Wisconsin State Journal's Lawsuit Coverage

This recent article in the Wisconsin State Journal sheds a lot of light on how the MATC administration and full-time faculty view part-timers:

But college officials say that the new system ensures that more courses will be taught by full-time teachers, which they say is better for students.

How is it better for students to be led by an overworked teacher?  How is it better that an equally qualified educator is locked out of the system for merely not having the opportunity to work full-time?  This singular statement shows that we are viewed as less than adequate - we simply exist in their eyes to take up the slack and balance a budget that is teetering on the edge.

Part-time faculty currently teach more than 25 percent of courses, said Joe Lowndes, president of the full-time union.
"It's our long-standing position that full-time faculty are the best for the institution," Lowndes said.

We have not only the legal high ground in this situation, but the moral and ethical as well.  It is simply wrong to disrespect and mistreat your supposed colleagues, full time union.  Shame on you.

Local 6100 Files Unfair Labor Practices Lawsuit Against MATC

The unfair labor practice complaint is based on the college's unilateral implementation of a new course assignment process which allows full-time faculty to assign themselves up to 40% overload, before any courses are assigned to probationary part-time faculty (2/3 of our membership). The negative impact to our membership is simply too large to let this change happen. In addition, philosophically, the notion that it is more important that a well-paid full-timer receive overload than it is for a part-timer get his or her basic assignment is simply unconscionable.

A full FAQ is availble on the P/t Union website.

To give a little perspective to what this change means, note that full time faculty voluntary overload costs the college between $6000-$7000 per course. The displaced part-time faculty cost the college about $2500 per course.

Check back with this blog and the P/t Union website often for more updates and links to local coverage.