Category: events

November 21, 2018

Resisting Hatred at Independence Hall This Saturday

e-Bulletin20181116:

There are many ways to celebrate Thanksgiving, among them hosting family and friends or traveling to see them, working to feed those who are homeless and hungry. Another way is to defend the values we hold dear. To that end, we want to alert you to a disturbing rally being held this Saturday and a counter-protest members of TAUP are participating in. The rally is being held at Independence Mall on Saturday at 11:00, and the Proud Boys, among other racist and violent groups, have indicated they will attend. To quote from the eloquent statement by the Philadelphia AFL-CIO:

[W]hile the organizers of this rally have stated publicly that they oppose violence at this event, they have not denounced the politics that the Proud Boys represent – racism, hatred, and antisemitism.

The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO believes firmly in free speech and in the guarantee to freedom of speech in the First Amendment. Members of our unions come from every background and support a very wide variety of political views. Our Council has endorsed politicians from both major parties, and we expect to do so in the future.

But the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO stands absolutely opposed to the kind of racist and anti-semitic hatred represented by the Proud Boys. As we declared in December of 2017 in a resolution that was passed unanimously by our Executive Board and our Delegates – representing over 100 unions in our region – in the wake of the anti-semitic vandalism in South Philly and in Jewish cemeteries in our area: “The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO stands ready today to join with like-minded people from all backgrounds who are disgusted by rising bigotry and intolerance, standing together in solidarity at this critical moment, regardless of race, religion, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnic background.”

TAUP members and leaders will be attending the counter-protest, which begins at 10:30 a.m. at 599 Market Street. If you are interested in joining us, please email Steve Newman at stevenewman1970@gmail.com. Those from TAUP are pledged to non-violent resistance.

As we head into Thanksgiving, TAUP wants to wish all its members a joyful and restful holiday and to thank you for being a member of TAUP!

P. S. Over the break, please fill out the Bargaining Survey if you haven’t already. You should have received a link at the email address we normally use to communicate with you. If you haven’t (check your spam folder!), please contact TAUP at taupaft@gmail.com.

November 4, 2018

Seeking Holiday Meal Hosts for Students

eBulletin 20181105:

Every Thanksgiving, faculty and staff at Temple have opened their homes to international students who are interested in celebrating the holiday as guests of a family. This year, TAUP is teaming up with Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab to find families to host students who are food-insecure.

Surveys have shown that just over 1 in 3 students attending Temple are food-insecure, and a growing number have been utilizing the Cherry Pantry. The Cherry Pantry, in the Howard Gittis Student Center, makes grocery items and personal hygiene products available to students in need. But holidays are a special time, where students may be both away from their families and food insecure.

If you would be willing to welcome a guest at your Thanksgiving or other holiday meal, this year or next, please complete this form. You will be contacted if there is a possible guest for your table.

October 31, 2018

Childcare Symposium a Success! Next Steps?

e-Bulletin20181030:

On Wednesday, over 120 people attended “Child Care at Temple: Today and Tomorrow,” a symposium sponsored by TAUP and the Faculty Senate. Faculty, librarians, staff, administrators, housekeepers and groundskeepers, and graduate and undergraduate students came together to find out more about the state and the importance of childcare at Temple and to share their views and ideas. It was a great turn-out and gave us hope that change is coming on this crucial issue.

Our panel managed to convey a remarkable amount of valuable information in a brief time; we are grateful to Dr. Christine Baker-Smith (Temple’s HOPE Lab), Prof. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek (Psychology), Prof. Judith Levine (Political Science), Prof. Nora Newcombe (Psychology), and John Huot (Bright Horizons) for informing us about the need for quality childcare for children of all backgrounds, what characterizes quality childcare, and how backup care works. The handouts were detailed and valuable, and the facilitators and greeters all did a magnificent job of making everyone feel welcomed. Participants were engaged, offering lots of responses to our posted questions. The ideas generated by the small groups – students, faculty and staff members working together– were interesting and showed lots of creative thinking.

One thing was clear: People not only want more information about child care, they also want to see more varied types of child care and family supports to meet the varied needs of Temple Community members.

The Joint Faculty Senate and TAUP Childcare Committee will be meeting soon to prepare a report of the event and disseminate it widely. TAUP will be posting materials to our website shortly for those who couldn’t be there. We also look forward to receiving the administration’s response to the report and proposals we submitted at the end of the Spring term.

If you have any suggestions for follow-up events or activities, please let us know. But TAUP, in concert with the Faculty Senate and other allies, will continue to push this crucial issue forward. We invite you to join us by emailing Marsha Weinraub (marshaweinraub1@gmail.com).