Unions schedule walk of solidarity

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The walk coincides with the president's State of the
University address.

By HAROLD GWIN

VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Members of the faculty and classified employee unions at Youngstown State University will take a solidarity walk around campus Monday to commemorate their strikes against the university a year ago.

They're not calling it a march, and there won't be any signs or songs, but the walkers will be asked to remember the sacrifice made by all, particularly members of the Association of Classified Employees union, according to an e-mail sent to ACE members Friday by Dr. Gabriel Palmer-Fernandez, director of philosophy and religious studies and director of the Dr. James Dale Ethics Center.

The participants will gather at 7:30 a.m. at the Fifth Avenue corner near the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center and make a loop around campus in a 30-minute walk.

The date coincides with the annual State of the University address to be given by Dr. David C. Sweet, YSU president.

He's scheduled to speak at 10 a.m. in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center.

Bob Hogue, spokesman for the faculty union, said the walk was scheduled for Monday because it is the first day of the academic year for the faculty, not because of the State of the University address.

Purpose of walk

The event is being held to remind union members of what they went through and to renew the bond that was formed between the two unions a year ago, Hogue said.

The university's classified employees went on strike Aug. 16, 2005, and the faculty went out a week later.

Both groups reached contract agreements just in time for the start of classes Aug. 29, but the strikes and the protracted negotiations left the university with a damaged labor-management climate.

Sweet appointed a labor management review panel to look at the causes of the unrest and come up with some ways to improve that climate.

Among other things, the panel suggested removing a couple of top administrators from their duties and the creation of a standing labor-management council to discuss issues.

Both of those recommendations and a number of others have been implemented.

gwin@vindy.com

Saturday, August 19, 2006