Reply #11: It really is bad.

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I work at NYU as an English Comp instructor , but my 'job category' is graduate assistant because I take courses in an MFA program. I don't assist anyone: I make syllabi, teach classes, and grade 60 papers a week. Before we had a union we made $10,000 a year, no benefits. Now that we have a union we make $19K. Can you imagine living on $10K in NYC? My rent is $1400 a month for 250 sq. feet and I pay that with my $19K. Now, George Bush's labor board told NYU that they don't have to consider us workers anymore and NYU doesn't legally have to recognize our right to unionize. So we have to take it 'on their word' that they won't take away our health care (they already raised copays and cut benefits without our knowledge) or reduce our salary.

What do we get for striking? Fired and blacklisted.

Corporate logic is making this city unbearable and we need to stick together.