strike had a huge impact. Garbage services and deliveries affiliated with the Joint Council of Teamsters didn't cross the picket line. The campus parking lot looked like a ghost town. Not everyone was on the strike line because of their tenuous employment but they didn't cross the picket line. Very few classes were held. Members from other unions, legislators, students, faculty, AFT and AFT Washington staff were there to support the faculty. The day after the strike, faculty held a lunch-time session to answer any questions that students had.
Let's give a great hurrah for the courage, strength, and power of our members!
But the fight is not over.
Eleven programs are still on the chopping block and RIFs are expected because the administration is refusing to stop the cutbacks. We need to keep up the pressure! This is just one step in a series of steps, and the fight will continue. And, of course, the faculty union would like to see the president Eileen Ely and board chair Pete Lewis step down.
Stay tuned!
For more information and updates, visit http://www.unitedattheriver.com/.