Students are not the only ones with strike-related anxieties. Anyone who is a “supervisor” — a term that can reach quite low down the food chain — is considered management and could in theory be disciplined for wearing a pro-union button.
UM issued a statement this morning reaffirming the principle of free speech on campus. I would guess that the statement is in response to the recent incident involving intimidation by the campus police. I think it also in effect promises ‘supervisors’ protection for button wearing and other expressions of personal opinion:
Statement to the University of Miami Community Reaffirming Freedom of Expression
Last week the University of Miami issued a statement reaffirming the rights of the University community to express opinions regarding the UNICCO employees who are involved in organizing activities with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). This includes exercising the right to free speech, engaging in peaceful demonstrations that conform with established University policies, and other expressions regarding the UNICCO employees (buttons, T-shirts, bumper stickers, etc.).
The University maintains that commitment and reminds all administrators to honor and respect this activity insofar as it does not disrupt the workplace or the provision of services to our various constituents. As members of an academic community, our faculty, staff, and students have an obligation to continue to teach, to do research, and to see patients-fundamental missions of the University. Therefore, any exercise of freedom of expression should be consistent with the rights of other members of the community who wish to attend classes, conduct research, practice medicine, receive health care, or visit our campuses.
Of course we have the right of free speech. We just can’t USE it.
Professor,
Your students see you and your colleagues as the Havard/Stanford/Yale elites that you and they are. When a Miami student looks around, they do not see senior versions of themselves because you are not that. Miami students do not see themselves as attorneys in the top DC/NY law firms, as federal clerks (and certainly not federal judges), as US/DOJ attorneys, and certainly not as law professors. How are you a senior version of the students that you teach? Almost none of them will be a tenured professor at a law school. You know that.
Shoot higher…people in other UM Law classes certainly saw themselves in those roles…and are currently in those roles.