OPINION
Monday, April 6, 1987

Page 4


The Michigan Dory
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Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
Vol. XCVII, No. 127 420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other
cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion
of the Daily.

4

TAs

strike

against

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Ed Pierce

By Alice Haddy
The administration is threatening
reprisals against striking TAs. The
administration is raising the stakes in
order to scare us away from pursuing the
most important weapon any organization
of workers has. Our ultimate weapon is
the strike; the administration can respond
to a strike by taking away from us the
benefits of being employed. We must be
aware of the actions the administration
can take against us. We must also
remember how GEO can respond to those
reprisals.
It is in fact illegal for TAs to strike
because TAs are public employees. But,
when things get bad enough, public
employees such as teachers, police, and
sanitation workers do strike, and have
struck effectively. If we do strike, because
the strike is illegal, the administration
Alice Haddy, President of GEO for
the GEO Steering Committee

may follow one or more of several
courses of action. Even though such a
strike is illegal we would still have
certain protections under the law. GEO is
committed to using every opportunity to
protect us.
The administration could fire any or all
striking TAs. This would mean that the
administration would first have to
determine who was on strike. Then, as
public employees, we must each be given
a discharge hearing. At this hearing, the
administration would have to prove that
the TA is in fact on strike.
The administration could file for an
injunction to order us to go back to work.
To obtain an injunction, it must be
proved that a TA strike is doing
irreparable harm to the public good.
If there is a strike, even though the
strike might be illegal, picketing is not
illegal as long as the picketers did not
trespass and committed no acts of
violence. As long as picketers remained
in public places, followed the reasonable

instructions of peace officers, and
refrained from violence and other acts
ordinarily proscribed by law, no one could
be arrested.
Settlements which follow strikes
usually include clauses reinstating
benefits and pay retroactively, and
prohibit reprisals against former strikers;
GEO considers tuition waivers to be the
most important, of these benefits, and
intends to press for such provisions
should there be a strike.
Any action as severe as a strike entails
certain risks. In its disdainful posturing
the administration has exaggerated those"
hazards, and has even suggested that we
would not dare to imperil our positions.
But we are not fighting for a few dollars,
for a trip to Europe and a VCR. We are
fighting for our survival as Graduate
Students. Through GEO we are'
committed to defend ourselves and our
interests to the fullest extent. Might we
not then take those risks?

THIS YEAR'S MAYORAL RACE
PITS incumbent Ed Pierce against
Jerry Jernigan. Pierce's leadership
skills coupled with a strong
Democratic city council makes
Pierce the better choice.
Pierce led the Democrats since
becoming mayor in 1985. In this
time, there have been dramatic
gains in social services and
women's safety. Pierce sponsored
the Heart to Heart Walk for the
Homeless, homeless shelters and
food distribution programs.
Under Pierce, off-campus safety
has improved. At the same time,
however, police' harassment of
fraternities has increased.
Both candidates favor increased
housing controls -and improved
inspection policies. However,
Jernigan did not attend meetings of
the Housing Code Review Board
of which he is a member for over a
year.
Jernigan advocates spending an
$300,000 for more police officers
though he could not justify the
cost. At the same time, Jernigan
does not favor substantive social
programs such as the Sibling City
Project with Juigalpa or the
Housing Millage that would
provide low cost housing.
Pierce favors the Housing
Millage as well as Ann Arbor's

Sibling City project that resulted in
tens. of thousands of dollars in
humanitarian aid for Juigalpa,
Nicaragua. Pierce led the
delegation that delivered this aid.
At the same time, Pierce did not
greatly improve Ann Arbor's econ -
omy. Most businesspeople had
little contact with Pierce nor has he
met with University officials.
Pierce works with all municipal
employees. While this gives him a
better understanding of the
workings of Ann Arbor, it causes
delays.
Conversely, Jernigan's handsoff
management style gives municipal
employees too much freedom in
establishing city policies.
Jernigan has innovative ideas to
improve Ann Arbor's business
community and advocates building
underground parking structures in
the metropolitan area.
Jernigan also has new ideas for
improving relations between Ann
Arbor and the University through
establishing dialogues with
University officials.
While both Pierce and Jernigan
have clear ideas of what they want
to accomplish, Ed Pierce will better
be able to work with a strong
Democratic council and has a
strong social agenda. Vote for
Democrat Ed Pierce in today's
mayoral elections.



Wasserman

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4

LETTERS
Layman deserves student support

Daily endorses Schleicher, Edgren

Wards 4

5

WARDS 4 AND 5 ARE consistently
the most partisan in Ann Arbor.
Recently, the Republicans have
maintained a vise-like grip on the
fourth ward while the Democrats
have piled up huge majorities in the
fifth.
Ward 4: In a ward dominated
by neighborhoods with relatively
few students, the Republicans hold
a decided advantage.
Republican candidate Jerry
Schleicher has shown concern
about student issues and has said
that he would pressure the
University to build more domitory
space. He expressed strong
opposition to the tearing down of
the University Terrace.
Schleicher's opponent, Demo -
crat Richard Layman, lacks the
kind of experience in city issues
necessary to be effective on
council. Layman's experience. as
administrative coordinator of the
Michigan Student Assembly shows,
that he is familar with student
issues. To be credible and effective
on city council, however, Layman
needs a broader perspective on city
issues.
Though he is wrong in his

opposition to affordable housing,
Jerry Schleicher has shown a
general willingness to give
consideration to groups, such as
students, normally ignored by city
council. He deserves support in
today's election.
Ward 5: Incumbent Democrat
Kathy Edgren has served her ward
well and is one of the most
energetic and effective members of
council.
The domestic violence project,
the housing code revision, and the
affrodable housing millage are just
a few of the initiatives Edgren.
deserves credit for. Edgren has
begun talks with University.
officials to encourage the
construction of more student
housing.
Republican Phil Spear supports
the hiring of more police, an
expensive solution to Ann Arbor's
complex crime problem. Spear has
proposed that the housing code be
reviewed solely by the building
director with no input from tenants.
Her energy, effectiveness, and
concern for all her constituents
makes Kathy Edgren the
strongest candidate in the Fifth
ward.

To the Daily:
It is unfortunate that the
Daily did not endorse Rich
Layman for Fourth Ward City
Council. Unlike most candi-
dates, and unlike all the
Republican candidates, Rich
has worked for students for
years. The Daily's endorsement
of Rich's Republican opponent
is doubly ironic because the
Ann Arbor News did not to
endorse Rich Layman because
"he would be expected to
represent the student view-
point" on City Council. .
Rich Layman has a student
perspective. He was a UM
student. Now he works full
time for students, advocating
their concerns day in and day
out. As a student, Rich worked
hard for UM students. For
example, Rich Layman founded
course evaluation guide
ADVICE. In the face of
faculty complacence, Rich
Layman wasLinstrumental in
getting the LSA College to
address quality of education
issues. Rich Layman will
bring the same energy and
commitment to City Council
that he has for students

Rich Layman supports con-
tinuing the Nicaraguan Sister
City Task Force while his
opponent does not because he
says the Task Force is "too
political!" Rich Layman also
supports tenants rights. His
opponent wants a landlord rep-
resentative on the Housing
Board of Appeals. (The HBA
has allowed landlords to get
away with substandard hous-
ing conditions).
Rich Layman supports the
Housing Millage (Proposal B)
because it will expand the
housing supply in Ann Arbor,
making it hard for landlords to
justify ever-increasing rents.
His opponent is against the
millage because he says it will
increase taxes. The millage
would increase taxes $35/year
for a $150,000 house.
The Daily owes students
responsible endorsements. A
Daily endorsement should
mean that the candidate
endorsed would be the best
representative for students on
City Council. Due to Rich's
proven concern and advocacy of
student issues, clearly the
Daily should have endorsed

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Rich Layman. Fortunately,
students can still vote for Rich
today until 8:00 p.m. Vote for
an effective student advocate on

TLcs are justified in striking,
To the Daily: us who are out-of-state studen
I would like to add a few already pay the highest tuitio
comments to the fine leter by in the country- (amon
Elizabeth Gray Calhoun on the state-schools) and as teaching-
possible strike by University assistants, earn (on average)
teaching assistants, which ap- lowest salary among the B -
peared in the Daily March 26. Ten. It is clear that the adminZ
The University ad- istration is simply trying to.
ministration's current proposal squeeze the most work out d
to the Graduate Emplopee us at the lowest cost, but this;.
Organization t Employee of course, runs the risk c
reprsenin taheinions damaging the quality of thk;.
rersea tis n teachingus-o educationprovided. When.
sistants) would tie us to a nothing is seriously done tD:
three-year contract with no limit class sizes, or to mak
salary increase whatsoever. slimithassTse roperL
The administration has finally sure that TAs are properly
acknowledged the desirability gradualloshrt a de.
of full tuition-waivers for TAs, graduates most of all. "
but would implement them I would urge everyone tp:
only over three years, which is support the GEO; I would urg >
an unacceptably long period of the administration to considoc:
time for any contract without a compromises; and I would as
cost-of-living increse. chproises;vandIouastrik
Graduate students at the that in the event of a strik~$
University of Michigan our picket lines be honored by
currently face considerable fi - faculty members and studentso
nancial hardship, and the The issues affecting us affeik
administration's proposal the quality of university life for:
would either do nothing to everyone involved.
relieve that hardship, or could -Steven Cog;
even make it heavier. Those of March 31
The Daily welcomes lettersfrom its
readers. Bringing in letters on personal
computer disk is the fastest way to publish
a letter in the Daily.
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Council;
Layman.

vote for
-Edward
A

Kraus
prl 5

Rich 4

LASC

gives other viewpoint

No on A- Yes on B

To the Daily:
I was somewhat perturbed to
see a letter in theDaily last
week accusing the Latin
America Solidarity Committee
of being one sided. This
argument seems somewhat
bizarre. Certainly it can be said
that we are one sided in
opposing U.S. sponsored
terrorism in Niaragua, El
Salvador, and Guatemala, just
as many others were one sided
in opposing Hitrler's genocide.
If this is what is meant by the
charge, then it's hard to see it
as much of a criticism.
If by being one sided, the
author means that we're
unwilling to listen to other
perspectives, then nothing
could be further from the truth.
It's true that we feel little need
to present the Reagan
administration's view. This can
be obtained from any congress
nerson. senator newsnnner or

was thedsponsor of the only
public debate that has ever
taken place on this cam pus
over U.S. policy in Central
America. This occured in
January of 1985, when after
months of trying, we were
finally able to get someone to
publicly defend our govern
me.nt's position.
Unfortunately, neither the
Daily nor the Ann Arbor News
felt this event was
newsworthy. We also have
been trying to get our contra
loving representative in
congress, Carl Pursell, to
discuss his views publicly for
the last two years. In fact,
nearly 200 of us hane been
arrested in this effort. Still,
our representative refuses to
hold a public forum.
In short, it is positively
absurd to accuse LASC of be
ing one sided. It's the other


Two millage proposals appear
on today's city election ballot.
Proposal A is an $18 million
bond issue to finance
improvements to city hall. It will be
paid for by a .84 mill tax increase.
Proponents of A are persuasive
in their claims that the city hall is
overcrowded. They also argue the

Proposal B, on the other hand,
deserves support. It provides a
funds to subsidize developers who
build affordable housing,
something Ann Arbor definitely
needs more of.
The proposal authorizes a one-
half mill tax for five years. The
housing created would be built

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