Reply #4: As a union employee at the U of M (afscme3937).... [View All]

[Abaques]

I fully support my colleagues in AFSCME 3800.

The U of M did not do all it could to make things fair for all workers. Both my union and the Teamsters settled and it will cost us. But I understand why people voted for the settlement: this strike will likely cost some people their jobs.

After being in private industry for awhile and dealing with constantly changing and inadequette health care and then coming to the University and watching my department and other scrimping as best we can while we are understaffed just to make the budget work I have come to know two things:

1. We need to completely revamp the health care system in this nation. Everyone needs to be able to get health-care on demand without worrying about going into debt because of long-term illness or a freak accident.


2. Taxes have been cut too much. The whole problem at the U is that the past two governors hate higher education and have not properly funded the U. With budget crisis' looming the only answer is to restore taxes to the wealthy who have seen the most gain upon the backs of those who can ill afford it.



I wish the strikers well, but I fear they will be forced to compromise some of their goals.