Good evening,
My name is Arlene Bublick. I am the chief negotiator for all adjunct faculty who are included in any of the three units that the Harper College Adjunct Faculty Association of the Illinois Education Association represents—approximately 300 members. We are the largest union at Harper.
I have been at Harper College as an adjunct faculty member for 21 years. I am here to speak on behalf of my colleagues about the status of our negotiations with the Harper administration.
I consider myself a very optimistic person. I work hard at thinking positively, but my optimism is being put to the test.
The negotiations involve a great deal of effort and an enormous number of hours on both the part of the administration and our union. I’d like to give you a clearer idea of the scale of the teams. I am part of a team of seven Harper adjuncts from diverse departments that is meeting with three separate teams of Harper administrative personnel. There are at least four administrative people on each of the three Harper teams. We have been meeting regularly since last June with little to show for all that time and effort.
Like the Energizer Bunny, we are still going, and we’ll continue to do so. Adjuncts at Harper as well as the Harper College Adjunct Faculty Association are here to stay.
It is our feeling that collaboration and teamwork between Harper and its adjuncts will lead not only to a speedier resolution but also to a better resolution—one where all win—the administration, the adjuncts, the community, and most of all, the students.. We would like you to urge the administration to work cooperatively with us—rather than treat us as adversaries.
What are examples of a more collaborative relationship? We previously have talked about consolidating negotiations as a critical example. Such action would be seen as a very positive step. Agreeing to negotiating full days on Saturdays, when none of our team is teaching, would have a major impact on speeding up negotiations. Agreeing to a contract clause guaranteeing non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, and the other traditional distinctions as occurs in 90 percent of contracts state-wide would be considered an honorable action by the Administration. Getting beyond these and other basic issues would demonstrate good faith and enable us to finally begin sincere negotiations on the critical issues of job security, wages, and benefits.
Collaboration is supposed to be at the heart of Harper values. To paraphrase Harper’s “greater than” slogan:
Harper College working with some of its employees is greater than Harper College working alone.
Harper College working with all of its employees is greater than that.
Life is a constant series of comparisons.
There is always an advantage to be gained.
Why not grab hold of the advantage?
Harper can be greater than or less than.
Why not be on the positive side of the equation?
Why not be greater tomorrow than you are today?
Harper college, go forward. Support your adjuncts.
Thank you.
Last revised on March 30, 2005
by the Webmaster.