Joe Berry's COCAL Updates

...links & news on #COCALX in Mexico City, #ContingentFaculty & #HigherEd + an appeal to support the Chicago Teachers Union, AFT local 1, to their solidarity fund in their fight and possible fall strike to preserve and improve public education (and against the privatizers). He writes, "I personally urge us all to contribute and get further donations from your union and organization. No foundation will fund this fight. The rich and their foundations (Gates, Lumina, et al) are all on the other side." (image from JournalMex)

More about Chicago Teachers (because our history matters): A wonderful article on the revolt of the Chicago teachers, in 1933, when they, through massive direct action, and over the objetions of many union leaders, directly attacked the banks to get the money to pay them and keep the schools open. Every teacher unionist should read this. The best telling of this story that this labor historian has ever read. Not optional! Big lessons for us now.

COCAL news...

• Reports from Mexico on COCAL X  (see also COCAL International for full reports and pictures) and from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 
• COCAL and other contingent movement support gets P-FAC union Pres. Vallera's disciplinary meeting delayed one week. Thanks to all who sent last minute messages in response to the last-minute notice on this news list.
• Steve Street (COCAL, UUP and New Faculty Majority activist and writer) dies of cancer. See higher ed media coverage here and here. 

academic precarity and the state of higher education...

• Very good article on the killing of American universities from the 'Junct Rebellion blog {good clear analysis}
• Op-ed on adjuncts and US higher education by anthropologist and former adjunct Sarah Kandizor in Al-Jazeera 
• George Washington University adjuncts in SEIU500 settle contract 
• An adjunct gets a "visiting" FTT job
• Greene County CC (NY) adjuncts get small raise, but no mention of union 
• Wayne State U (Detroit) could be the first Research I university to end tenure.

miscellaneous...

• Good stories and a new newsletter from New Unionism's international site. (Ed Note: this excellent resource deserves more attention from adjunct / contingent faculty. I've blogged New Unionism before and am now reminded to check the newsletter (email, no link) and revisit the site for an expanded post.
• One of the three main views on how to save City College of SF, CA (The other two are focus on the parcel tax or just do everything the accrediting agency WASC says.) Well expressed and circulated on the Occupy Education list.
• More on how business views higher education: Occupy Education activist and researcher Danny Weil comments on and analyzes Moody's report (in pdf format)

news & links about #ContingentFaculty, #academiclabor & #organizing in #highered. To subscribe to regular Updates, email joeberry@igc.org.  More about Joe Berry.  Updates are also archived at chicagococal.org. Follow COCAL International on Facebook.