Jerry Markowitz reflects on the history of union activity by faculty and Higher Education professionals at John Jay College during the past half century. Jerry is a Distinguished Professor of History at John Jay College, and kindly agreed to informally share his knowledge of our chapter’s history with the John Jay PSC executive committee. The Zoom meeting was recorded, and afterwards Jerry agreed to our sharing it here. Link to Zoom video (one hour and twenty minutes).
Category Archives: Chapter updates
John Jay PSC Chapter Statement on Racist Policing and Commitment to Equality
June 24th, 2020
The massive uprising since the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd — and now Rayshard Brooks — has featured millions of people throughout the U.S. and around the world surging through the streets to demand police accountability and justice for the victims of police violence, and challenge the structural racism and inequality that have haunted our past and dominate our present. African-Americans and people of color have been criminalized by a racist system of policing that denies to communities of the poor, brown, and black people their humanity and dignity. Continue reading
Response to Faculty Senate Reopening Plan [FSRP] (June 1, 2020 draft) Submitted to the members of the Provost’s Fall Planning Committee 6/15/2020
From the Chairs, Thursday, June 11, 2020.
Dear John Jay Colleagues,
Today is the first day of the rest of our summer of struggle, despite how much we all want to just recover from our most difficult semester, ever. We need to show our strength and solidarity in the next 4 days – fortunately, these are meaningful requests. To stop the threat of job loss for adjuncts and staff, tomorrow, Fri., (6/12) at noon, register now to join in as the PSC holds an important zoom press conference. Legislators and elected officials are signing on to the attached letter demanding our continuous employment, in support of our students. We all need to be in attendance. Many adjuncts have been cut entirely, or told that they cannot teach their economically essential 3rd course. Your virtual presence will show you know this is the wrong choice. Show up virtually to witness the press event so that these deciders in the fight for full funding of CUNY will get a clear message that we all know how important it is to increase taxes for people earning over $1/2 million. All who can, need to come, to inspire the holders of our state’s purse strings. We need you, your friends, family, your students, your neighbors, anyone who cares for New York economic recovery and the future of double ravaged communities we serve.
Secondly, we have to build our chapter strength Continue reading
From the Chairs: Summering together. Saturday, June 6, 2020.
Dear John Jay Colleagues,
This is our Summer of Struggle, as you have seen from Barbara Bowen’s messages. The attached copy of Wednesday’s Daily News opinion piece co-written by our own Prof. Susan Kang spells out why we must all be part of the pressure on Albany. We must and so we will engage as fully as possible to achieve two closely-related goals, created especially by the pandemic.
- Making safety the central issue for the reopening of the college, including the PSC’s demand that no one will return to campus without a negotiated agreement with independently confirmed workplace safety, including safe transit.
- Prevent any firings or other cuts in staffing, first and foremost of our members;
To these ends, we are calling on all members to help us build power by becoming informed, connected and active. Continue reading
