Carleton College - Algol Yearbook (Northfield, MN)

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ete 8 ONLI ELIE Rta: iinet ‘ U NIS REA ve xh of SOS DQuUANT { i HB pyease STAY AWAY tion. Indeed, it seemed to go the way of other transient campus issues of years past. During the strike — as in the Ethical Buying and South African debates — some students actively participated in social protest. But after the settlement, the strike, and college labor relations in general, were rarely, if ever, discussed. To many, the workers’ presence back at the job implied that the economic settlement also recon- ciled the personal hostilities precipitat- ed by the six-week walkout. There is no doubt, however, that the strike of 1980 changed labor relations SAGA AALETON oRATING ENGR. LOCAL 34 Pr at Carleton. If nothing else, both the union and the college have realized the costs of antagonism and the benefits of conciliation. 21

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mee Strike the administration to change its labor relations and its attitude toward the workers. ‘“‘This has made us more aware of the fact that when we have a tightly-woven community, we should think particularly hard about how to weave the members of our union into our affairs,’’ he said. Price agreed that the strike did in some ways change things for the bet- ter. ‘‘Before the strike, we had virtually no labor ralations. Now | think we do,”’ he added. But how could the strike last six weeks? During the strike, back-lashing and invectiveness from both camps impeded the negotiating process. But more fundamental, it seems the strike’s duration is best explained by misunderstandings — or perhaps mis- direction — of the negotiators from both sides. The bombastic rhetoric of the col- lege’s negotiators — whose reputation as being loud and abrasive is well-de- served — exacerbated the tension and prolonged the strike. His fiery tirades were surely not representative of the administration’s sentiment; but, the union negotiator used them as a rally- ing point to bring out antagonisms and ultimatums that were invidious to ne- gotiations. As their economic plight worsened, however, the rank and file began to question their negotiator’s in- sistence that the college was attempt- ing to “‘bust the union’. The ground- work for a settlement was ultimately laid when a group of union members superseded negotiators and talked directly to college officials. The strike was settled less than one wee k after that discussion. After the workers returned, and ex- pecially after Winter break, the strike quickly faded from campus conversa- (continue on page 21) 20

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Right Photo: Pu Shan, Carleton Visiting Professor of Economics, Below: Opening Convocation ATR bigibiail enon a ae mf: 4 ' Harry Levin, Harvard University Professor of Comparative Literature Marcel Ophuls, French Filmmaker Carl Degler, Stanford University Professor of History James R. Mellow, author eee CONVOCatION 22 en pe eee Gn ee Farr een eee ee eee eee