Ed (Mr. Marth)-
You might want to keep a tighter reign on your cc's of emails to pals, especially when you make accusations that you appear unwilling to pose directly to the accused (i.e. myself).
I assure you I have had no discussions with any administrators concerning my posts. I am personally concerned, and willing to do the legwork to find out if/how I and my colleagues are being railroaded into joining a union. I got the lawyers' email addresses that you mention from Karen Duffy Wallace's email in which she recounted her efforts to extend the vote across 2 weeks, and the flat refusal by Ken Hampton of the LRB. She included the emails of a number of others, and I forwarded and replied to the full list in all my responses to her information.
I'm not anti-union in principle, Ed. And I have told you this over and over by email. But I am anti-falsehood, anti-deception, anti-bullshit. I entered the discussion, and into debate with you when you opted in on a series of reply-all emails among UCHC faculty having a discussìon of or future course. If you are actually not involved in the union effort at UCHC, then ease up on the deception and the bullshit, perhaps by keeping a respectful distance and doing your job in caring for the Storrs faculty. If you actually are working "for" the UCHC faculty, then be above board and communicate with us all equally. I've made all my statements public (including these, yours, and Dr. Hogan's that were sent to me by a concerned staff member at UCHC).
Yours in all honesty and without artifice,
Bill Mohler
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: rumors about u
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:36:37 -0400
From: UCHC Staff <staff4uchc@gmail.com;
To: Mohler,William <WMohler@NEURON.UCHC.EDU;
Dr.Bill Mohler,
I provide clerical support to doctors at uconn. Because doctors are so busy just taking care of patients they sometimes need us to handle their correspondence and other details. So I sometimes am asked to sort the emails of the doctor who received the e-mail that is below. He received it as a blind copied from someone named Ed who I think is part of the pro-union group for faculty. I don't know if others received it. This isn't the first time Ive seen this person Ed sending e-mails around about people he thinks might be against unions.He started doing it a few weeks ago.
I know I shouldn't share this but I am disturbed that rumors are being spread about people as you and others consider unioinaiztion. I've seen other messages you and others sent to the doctor I work for trying to help people discuss unionizing and I saw a message you sent trying to get a bettr voting situation so I don't think you are working for the management but you are being accused of it.
Before I came to the health center this happened at another clinic I worked for. It wasn't union but it was about disagreements and who was on which side. No one knew until it was to late and many people were hurt and the clinic I worked in never recovered. I don't want that to happen here. SO I thought I would try to let someone no now what's going on. I hopw you understand why I can't tell you who I am. It would cost me my job I'm in a union here and aren't foolish enough to believe they would protect me from revenge from disclosing this even if I do think that unions can be helpful for other reasons. I can't afford to lose my job.
Concerned clerical worker at UCHC
HEre is the e-mail that came to my doctor from the Ed person:
From: ecmaaup@cox.net [mailto:ecmaaup@cox.net]
Sent: Friday, October 23, 2009 12:16 PM
To: Hogan, Michael
Subject: RE: uchc
Mike:
Thanks for the note. Dr. Mohler would seem to have some purpose in mind when copying the legal consultants and I am speculating as to whether there is some response from them...I think that would be their business, but it is the appearance created and noticed by others that I make mention of.
The individual who called me about a raise if he voted no asked that he be protected by anonymity, but others, he says, have been made the same offer. I just ask that instructions be sent that no such offers be made, and if any have, they be retracted.
I (and I think you) hoped to have promotion raises go out before the vote as normal practice and agreed not to be an act to encourage or discourage how to vote.
As to the raises in January, if they are still possible, could and surely ought to be a first priority. I would also like to encourage a look at the faculty in risk of losing due to market considerations...that ought to be outside of the negotiated pool. It is a difficult juggling act I acknowledge, in trying to find the right mission protection arrangement and the imperative of keeping the research, clinical, and teaching cohort in top shape through retention
and encouragement. I know that we have been losing some at Storrs to better offers, and the HC is seeing the same thing. If the vote is positive and I can play a role in the next phase I will work toward this end, and if it is negative and there is anything I can still do toward this end I will be glad to do so.
Ed
---- "Hogan wrote:
Dear Ed,
I appreciate your respect for our understanding regarding a civil process leading up to the vote by faculty regarding whether to unionize, as well as the importance of a fair and open process and maintaining a collegial atmosphere, irrespective of the outcome.
Please rest assured that I am not manipulating Prof. Mohler to represent management positions, nor is any other member of the administration. Should he or anyone else ask us about the process, as you have done from time to time, we provide them with the facts and only the facts. I don't know Professor Mohler, but I'm sure he would be dismayed by the thought that he's working on behalf of management or on the advice of the consultant we've engaged. Please believe me when I say that this consultant was not hired to work with Professor Mohler or any other faculty member in any way, but simply to make sure that we are conforming with Labor Board requirements in the period leading up to a vote.
And speaking of those requirements, you and I talked earlier about faculty raises. Our budget from the state this year would permit a raise for faculty at the Health Center and I had hoped we could agree that doing so would not constitute an unfair labor practice. Unfortunately, that could not be done, so no raise has been forthcoming, nor has any been promised by the administration.
Because I am anxious to make a good faith effort to comply fully with the law as regards this election, I would appreciate it if you would bringing to my attention any established examples of so-called "vote buying," so that I may take the appropriate corrective action.
I hope this note, sent in the spirit of collegiality we share, clarifies the issues you raised. Thanks for bringing them to my attention.
Sincerely,
Mike
Michael J. Hogan
President
University of Connecticut
352 Mansfield Road, Unit 2048
Storrs, CT 06269-2048
http://blogs.uconn.edu/president
P: 860-486-2337
F: 860-486-2627
-----Original Message-----
From: ecmaaup@cox.net [mailto:ecmaaup@cox.net]
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 6:11 PM
To: Hogan, Michael
Subject: uchc
Dear Mike:
I am looking to hold up my pledge to keep the understanding that we both seek to have a civil campaign with fairness in the interim and a collegial atmosphere after the vote.
In the meantime it appears that Prof. Bill Mohler is acting as a substitute for administration anti-union diatribes and doing so with a new labor law firm that the university has retained Kainen, Escaler, and McHale) on Mohler's emails. It suggests some collaboration that has created some doubt as to the wisdom of the course I strongly advocate.
In addition, I have heard from a faculty member who is considering leaving, but his Chair told him that if he votes no on the election he will be given a raise in January. This is clearly an unfair labor practice, perhaps encouraged, perhaps not.
This is troublesome. Any thoughts would be welcome. We are not acting on this just yet. I and you would like to have the vote based on legitimate pros and cons. In politics many a candidate has said "God save me from my friends", but Prof. Mohler interactions possibly based on counsel has to be dealt with and promises of compensation for a "no" vote is vote buying.
Ed
No comments:
Post a Comment