I agree with Mike’s points.
Still, total silence from Barbara on [the] open letter.
Our union has to go back to first principles: fight united—first and foremost—for those brothers and sisters who are most vulnerable.
What happens for adjunct faculty when their health insurance is cut in a month? I read the letter that was circulated, and after three reads, I still could not figure out what an adjunct is supposed to do (they are advised to “continue with scheduled medical appointments”??).
At a bare minimum, this is a profound break in internal union solidarity and democracy. Adjuncts are the teaching majority, they pay dues, but their most immediate concerns (pay, job security, and health insurance) are being de facto disregarded. The PSC is not a union of “full-timers” only, last time I checked.
As first steps, we need to hear a public response to [the open] letter, with a clear explanation of how, when, and why the $5K demand, and the continued provision of health insurance, will be addressed by the PSC leadership in the current moment.
Arto Artinian, assistant professor, political science, Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY