Are US labor unions in trouble?

A new law passed in Michigan may suggest so.

This week the state legislature became the 24th state to pass a controversial Right-to-Work law.

This law dictates those working in unionized workplaces are not required to join unions or pay union dues.  

For the state where many consider the middle class to have began, unions like The United Autoworkers, have been an integral part of business. In fact, 17.5 percent of Michigan workers belong to a union. 

 So what are the consequences if this Right-to-Work law is passed? 

Supporters of Right-to-Work laws believe it is unfair for those who do not want to be involved in a union to pay dues. However, union supporters suggest that making union membership voluntary weakens the power of unions, causing membership to go down.  With less dues to collect, the union will have less resources to use to organize drives and to voice the concerns of its membership.  

 In 2007, Hofstra professor Lonnie Stevens published a study which found that Right-to-Work  laws do increase the amount of businesses in a state. However, the positive effects result in gains for the business owners and  not the non-unionized workers. 

 Unfortunately, one of the problems with these laws is that it is extremely difficult to quantify their effects.  Oklahoma passed a Right-to-Work law in 2001 and then saw a great decline in its manufacturing industry.  This could also have been due to competition from manufacturing companies in China. 

 The power and activity of those in labor unions has been on a general decline since the 1960′s, the passage of this law could mark an even further decline in union activity. Many policy experts agree that if the Right-to-Work law passes in Michigan it could easily spark more laws in other states. 

President Obama made his position heard in Detroit on Monday, denouncing Right-to-Work as “The Right To Work For Less Money.” He explained how important it is to keep creating dignified middle-class jobs in order for families to rebuild their financial security. 

Is this new law the beginning of the end of labor unions as we know it?

Following the news last week that South Carolina’s Jim DeMint (R) is leaving the Senate to head the Heritage Foundation we decided to check to see who might replace the conservative icon. 

In the lead… TV faux pundit Stephen Colbert.

Colbert heads the list at 20% ensuring, if nothing else, a hugely inflated ego and week of material that basically writes itself.

Last week Colbert unleashed his twitter followers on Gov. Nikki Haley, telling them to tweet #SenatorColbert.

Our only question about this whole story is, if appointed, will the Senate insist Colbert use the phony pronunciation, you know, the one ending with a “T”.Followers of the show remember Colbert two wildly unsuccessful runs for president, all beginning and ending in South Carolina. Now with DeMint reigning Colbert can skirt the trouble of getting elected and just get appointed already (he would say that’s how the system is supposed to work anyways)
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This week, AASHE is proud to release its fourth STARS Quarterly Review (SQR): Recap and a Look Ahead. The winter 2012 edition of the SQR highlights two developments that took place in 2012, with a focus on how these developments relate to emerging issues in campus sustainability. In closing out the year, this edition also looks at changes that can be expected for STARS in 2013.

Latest SQR Highlights

• Universidad de Monterrey (STARS Reporter, Mexico) became the first STARS International Pilot participant to submit a report and earn a rating. The growth of STARS in the international context underscores a demand for establishing sustainability standards that are comparable worldwide.

• As STARS matures, more institutions are submitting multiple reports and using STARS as a tool for gradual improvement. Ball State University, Kankakee Community College, King’s University College, and Northern Arizona University were highlighted for recent advancements and initiatives identified in their most recent STARS reports.

• With the expected launch of STARS 2.0 in 2013, changes have been proposed that address the evolving concept of sustainability. Several proposed new credits are highlighted in the Winter SQR, including a new Curriculum credit that would encourage interdisciplinary learning, applied research, and practical work that advances sustainability.

Fall 2012 SQR Highlights
The fall edition of the SQR explores how the diversity of STARS institutions has changed over time and how participation in STARS according to institution type compares to U.S. demographics.

• Findings in this review suggest that the institutional characteristics that make higher education institutions distinct also play a role in how campuses are advancing sustainability. Special Focus institution Babson College and two-year institution Haywood Community College demonstrate that any institution type can do well in STARS if there is strong commitment to campus sustainability.

• NCAA conference rivalry is furthering sustainability on campuses through healthy competition that involves a diverse population of students. Representing four different NCAA athletic conferences, Wake Forest University, University of South Florida, Oregon State University, and Middlebury College were highlighted for best practices in sustainability.

Summer 2012 SQR Highlights
The summer edition of the SQR focuses entirely on the Innovation category, an area within STARS that recognizes innovative solutions to sustainability challenges.

• University of Alberta, California State University, Monterey Bay, and University of Saskatchewan were highlighted for submitting Innovation entries that touched on social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability.

• Interactive, web-based energy management systems were highlighted for Boston University, University Kentucky, Arizona State University, and University of Arkansas.

• Eastern Iowa Community College District, Indiana University Bloomington, Elon University, and University of Alaska Fairbanks were recognized for innovative initiatives that yielded positive measured impacts.

Spring 2012 SQR Highlights
The spring edition of the SQR features comprehensive stories to frame sustainability in higher education.

• A story focusing on Operations introduced the release of the STARS Average Scores Visualization. University of Minnesota, Morris and Cornell University were highlighted for best practices in Buildings and Energy.

• Qualitative analysis of certain STARS credits brought to light some interesting facts about the interplay of social, economic, and environmental issues. Chapman University and University of British Columbia were highlighted for initiatives that incorporated each of the three sustainability dimensions.

STARS Data in 2013 Publications
Beginning in 2013, STARS data will be presented in a variety of different AASHE publications. By incorporating STARS data together with other AASHE data in publications, sustainability issues can be analyzed using multiple data sources to provide greater context and understanding. STARS Quarterly Reviews will no longer be needed, as STARS data will be incorporated into these other AASHE publications, as well as an annual STARS report.

AASHE looks forward to pursuing these new opportunities over the coming months, and as always, we encourage members of the sustainability community to provide feedback and suggestions. Please submit any thoughts and ideas to stars@aashe.org.

Happy New Year from the AASHE team!

As we’ve mentioned many times before on this blog, philanthropy is intensely personal. Which is why the story behind the naming gift made by Todd Carton ’77, interdisciplinary studies, is especially touching; the gift honors his late brother.

Carton has always been interested in the arts, as was his brother, so when he heard about the new Performing Arts and Humanities Building at UMBC, he was eager to see the space students from all disciplines would be able to be touched by the arts. His gift — the naming of the building’s new box office — will not only help all who visit the building, but represents one brother’s love, and another’s legacy.

Watch a Q&A with Todd Carton ’77 here.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTrHFuGZYMo]