Faculty Association pickets during tailgate of first football game
“FA strong, FA united," said Faculty Association President Laura Frey and approximately 75 other members Thursday during the first Central Michigan University football tailgate of the season.
Frey said the FA is not any closer to an agreement with the administration and fact-finding begins this Wednesday.
“CMU FA bargaining team (is) still very interested in sitting down across the table from the administration,” Frey said. “We want to bargain now — we want good faith bargaining and we want a fair and equitable contract.”
Thousands of students witnessed the picket and the sound of cheers could be heard from far away.
St. Joseph sophomore Caitlin Larson saw the picket and said she’s in support of the faculty.
“I believe that if they want something and they’ve been working so hard for it, that they deserve it,” Larson said.
West Bloomfield senior Hayley Sitron also supports the FA, however only to a certain extent.
Sitron said the FA did not show their dedication to the students when they did not show up on the first day of classes.
“If my teachers didn’t show up and I wouldn’t be able to graduate in May like I’m supposed to, I’d be pretty upset,” Sitron said.
Because of the original temporary restraining order, faulty have been back in the classroom. However, Frey said with or without the injunction from last Friday, they agreed to return.
“We agreed to return to the classroom and not engage in another work stoppage for the duration of fact-finding up to 20 business days after fact-finding report,” she said. “It’s semantically a manipulation for the administration to go around saying the judge ordered us.”
FA member Jeff Smith participated in the Thursday picket in hopes to show the community the FA's determination.
“We want a fair contract, we want the administration to come back to the bargaining table,” Smith said. “That’s where we’ve always wanted them.”
Frey said she hopes the community understands how strong the faculty is and how much they care about standing up for what is right.
“We are doing this on behalf of the best future possible for CMU," she said.
