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The Employment of Grant Mitchell by the University Administration
The University administration hired Grant Mitchell, a $400-plus-an-hour-external employer lawyer from Winnipeg and activist in Canadian Labour Watch Association, Vancouver, as chief negotiator http://www.labourwatch.com/about/members/. As it turns out, Canadian Labour Watch Association is an anti-union organization http://www.behindthenumbers.ca/2011/10/14/small-business-and-the-attack-on-unions/ . Grant Mitchell is a member and actively involved in attacking the pay and benefits of unionized Canadian workers.
Grant Mitchell was hired by Dr. Poff for this reason: to provide advice on how the Collective Agreement should be restructured to give the President and senior administrators more control over faculty and their activities. The use of Grant Mitchell is also a clear indication that the University believe in Mr. Mitchell’s ability to transform Brandon University from collegial academic environment to one where, as Professor Csapó of the University of Saskatchewan puts it: “Essential academic freedom, research values are undermined by totally uninformed administrative decisions based on the bottom line, nothing else” http://www.bufa.org/2011-Strike/Support/Csapo.htm.
With all this in mind, is it really possible to side with the University, or remain neutral? Is the corporatization of our beloved public institution in the best interest of students (i.e. students as consumers)? Is the use of Grant Mitchell really worth the added costs to collective bargaining? Does Mr. Mitchell really want a fair and equitable deal reached in a timely manner, or is he more concerned in seeing the destruction of BUFA (his affiliation with labour watch would suggest so)?
As students it is important to remember that the issues BUFA are presently fighting for, are intrinsically tied to the issues students care about (e.g. adequate course offerings, the university being an environment of fairness and respect, the attraction and retention of world class professors, and etc.)
Remember: the faculty’s work place is our learning environment. Support your professors and encourage the University to negotiate, not arbitrate a fair and equitable Collective Agreement, a deal that faculty, students and the University will benefit from.
Raymond Thomson
History Student
Brandon University
The University administration hired Grant Mitchell, a $400-plus-an-hour-external employer lawyer from Winnipeg and activist in Canadian Labour Watch Association, Vancouver, as chief negotiator http://www.labourwatch.com/about/members/. As it turns out, Canadian Labour Watch Association is an anti-union organization http://www.behindthenumbers.ca/2011/10/14/small-business-and-the-attack-on-unions/ . Grant Mitchell is a member and actively involved in attacking the pay and benefits of unionized Canadian workers.
Grant Mitchell was hired by Dr. Poff for this reason: to provide advice on how the Collective Agreement should be restructured to give the President and senior administrators more control over faculty and their activities. The use of Grant Mitchell is also a clear indication that the University believe in Mr. Mitchell’s ability to transform Brandon University from collegial academic environment to one where, as Professor Csapó of the University of Saskatchewan puts it: “Essential academic freedom, research values are undermined by totally uninformed administrative decisions based on the bottom line, nothing else” http://www.bufa.org/2011-Strike/Support/Csapo.htm.
With all this in mind, is it really possible to side with the University, or remain neutral? Is the corporatization of our beloved public institution in the best interest of students (i.e. students as consumers)? Is the use of Grant Mitchell really worth the added costs to collective bargaining? Does Mr. Mitchell really want a fair and equitable deal reached in a timely manner, or is he more concerned in seeing the destruction of BUFA (his affiliation with labour watch would suggest so)?
As students it is important to remember that the issues BUFA are presently fighting for, are intrinsically tied to the issues students care about (e.g. adequate course offerings, the university being an environment of fairness and respect, the attraction and retention of world class professors, and etc.)
Remember: the faculty’s work place is our learning environment. Support your professors and encourage the University to negotiate, not arbitrate a fair and equitable Collective Agreement, a deal that faculty, students and the University will benefit from.
Raymond Thomson
History Student
Brandon University
