Friday, April 9, 2004
Opinion 4
Louie Meizlish's last
words for the Daily
Arts 5 Billy Bob Thornton
talks about "The
Alamo"
Remembering Kurt Cobain ... Friday Focus, Page 10
Weather
HI 52
LOW/ 29
TOMAdfOROW:
4a/ 32
Sports 9
The women's basket-
ball team continues
to shrink.
One-hundred-thirteen years ofeditorialfreedom
www.michigandaiy.com Ann Arbor, Michigan . Vol. CXIII, No. 131 ©2004 The Michigan Daily
a
S
S
C
asses
LABOR NEGOTIATIONS
,w..........Cam pus
reacts to
LEO strike
By Victoria Edwards
Daily Staff Reporter
Yelling slogans, holding signs and beating drums, support-
ers of the Lecturers' Employee Organization guarded the
doors of University buildings yesterday, trying to divert stu-
dents and faculty from attending their classes.
"I've been out here (picketing) since 11 a.m.," LSA soph-
omore Stephanie Fitzwater said. "Many students don't seem
to understand that it affects them. I've seen a lot of people
cross (the picket line)."
The main picket lines formed around the entrances to
Angell, Haven and Mason halls, Dennison Hall, the Chem-
istry Building and the School of Social Work.
The one-day walkout began less than two fours after
negotiations between LEO and the University administra-
tion broke off early yesterday morning shortly after 4 a.m.
Since its formation in August, LEO has fought to create
its first contract with the University, with guarantees of
higher salaries, job security and health benefits.
After two rounds of negotiations on Wednesday failed to
lead to an agreement, LEO decided to go through with the
planned walkout to keep pressure on the University.
Students' feelings about the walkout ranged from apa-
thy to intense feelings for both sides.
LSA senior Nat Danren, who joined the picket and
attended an informational meeting about LEO's history,
said he sympathized with most lecturers working in the
Department of Romance Languages and Literatures.
"I support the foreign language department. If you get fired
and hired every year there is no job security. If you're foreign, it
is hard to get a visa because you don't appear to have stable
work because of the hiring policies" Danren said.
LSA senior Conal Roche said he also supports LEO. He
said he can relate to their plight because it could be directly
connected with his future career.
"Knowing that I'm getting- an English degree and I could
be a lecturer in the future, it's in my direct interest to support
the rights of lecturers," Roche said.
Music sophomore Patrize Seibel said that although
she attended class, she did not have to cross the picket
line to do so.
"We met at Bruegger's Bagels instead. It was more chill;
we got out early. (Our teacher) wanted to teach, but she did-
n't want to cross the picket line," Seibel said.
Because of the strike, the hallways of the normally
crowded Angell Hall complex were desolate, with an
occasional student passing through there. Even the oth-
erwise packed Angell Hall Computing Site was only
about two-thirds full with students who chose to cross
the picket line.
"(I crossed the picket line) because I felt that going to
class is important to me. I didn't have any classes can-
celled. I don't entirely support the lecturers - I feel that
See WALKOUT, Page 3
Strike perspectives
Knowing that I'm getting an
English degree and I could be a
lecturer in the future, it's in my
direct interest to support the
rights of lecturers.,,
- LSA senior Conal Roche
"I don't entirely support the
lecturers - I feel that they didn't go
about this right.?"
- LSA sophomore Dan Tietz
From top left, clockwise: JEFF LEHNERT, SHUBRA OHRI, ALI OLSEN, Al OLSEN/Daily
TOP LEFT: Lecturers' Employee Organization supporter Giselle Gerolami, far left, walks with Serena and Jeremy Karavich at the LEO rally outside the Fleming Administration Building yesterday.
TOP RIGHT: Picketers cheer at the LEO rally In front of the Cube. BOTTOM LEFT: A student explains to Graduate Employees' Organization member Pete Soppelsa why she has to cross the LEO
picket line outside of Mason Hall. BOTTOM RIGHT: LSA senior Jenny Lee calls a picketing chant to fellow LEO strikers and their supporters outside the Modern Languages Building.
Contract talks will resume today
By Aymar Jean
Daily Staff Reporter
After Wednesday's negotiations failed to
halt yesterday's walkout, members of the Lec-
turers' Employee Organization and the Uni-
versity administration said they will
tenaciously pursue a contract settlement as the
semester draws to a close. The first of several
meetings will occur today at 9 a.m.
Both LEO members and University
administrators said they are optimistic that
they will be able to negotiate their first con-
tract by the end of the semester.
Next week, the union members will meet
to discuss whether further action is needed
to receive their contract demands.Currently,
there are no formal plans to walk out again
this semester.
Faced with the walkout, both sides held
two rounds of talks Wednesday in an attempt
to reach some tentative agreements. But the
negotiations - which lasted until shortly
after 4 a.m. yesterday - focused primarily
on job security and salary, only two of
LEO'S crucial economic issues.
For a large part of the meeting, each side
crafted proposals to present to the other, a
method that facilitated some fruitful dia-
logue, University spokeswoman Julie Peter-
son said. "It was a really good discussion,"
she said. "One of their most productive ses-
sions to date"
LEO President Bonnie Halloran also said
negotiations went better on Wednesday than
they had in the past, but poor timing pre-
cluded any definitive settlements.
"I think the problem was that they were
trying to do this at the last minute of the
(11th) hour. The University knew that this
one-day strike was coming, and they wait-
ed until the day before," Halloran said.
"The evidence would say that there was a
See NEGOTIATIONS, Page 3
Coleman to respond to
wage proposal Monday
By Chloe Foster Affairs E. Royster Harper and 11 other
For the Daily members. They will make the final
Smoke out
Analyzing Granhoim's
cigarette tax proposal
The governor's proposed budg-
et would include a 75 cents per
pack tax increase on cigarettes.
Officials estimate the tax
would raise $295 million, helping
State lawmakers prepare
tovote(
By Michael Gurovitsch
Daily Staff Reporter
)flcigarette
motion releasing the bill from com- said. "The soon
mittee and bringing it to the House rette) tax, the so
floor for a vote after Easter recess. izing the reven
tax
Monday will mark a victory for Stu-
dents Organizing for Labor and Eco-
decision on whether to concur with the
committee's request to release wage
information for factory workers who
ner we enact the (ciga-
ooner we can start real-
nue. While it may not
i