Ann Arbor teachers vow to stay on strike The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 9, 1983- Page 9 University to pursue famous researcher By BARBARA MISLE Ann Arbor public school teachers say they are determined to continue their three-day-old strike until school board officials agree to boost their salaries four percent. The strike hai left more than 14,000 students on an extended summer vacation after teachersrefused to report to work Tuesday. PICKETINGatsix locations in the city, including the Ann Arbor Public Library on South Fifth Avenue, local teachers said they would not accept the board's claim that the school system couldn't afford the salary increases. Although the board has, offered teachers a 2.5 percent wage increase - an improvement over the initial budget proposal, which included no salary raises - teachers insist "things aren't really that tight," said Larry Merx, spokesman for the Ann Arbor Education Association, the union representing the teachers. The union has been meeting with board members or 'representatives every day since the strike began. Teachers are asking the board to dip into its $2 million equity fund to pay for the wage increase. "CERTAINLYthe board isn't hur- ting financially," said Merx. "There is $2 million left over in equity. We aren't asking for more millage." Teachers initially asked for a 5 per- cent increase, but dropped the request to 4 percent in negotiations with the board. Last year, teachers received an 8 percent wage hike while board" revenues only increased by four-tenths of a percent, said Robert Moseley, Ann Arbor's assistant school superin- tendent. "EVEN AT 2.5 percent, the board will have to scramble to find money" Moseley said. "Dipping into the $2 million surplus fund is not possible. Surplus is only there until you spend it, but where will the money come from next year?" he said. Another key issue in the strike is a board proposal asking teachers to use a less expensive health insurance plan. Under the proposal, the board would choose a comparable health insurance plan that /is cheaper than the current policy which increases by about $400,00 a year. BUT UNION officials say giving the board. the right to choose a health in- surance plan for them is unreasonable. "What they are asking us to do is buy a pig in a poke," said Merx. "There is no information on what other plans will cost. (The Board) is saying 'trust us, we will pick insurance and it will be good,'" said Merx. See TEACHERS, Page 18 By GEORGEA KOVANIS School of Public Health officials have decided to raise money to create a University position for internationally known cancer researcher John Higgin- son. The school's executive committee voted Wednesday to ask corporations to help fund a post for the disease specialist, said Joseph Owsley, associate director for health science relations. So far, communication with Higginson has been limited, he said.. HIGGINSON said he has had no con-, tact with the University since June when he was invited to campus by the school's epidemiology department to deliver a presentation. Owsley said if Higginson does accept a University position, he would probably head a small research unit within that department. The researcher was the subject of much media attention this summer when Detroit newspapers reported that his position at the University would be funded in part by a $1 million en- dowment from Dow Chemical Com- pany, a Midland-based firm. Higginson's theories that the main causes of cancer are related to lifestyle patterns such as diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption, heightened the confusion because Dow Chemical is un- der investigation for its work with dioxin, a toxic chemical which can cause cancer in laboratory animals Higginson said he has never conduc- ted research using Dow funds and said he is amazed by the connections which have been drawn between himself, the University, and the chemical company. ALTHOUGH Higginson, who is currently working for Universities Associated for Research and Education in Bethesda, Md., has been trying to land a university research position, he declined to list which schools par- ticularly interested him. Because his research keeps him busy, he said, he is not in a hurry to settle down im- mediately. He predicted it would be some time before any universities con- tact him with job offers. "I just know that universities move very slowly," he said. University faculty members, fearing publicity may sway Higginson from coming to the University, have been hesitant to comment on the issue. But Victor Hawthorne, epidemiology department chairman, said his colleagues are pleased that Higginson may come to the University. "We are interested that a distinguished scientist might be coming to Michigan," he said. School of Public Health interim dean John Kirscht, who earlier said he is baf- fled by the reports of connections with Dow, declined to comment. More engm. students invade North Campus Cherry Westerman, a vocal music teacher at Slauson Intermediate School, carries her daughter Erica while picketing in front of the Ann Arbor Public Library yesterday. Westerman joined other demonstrators as part of the city's teacher's strike. L Federal b By BARBARA MISLE Complaint hearings regarding alleged union-busting by a Michigan drugstore chain have been "postponed indefinitely" by the National Labor Relations Board in Detroit. A trial scheduled for August 29 was abruptly cancelled six days before the date to give the board more time to examine evidence in the suit against Apex drugstores. THE PLAINTIFFS, United Food and Commercial Workers local 876, charge that Apex's hiring practices discriminated against union employees after the firm bought Michigan's 29 Cunningham drugstores; including four Ann Arbor outlets.. The union claims that the the July, 1982 buyout of Cunninghams was a move to force out union employees, said oardpostpones Bernard Gottfried, regional director of union, Apex wo the NLRB. Cunningham em "(The Board) has to make further jobs, paying ab analysis of evidence we have gathered wages and reco to see if the complaint has merit," Got- Mary Ellen Gur tfried said. "Witnesses are not fully union. supporting the case. The testimony in- Despite the po dicated that certain things are not fully said she is conf supported." strong case. "If THE NLRB issued two complaints in more advice oni July over the drugstore sale, but since Gurewitz said. then Cunningham has settled charges because it has g that it discouraged employees from ap- and a little long plying for jobs with Apex. If another ference." hearing is set the remaining complaint DELAYS HAV against Apex, charging that the com- than year-long c pany refused to hire union employees to union initially ch avoid paying higher wages and was the same benefits, will be heard by an ad- ningham, only u ministrative law judge. ; and managemen If the judge rules in favor of the Union officials uld have to offer 427 nployees their former out $5 million in back gnize the union, said ewitz, attorney for the estponement Gurewitz ident the union has a I (the Board) wanted it, it is okay with me," "I am not displeased one on for a long time ger won't make a dif- VE marked the more ontroversy in which the harged that Apex drugs ecompany as Cun- nder a different name t. still maintain that the sale is "blatant union busting," and Apex is an "alter ego" of Cunningham. "We feel comfortable with (the post- ponement). We wish that wasn't post- poned, but it's more time that we have to wait," said Leo Tarczynski, assistant to the president of the union. "The bottom line is the jobless folks who are still out of work. Most, about 85 percent to 95 percent are women, divorced of widows, supporting them- selves and kids. It's really very sad." Apex hearings By MICHAEL WESTON The number of engineering students taking classes on Central Campus has been reduced by almost half this term as the College of Engineering enters the final stages of its move to North Cam- pus. This term's move involves 1300 students from two departments of the college. Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics students will now use facilities in the G.G. Brown Laboratory, while the Industrial and Operations Engineering Department, has become the sole occupant of the formercResearch Administration Building. THE CHANGES, part of a 30-year-old effort to consolidate the college on Nor- th Campus, leave only three of the school's 11 departments on Central Campus. Over $9 million will be spent on this stage of the consolidation, which will include moving a third department, Civil Engineering, next fall. According to Associate Dean Charles Vest, the G.G. Brown Building required massive renovations to provide the mechanical engineering department with classrooms, offices, and specialized work areas. Construction of a third floor addition is scheduled to begin later this month to alleviate overcrowding in the new facilities, he said. THE RESEARCH Administration Building also has to be completely renovated to house its new occupants. Department chairman Stephen Pollock See MORE, Page 19 CASIO NOW OFFERS STUDENT AID. rse f " "..* ... --. C .A We at Casio figured you could use a little help this semester (not to mention a few extra bucks). 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