Two days ago, puppy Shadow and I decided to take our morning walk through the IU campus, with the aim of running in to some of the grad student employees who have been striking to persuade/force the IU admin to agree to them forming a union.  And wouldn’t you know, there they were, under a canopy sitting at a table giving away snacks and talking to whoever came by. All of a sudden, I hear, “Hi Ann!” Aha! Hugh, a friend of mine. I started to go up to him when he waved me away saying, “I’ve got to talk to this trucker.” I picked up their flyer, took some popcorn, and then suddenly, a loud cheer. The UPS truck that had backed into place behind me had agreed not to drop off its load, but instead, to support the strikers! That’s when I realized that they had set up their table strategically, right by the loading dock for trucks delivering to the IMU.

WOW! And I arrived just as this sign of solidarity with UPS workers was about to take place . . .

At the table I picked up this little flyer, and put both buttons on. Hmmm . . . The “disorientation tours” caught my eye.

Okay! Especially since this is the very week that parents visit campus with prospective students, and receive “orientation tours.” Clever! And yes, the strikers hope their “disorientation” tours will cross paths with the “orientation” tours, since the administration is making sure the official orientation tours stay clear of the places strikers have set up their tables.

I decided to go on one of the tours the next day, which was yesterday, the morning of one of our regular Friday morning GAPV work parties. Oops! Just realized that. Well, I’m going anyhow.

I went to tell the group which had gathered to discuss what needs planting, before setting out for campus again. Interrupted them, saying I’m going to head down to IU and go on a tour where grad student strikers are going to point out to us “where the money really goes.” Instantly, two podmates wanted to join me, Marita and Joseph. Oops, didn’t expect that. Felt a bit guilty, but heck, we need to follow our instincts, eh?

Was somewhat concerned that Daniel, a new podmate and new garden manager, would think we were deserting the work party. But no; actually, Joseph had put in time the day before designing and filling paths with wood chips in front of the house he lives in, and today Marita and I decided to work this morning to clear out kudzu and eunonymous from the area surrounding the large maple tree. Plus: we then asked Daniel to show us what needs planting now, and both of us will work tomorrow afternoon doing that.

So, three of us, Marita, Joseph and I, plus Shadow, sauntered on down to IU, heading for that same strategic place I had gone the day before, to join the 11 AM disorientation tour. The gathered strikers holding high their signs were high spirited and loudly chanting back and forth to each other their crying need for unionization, given the intransigence of the IU administration. In fact, the new president, Pamela Whitten, had not uttered a single word on the subject in the three weeks this strike has been going on, leaving it up to the Vice-Provost to take the heat. Next week is finals. Some tenured professors are going to have to be grading the finals of their own classes, since approximately half the graduate students who receive pitiful stipends for teaching and grading are now striking.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out in the end. Will the remote, top-down administration finally bow down to the academic peons’ needs? If not, will that refusal discourage future graduate students from considering IU?

Here’s the photos I took on our tour, which I must admit, didn’t tell me much about where the money went, because the chants were so spirited and loud. Starting out . . .

. . . we headed for the Metz Carillon Bells, which have just been relocated to a gigantic tower and now sport four more bells, to put these bells in a special class consisting of only 30 others in the whole world.

Of course the strikers gave details on how much this relocation and renovation cost, in the millions.

I did catch one remark, as we were passing by the president’s home on campus. “The president makes $600,000 per year and is the only one to live in subsidized housing!” (Let one thing in Pamela Whitten’s favor be said, however: she actually lives there, unlike the last president who lived instead in an estate on the edge of town.)

Here’s the strikers’ brochure, if you want to know more.

 

It will be interesting to see how this particular strike for graduate student employee unionization turns out.

A quick search didn’t turn up which universities have yielded to graduate student employee demands for unionization. Is this information being suppressed?