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Hey Folks,

Pardon me if I am somewhat incoherent. I am physically and emotionally exhausted. I'm not sure I can write this post with much clarity, so forgive me. I'm currently one of the teaching assistants who is striking at NYU. Basically, Bush's National Labor Board appointees voted (with the democrats strongly dissenting) that private universities don't have to recognize their graduate students as workers (although, insanely, public universities still must). To make a long story short, this decision will allow major private universities to be run like Wal-Mart.

I don't want to go into the whole thing (it's a long, long "whole thing" I assure you) but if you want to read a good analysis of what is going on, please check out www.facultydemocracy.org

Tomorrow morning, those of us who are striking will lose our teaching appointments (and income) for the spring semester. The first graduate teaching assistant union was established in the 1960s. If this threat is carried out, it will be the first time that a university will have carried out such a retaliation against graduate workers in the United States. If Bush's appointees hadn't robbed us of our status as workers, this action would be in violation of the National Labor Relations Act (in other words, against federal law.) They have already been caught *spying* on pro-union professors. Their behavior is, frankly, scary.

Many of us are afraid. International students are frightened that they will be deported. The rest of us have no idea how we are going to make ends meet in NYC. Most of us are in our late twenties and thirties. Some of us have children. But most of us aren't going to bow down to the NYU's threats. If we lose, the repercussions will flutter across the university system and we feel that we are not only responsible to ourselves, but to the hundreds of thousands of students and workers who will come after us.

On a personal note, my decision to strike has made my life very difficult. While support for the union is generally strong, all of my colleagues (but one) are scabbing or unsupportive. Other than fellow strikers, who were all strangers to me just three weeks ago, I have no one to even *talk to* except my partner. What gets me up in the morning is KNOWING that I am doing the right thing, that I am fighting the Bush Administration on my home turf.

I would gratefully appreciate it if you could keep this message kicked. If you are an NYU alumnus, please tell the university that you will not donate until they make things right with their graduate workers. A petition was started today by a handful of world renown professors. If you are supportive in any way, please sign. Over 1700 professors and students have signed it in just one day. Seeing so many signatures makes me feel strong. http://www.petitiononline.com/tosexton/petition.html

Thanks in advance for your help. I hope I will have more time to hang out at DU and chat (or argue, who'm I kiddin'?) :hug:

Please, please, please keep this kicked.