Rebuttal
May 23, 2012
Greetings!

Below, please find a cogent analysis offered by Dan Talley that rebuts my statement earlier.  I continue to stand by my position, but I firmly believe that democracy is the marketplace of ideas.  We debate the issue and the membership decides.  Dan, a professor of Economics, is the immediate past President of DSU-COHE and has served as DSU's bargaining representative for several years.
 
Many thanks,
Gary
 
Prevent Tenure Retention


Dan Talley

Gary,

 

I submit that the time for posturing is past.  It is not the BOR staff who have their backs to the wall.  This is clearly an attempt to push our backs to the wall--and I have to admit it is one that shows all evidence of being successful.  I view their proposals in the most recent round of bargaining as a purposeful effort to call our bluff when it comes to 'get tough' bargaining.  It is as simple as that. 

 

SD COHE has no ace-in-the-hole with this strategy--our bargaining options as a public union in a right-to-work state are far from strong and we have little support to help us win allies in the legislature.  The BOR therefore has made a proposal that directly undermines the entire faculty tenure system just to get us to stop bargaining and sign a contract.  It seems to me that failing to recognize that the BOR will follow through on this Tenure Review proposal if we do not cease bargaining and sign an agreement is a mistake that we cannot afford to make.  No matter how much we may be tired of playing defense, if a defensive strategy is the only strategy available to you then it must be played. 

 

That said, if this blatant attempt to call our bluff is regressive bargaining, then we need to pursue it as such. ... Therefore, I officially support any action that prevents Tenure Retention from coming into existence in South Dakota--even if only for a period of three years until the next contract. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Dr. Daniel A. Talley

Dakota State University