It’s Family Weekend at Miami University and FAM is out in force. FAM has planned several public events during Family Weekend to demand that Miami management negotiate in good faith using the opportunity to raise community awareness about FAM’s struggle to win a fair contract.
Today, over 70 faculty alongside about a dozen student allies participated in a Practice Picket from noon till 1:30pm on High Street in front of Roudebush Hall, the Miami administrative building.
Tomorrow (Saturday), an airplane will fly a banner in support of FAM over the Ohio-Miami game while below, at the stadium gates, FAM members will be distributing leaflets to Miami fans as they enter Yager Stadium.
In front of Roudebush during today’s action, practice picketers hoisted signs, waved at cars beeping in support, and chanted “What do we want? Fair Raises! When do we want them? Now!,” “Fair Contract Now!” and other slogans in solidarity with students and in support of shared governance and academic freedom.
Curious motorists and pedestrians took videos of the scene, which was audible at least a block away. FAM faculty and librarians stationed on each end of the practice picket handed out flyers to passing students and parents and through car windows.
The double-sided flyer FAM organizers handed to passing parents and students.
FAM members are united behind their negotiating team’s efforts to win a fair contract. Although raises for Miami faculty and librarians have fallen well short of increases in the cost of living for years, the university has offered a dismayingly insufficient 1.25% annual raise. Meanwhile, management has slow-walked contract negotiations. As the Rally for Raises and the Practice Picket demonstrate, management’s efforts to discourage faculty and librarians are having the reverse effect. Faculty know that they, with librarians’ support, are the reason Miami is ranked third in the country for undergraduate teaching. They know their value and are certain they deserve better.
Timing outreach actions during Family Weekend is giving FAM members an opportunity to educate students and their families about how they are fighting for a better Miami. Community support for FAM is increasing — alums, students and community members have sent over 600 letters to President Crawford in support of the union’s quest for a fair contract, and 23 Ohio House legislators have sent letters to President Crawford asking him to consider the value fauclty and librarians bring to Miami and bring contract negotiations to a swift and fair conclusion.
As Professor John Schaefer, co-chair of FAM’s Contract Action Team, says, “We do the crucial work of Miami’s educational mission. We deserve a fair contract and fair raises now!”
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