The republicans to whom I refer occupy the Michigan State House. It is down the street from my office. The other repub of more immediate interest is the pres of the college. We have been working without a contract for two years. The college spent about $1.5M on a lawyer from an anti-union "brain trust" to stall things. We just got to look at the contract!!!!

I am in a very red state run by some of the most pernicious repub weasels/weevils/whatever (autocorrect has been having fun as my fingers are forgetting how to spell) /politicians in the country. They have made this thing so much worse than it could be.

My pay is calculated by the days I work. So that summer off is not vacation -- it is time off without pay. If I vote "yes" for this thing then I get to have approximately the same pay for thirty two (32) more days of work. Oh joy! This document is so filled with squiggly words. You know the kind that a lawyer will tell you means the exact opposite that any sensible educated person might construe it to mean. I do understand why two of my colleagues retired last week. They must be independently wealthy or something because I cannot afford to retire. I could legally but I'm not old enough for social security and with what the state keeps saying they are going to do with my pension it is too scary. I want to retire but, I've wanted to retire since I passed that thirty year point.

Interesting times ahead (for all meanings of the word interesting) and those 32 extra days -- I see myself keeping track of billable minutes, oh yes.