For your reading pleasure this entry has a shortER and long version. The underlined sections are for those of you that want the shortER version. The long version is for those of you interested in some of the details of the strike. Not sure if it’s cultural, but it’s definitely complicated. The bolded is just for organizational benefit, or the really really short version!
The big news here is that the workers of the university are on strike, since last Thursday the 3rd, which means the school is completely closed. Everything is inaccessible, under lock and key, plus patrolling union members. As a result, I have had a week and 2 days of no school.
Here’s a little background information: there are two unions here, the teachers’ union STAUS and the workers’ union STEUS. However, there are also other employees who fall under neither category. Both the teacher’s union and the worker’s union voted last Thursday whether or not to accept the University’s budget proposal regarding their salary, benefits, and other compensations. Both unions were requesting for more than the university was offering, but in the end, only the workers’ union voted to strike.
However, the strike is much more complicated then salaries and budgets.
One, the strike was immediately declared illegal because they didn’t strike under the established procedures, supposedly. That decision was appealed. This past Wednesday the judge was to give his verdict on that, however, that day was pushed to Thursday. However, the University president failed to show up on Thursday so the meeting between the two parties (and the judge?) has been moved to next Tuesday, the 14th. That means I for sure don’t have school until the 15th.
Two, this strike is both politically entangled with the state and nationally supported. The workers union is supported by several other Mexican university union equivalents, Canaea’s mining union (which has been on strike for several months) and PRD, one of the national parties. PRD is involved because it wants the strike to reflect poorly on Sonora’s governor Bours, who is with the PRI party, and is up for reelection next year. (Hermosillo is the capital of the Sonora, the state). All this to say: it’s quite complicated.
When will this end? Potentially this coming Tuesday. However, if it is declared legal and they don’t reach an agreement, they are proposing a strike until May 8th (supposedly a strikes come in time increments, such as 15, 21 days…I don’t get it.)
So how has this impacted me?
The good part is that it has given me some time to study without worrying about classes. I have taken full advantage and have put in long, fairly successful days, working ahead on school work, including reading the next novel for my lit. class, as well as finishing one paper and starting the next.
The bad news:
Bad news #1: The library is closed, and although I have many books to read for my papers yet, not having a library means what I have is what I get to work with.
Bad news #2: I have zero access to the school library, which means I can only use what I have. I do have many novels to read, can write my opinions, but I would have to save most of the research and support for later. (Plus I can’t work at school, which is always a nice option.)
Bad news #3: The strike has potential to last until May 8 (and maybe longer), depending on what happens this coming Tuesday.
My opinion on this all?
Primary opinion is quite selfish. I was glad for a week of no classes, but I am ready to get back so I can have as much as possible of June to use for Bowling Green papers.
Regarding the union and the university: both have some just fair reasons for some of their requests and actions; however, both have also failed in how they have approached and responded to the entire process. Overall, I support the university over the union.
Again, we’ll see what happens on Tuesday. It’s hard to say what’ll happen. Everyday it changes, so until this ends, this is just a whole lot of drama!
