Editorial: No union for me

For many years now, faculty member, June Beck, has publicly posted that I should “get on board” and be part of the union work instead of pointing out problems as I see them.  Well, June, I need to say this.  For ten years, this union has not allowed me to join.

For those of you who don’t know this silly saga, spearheaded by Mark Tomes and Allison Merzon, the union told me, after I was out of office, that I owed CCFT $180 for cell phone use.  And, they created a new clause just for me in its Bylaws: that if anyone owes the union money, she can’t be a member.  It didn’t, however, supply me with sufficient information I needed and asked for to see if they were correct.  Even so, my former treasurer wanted me as a member so that I could vote on important issues and gave a check to the union for the full $180, just in case it was her accounting error (which it wasn’t).  The union refused the check, saying it had to come from me directly (which it didn’t).

So, just very recently, as I sent in, once again, my membership application to the current treasurer, the union rejected it, and had their lawyer write me a letter, saying now there was another reason I couldn’t join. I offered to give them what they asked for, ludicrous as it was, but they did not accept it.

So, their actions have forced me to file an Unfair Practice Charge against the union with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).  This is so pathetic–and corrupt.  Members need to know that the union will be spending–and has already spent–a great amount of money–your dues money–to their lawyers to keep me out of the union.  I guess I am so scary that they didn’t and don’t want me anywhere near it.

I will not let this matter drop.  It is wrong.  And, it is important enough to pursue so that this or something like it, won’t happen to other faculty. I will keep faculty informed as this matter goes through PERB, including posting here verbatim the long letter from the union, giving me the two reasons I am not allowed to join.

So, June, that’s the story.