Our attempt to democratize the AFT Adjunct Committee was crushed as Jim Mahler showed his true colors as a power hungry autocrat shrouded in a thin veneer of progressive rhetoric. Even though adjuncts are banned from their own committee, there are still plenty of opportunities to organize adjuncts and take back our Union.
Mahler began by interpreting Article IV of the constitution to mean that he has complete control over the membership committees. Open? Active? Vital? Membership Driven? Sounds like a typical Union Boss consolidating his power.
He spouted his tired tropes about conflict in the adjunct committee driving people away, about a certain class of adjuncts who can’t “move the agenda forward”. So what are the conflicts he is afraid of: Adjuncts asking for equal pay for equal work? For job security? For health care? For a pathway to full-time employment? For a voice in the Union? What is the agenda he wants to move forward? I think Geoff Johnson towed the line well, promoting the position: Adjuncts should be happy for what they have, and now they need to shut up and go away!
One of the specific “conflicts” or “negativity” that I remember from 2015 was arguing for the Union to support the historic National Adjunct Walkout Day. As Mahler’s cronies argued: because of the no-strike clause, the union was unable to support the event, promote the disruption of classes, or even use the word “Walkout”. For the last two weeks, we have received a barrage of emails from Jim Mahler brow-beating us into to disrupting our classes to come dance around tying ribbons on his May Pole.
Do we see a double standard here?
The adjunct committee was proud to say they started with 18 members, and banned 5, but they neglected to say how many showed up to their last meeting? All the other committee reports that spoke today mentioned how much they wanted more people to join their committee, how they were open to the public, meeting times, places, and contact information was exchanged. But when it comes to adjuncts: more secret meetings…
Mahler’s campaign to demobilize adjuncts must be stopped! And we can do it! All it takes is for 2% of us to show up and vote, and we will be a force to reckon with. See you at the next meeting!
a year later and Jim’s adjunct blacklist has grown bigger.
Here’s the text of the original resolution:
“Open Adjunct Committee
Whereas; Low wages force adjuncts to take other jobs, which makes them especially busy, and makes participation in the Union difficult;
Whereas; An open, democratic Adjunct Committee will benefit the entire Union, as adjuncts will have a forum to debate policy before bringing it to the body as a whole; and
Whereas; Closed Adjunct Committee meetings discourage the participation of adjuncts in the Union; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the AFT Guild Adjunct Committee be open to all AFT Guild members in good standing;
Resolved, That the Adjunct Committee publicize their meeting dates, times, and places through the AFT Guild website calendar, and through regular emails;
Resolved, That technology be implemented to increase participation, including teleconferencing, live stream, live chat, and additional collaborative technology; and
Resolved, That agendas and minutes of the meetings be kept and distributed in a timely manner through emails and the Guild website. “