I gather that Professor Cohen wasn't joking. My mistake.
Let me make it good by observing:
(1) The question of certification has certainly not been decided. Not even the card-signing process currently underway will decide it. A vote of the full SFUFA membership, which can be held if enough cards are signed, will decide whether or not SFUFA certifies as a union. In the meantime, I take it, democratic discussion within SFUFA is very much indicated. That is why I took the time to author the "one negative statement" in the newsletter to which Professor Cohen refers, and which she finds so inappropriate.
(2) It is very much inconsistent with democratic principles to assert that "we"--SFUFA--don't need to make any space for views against unionization. I and other SFUFA members who oppose unionization are still part of the "we." Democracy, I take it, is about ensuring that our opponents can be heard, not about trying to marginalize and silence them. Professor Cohen's statement was certainly an eye-opener for me, and for that I am grateful.
I have argued that unionization is a bad idea. But even worse is the idea, expressed by Professor Cohen, that everything has really already been decided, by all the people who matter. That is pure elitist authoritarianism, of a kind with a very unfortunate political history. If that is the mindset driving unionization, it is worse than I thought.
Sincerely,
JD Fleming
--------------------------------------------------------
From: "Christopher Pavsek" <cpavsek@sfu.ca>
To: "sfufa forum" <academic-discussion@sfu.ca>
Sent: Monday, 10 March, 2014 22:43:18
Subject: Re: SFUFA Spring Newsletter attached
Hello everyone — As someone who has been very involved in organizing the certification drive, I cannot say that I agree with all of the sentiments Marjorie Griffin Cohen shared here this evening, as much as I respect the degree of her conviction on the matter.
I do very much agree with her on one point, though, namely that SFUFA did indeed decide to pursue a certification drive both after a very strong vote at the fall meeting and after a debate and decision by the executive. So I do believe it is utterly appropriate for SFUFA to be actively pursuing certification, as it is their mandate now after very strong displays of support by the membership.
But I also support SFUFA’s efforts to promote open discussion on the matter so that faculty can make a decision as they see fit. I also support having a faculty association — whether it becomes certified, as I sorely hope it does, or not — where open debate and discussion is fostered and encouraged. I think such debate can, in the end, only strengthen the association and thereby strengthen the faculty’s voice in matters of importance at the university and in higher education more broadly. I wish that sort of discussion could happen here on this forum without degenerating into derision and mockery and little flame wars, as so often seems to be the case.
I see nothing wrong with stating one’s own position on the issue.
My own position is that I support certification of SFUFA as a union and I hope that all of my colleagues across the campus join me in this and sign a union card so we can have a proper election.
If you are not convinced, if you are on the fence, or if you would like to know why I support certification, drop me a personal email (
cpavsek@sfu.ca), ask me your questions and I’ll do my best to answer. If you like, I’ll send you a copy of the talk I gave last May in the debate at the very start of this entire process. I’ll try to update it before I share it, since my views have changed somewhat since then, though my conviction has not in the least.
Sincerely,
Christopher Pavsek
Christopher Pavsek
Associate Professor of Film and
Associate Director
School for the Contemporary Arts
Simon Fraser University
149 W. Hastings
Vancouver, BC V6B 1H4
Canada
Phone: 778-782-4672
email:
cpavsek@sfu.ca
Dear Professor Cohen,
Thanks for sharing your parody of the authoritarian mindset. Best wishes, JD Fleming
From: "Marjorie Griffin Cohen" <
mcohen@sfu.ca>
To: "SFUFA Office" <
sfufaea@sfu.ca>, "sfufa forum" <
academic-discussion@sfu.ca>
Cc: "marjorie cohen" <
mcohen@sfu.ca>
Sent: Monday, 10 March, 2014 18:48:59
Subject: Re: SFUFA Spring Newsletter attached
Dear Faculty members:
The latest SFUFA Newsletter is surprising with its headline
and focus: SFUFA
Certification: Yes or No? As though it is still an issue to be
debated within SFUFA, and including one negative point of view.
When I signed a union card I actually applied for membership
in the Faculty Association. It
specifically says “In applying for a membership I understand the Faculty
Association of Simon Fraser University intends to apply to be certified as my
exclusive bargaining agent and to represent me in collective bargaining.”
The important point is that SFUFA decided the matter through
a vote of its members. No more
debate within SFUFA is
necessary.
SFUFA, as the website states, is a member-driven
organization: “As a member-driven
organization, SFUFA is ultimately governed by the will of its members as
expressed at General Meetings.”
We
do not need to promote the negative side either in the newsletter or on the
website. I really do appreciate
the President’s outspoken support (despite early skepticism), but the SFUFA
executive needs to be much more visible in supporting its members on this
issue. And, they should not give
any more space anywhere to those against unionization.
Marjorie Griffin Cohen
Professor, Political Science/GSWS
Simon Fraser University
Melanie Lam
Executive Assistant
SFUFA - The Faculty Association of Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive (AQ 2035) Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6
--
James Dougal Fleming
Associate Professor
Department of English
Simon Fraser University778-782-4713
Burnaby -- British Columbia -- Canada.
Upstairs was a room for travelers. ‘You know, I shall take it for the rest of my life,’ Vasili Ivanovich is reported to have said as soon as he had entered it.
-- Vladimir Nabokov, "Cloud, Castle, Lake'
--
James Dougal Fleming
Associate Professor
Department of English
Simon Fraser University778-782-4713
Burnaby -- British Columbia -- Canada.
Upstairs was a room for travelers. ‘You know, I shall take it for the rest of my life,’ Vasili Ivanovich is reported to have said as soon as he had entered it.
-- Vladimir Nabokov, "Cloud, Castle, Lake'