Page 12
The Blue Banner
September 14,2000
news
Students begin labor group Weight surge
Coalition will support UNCA staff and lobby for pay raise
1
PHOTO BY SARAH LACY
Chris Blow, an undeclared junior, Sachie Godwin, a senior mass communication major,
and Alvin James, a junior Spanish major, discuss labor issues at a meeting.
Sanna Raza
Staff Writer
A group of students are currently
organizing a Student Labor Action
Coalition (SLAC) to support cam
pus workers who are unionizing
and to raise awareness about labor
unions in general, according to a
member of the group.
“N.C. is the least unionized state
in the nation,” said Chris Blow, an
undeclared junior and member of
SLAC. “We have the poorest work
ers, and we have workers with the
least rights. They have no voice,
because they have no power, and
we are trying to redistribute the
power on a university level.”
United Electrical, Radio and Ma
chine Workers of America Local
150 (UE Local 150) is the local
branch of the N.C. Public Service
Workers Union. It was organized
as a result of frustration that some
UNCA staff members felt towards
the UNCA administration, accord
ing to a Sept. 2, 1999 B/ue Banner
article.
Unions here do not have the right
to collective bargaining because
N.C. is a “right-to-work” state.
Advocational interest groups are
good for the campus, according to
Eric lovacchini, vice chancellor of
student affairs.
“I am for them as long as it is not
discriminatory and (is) open to all
students,” said lovacchini. “The
more activity I see, the better 1 like
the campus.”
It is important that students sup
port the housekeeping and mainte
nance staffon campus, because they
keep the classrooms and recreational
areas orderly, according to Felice
Piserchia, an undeclared junior.
They are “the people who do the
functioning that allows our educa
tional process to happen,” said
Piserchia. “I was always taught as a
child that you have to support the
people that work for you, that you
should stand up for them and that
you can not let them be abused.”
A living wage was one of the key
points raised in a union meeting with
N.C. Representatives Martin Nesbitt
and Wilma Sherrill. The meeting
was part of the Campaign for Jus
tice 2000, which was launched to
get wages raised.
“What the union wants to do is an
across the board $1,500 raise for
anybody making less than $35,000
a year,” said Jay Gertz, library tech
nical assistant. “That would equal
ize the pay scale.
“It is kind of funny that here we
are in the middle of the largest
economic boom in history, and the
wages we get barely keep up with
the standard of living (and) with
the inflation rate,” said Gertz.
Student awareness is an impor
tant step in the realization of the
goals that SLAC and UE Local 150
are working towards, according to
Piserchia.
“We want to bring a speaker,
Saladin Mohammed, to UNCA,”
said Piserchia. “He is one of the
heads of Black Workers for Justice.
He is going to speak on organizing
in the Southeast in the context of
globalization, and how the two
things are related.”
UE Local 150 plans to be active at
UNCA against privatization, dis
crimination and poor working con
ditions, but does not plan on being
radical in the realizations of their
goals, according to Gertz.
“It is not going to be one of those
unions that are always in your face,
that are going to be antagonistic
towards the administration,” said
. Gertz. “We both have the same
goals, we want the employees to be
happy. We want them to also share
in the wealth.”
Globalization is an additional
problem, because many jobs are
lost to the international global trade,
according to Gertz.
Unions “are afraid the big multi
nationals, not that they have not
done it already, (will) move their
operations to Mexico and other
Third World countries,” said Gertz.
“That way the labor is cheaper,
(and) they do not have to worry
about unionization.”
Not only do Americans lose jobs
to individuals in Third World coun
tries, but sweatshops also raise an
ethical question, according to
Piserchia.
“Many of the clothes that (stu
dents wear) are made in sweatshops
by people who are forced to live and
work under abysmal conditions,”
said Piserchia.
Privatization was another point
raised at the Campaign for Justice
2000 meeting. The UNC system is
known for privatizing housekeep
ing jobs, according to Piserchia.
“The constant threat over (their)
heads is that the university will hire
a private firm to come in and do
(these jobs),” said Piserchia. “It is a
good threat, and is a way that the
university keeps people from agi
tating and asking for more money. ”
Discrimination was another point
raised at the meeting, and, accord
ing to Blow, is one of the main
issues that SLAC focuses on.
“What we are trying to do is work
against the system of institutional
ized, racist and class-prejudiced is
sues that have to do directly with
UN CA’s percentage of employment
and pay,” said Blow. “It is impor
tant that these people have a way of
working towards a more direct
coalition, so that there is more of a
realization of things that go unno
ticed about pay and social issues.”
The Consumer Credit Counseling Service of WNC is offering money management
workshops on Sept. 14 and 21. For more information, call (828) 255-5166.
The Blue Banner Weather
Seven Day Forecast
Local Almanac Last Week
THURSDAY
Scattered T-storms
High: 81 Low: 60
FRIDAY
Scattered T-storms
High: 74 Low: 59
i SATURDAY
Partly Cloudy
High: 66 Low: 47
Day
High Low
Normals
Precip
Wednesday
62
55
79/59
Trace
Thursday
72
56
79/58
0.04"
Friday
77
62
79/58
0.00"
Saturday
82
63
79/58
0.00"
Sunday
81
60
78/58
0.00"
Monday
81
61
78/57
0.00"
Tuesday
81
60
78/57
0.00"
Precipitation for the week 0.04"
Normal precipitation for the week , . , . 0.93"
Departure from normal for the week . . -0.89"
Precipitation for the year 26.59"
Normal precipitation for year to date . 34.65"
Departure from normal for the year . . . -8.06"
* Precipitation includes snow converted to rainfall
SUNDAY
Partly Cloudy
: 74 Low: 44
Parti
High: '
i MONDAY
Partly Cloudy
High: 76 Low: 47
North Carolina Recreational Forecast
A frontal boundary will sweep into the state to end the week and will
provide at least a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms. Rain
chances look to be around 30-40 percent today and tomorrow. By the
weekend, the front will have passed through and will bring cool tem
peratures down with it. Highs will be 5-10 degrees below normal for this time of year
If you have any outdoor activities scheduled over the weekend, definitely bundle up at
night. By the beginning of next week, temperatures begin to rebound and moisture
begins to return across North Carolina.
Sept. 14, 2000
Temps Last Week
:«1 High/1.ONV Temps l.iist Week
Sat Sun Mon Tiie
Sun/Moon Chart This Week
TUESDAY
Partly Cloudy
High: 76 Low: 52
- WEDNESDAY
Isolated T-storms
High: 76 Low-: 53
Lst Qtr
9/20
Sunrise
7:12 a.m.
7:13 a.m.
7: 4 a.m
7:15 a.m
7:15 a.m.
7:16 a.m.
17 a.m.
Sunset
7:38 p.m.
7:37 p.m.
7:35 p.m.
7:34 p.m.
7:32 p.m.
7:31 p.m.
7:29 p.m.
Moonrise
8:31 p.m.
9:02 p.m.
9:35 p.m.
10:10 p.m.
10:49 p.m.
11:33 p.m.
Moonset
7:49 a.m.
8:49 a.m.
9:51 a.m.
10:53 a.m.
11:58 a.m.
1:03 p.m.
2:08 p.m.
1st Qtr
10/5
Full
10/13
( accemm we a th er. cam
Eartti'a LetMMng WBMtmr Rmvtfler
All forecasts, data, and graphics
provided by accessweather.com, a
registered trademark of Rossby
Weather Services. Inc. © 2000. All
rights reserved.
National Weather Summary This Week
, A strong cold front will pull cool Canadian air down into the contiguous
t '.'^’'48 states and bring cooler than normal temperatures over the weekend.
, Temperatures will be as much as 15 degrees below normal in parts of
the eastern United States. A low pressure area that the front is attached
. to will slowly creep through the Northeast, dumping heavy rainfall
amounts. Flooding will definitely be an issue with this system over most of the New
England states. The rest of the country will remain tranquil into next week as high pres
sure reigns supreme. A weaker frontal boundary will get its act together by midweek and
slide into the northern Plsfins and Great Lakes states, increasing rain chances again.
Weather Trivia
When escaping from a
flood, never cross moving f
water above your? ^
To find out the answer, log onto
http://ww'w.accessweaiher.com/theblue-
hannei-.html to find today's trivia answer
and previous Weather Trivia answers.
Weather History
Sept. 16, 1988 - Hurricane
Gilbert moved ashore in Mexico
and established an all-time record
for the western hemisphere with
a barometric reading of 26.13
inches. Gilbert had already dev
astated Jamaica and the Yucatan
Peninsula with gusts of over 200
mph. The storm caused three mil
lion dollars in damage to the
lower Texas coast.
Sept. 17. 1987 - Heavy rains in
southwestern Pennsylvania
forced the evacuation of 20
homes near Darlington, Pa.
Harrisburg, Pa. established a
record for the date with 2.11
inches of rain. Freezing tempera
tures were recorded in Montana
and Wyoming as well.
for freshmen
Health oweter
Rachel Grumpier
Staff Writer
PHOTO BY SARAH LACY
In some instances, the "freshman 15" has increased to the
"freshman 25," according to an article in USA Today.
cafeteria is a barrier to good nutri
tion, you need to get involved.
Students should get together and
talk to Ken Barefoot (director of
dining services).”
“Start some kind of exercise pro
gram,” Pyeritz said. “Even if you
still gain a little weight, you will feel
better.”
However, Pyeritz said, some stu
dents do not have enough time to
The “freshman 15” weight gain
has il^creased to the “freshman 25,”
according to an Aug. 23 USA To-
day3j:nc\e:. However, several UNCA
students said that they do not be
lieve freshmen gain 25 pounds dur
ing their first year at school.
“I do not know any (students)
who gained 25 pounds,” said Chris
topher Pittman, a sophomore com
puter science major. “I do not know
many who gained the full 15
pounds. I only picked up 10 pounds
my freshman year.”
According to the article, college
students gain weight due to the
huge selection of food at the caf
eteria and fast food restaurants
that students can access whenever
they want. Students may also eat
more junk food, drink more alco
hol, become depressed and get
less exercise than they did in high
school.
The ‘freshman 10’ and the ‘fresh
man 15’ are a thing of the past,”
according to the article. “Now,
many students are gaining the‘fresh
man 20’ or the ‘freshman 25.’ Some
gain that much in the first year,
while others pack it on in the first
three months.”
However, some students did not
gain weight at all their freshmen
year, nor did they know anyone
that gained more than 15 pounds.
“I do not know anyone that has
gained 25 pounds,” said Tatjana
Milutinovic, a sophomore psychol
ogy major. “I did not gain any
weight my freshman year.”
Several UNCA students who said
they did gain weight during their
freshman year attributed it to drink
ing beer, weight lifting and eating
junk food.
“My weight increased by 10
pounds my freshman year,” said
Brian Lovern, a senior atmospheric
science major. “I gained weight from
drinking beer. Beer has a lot of
hidden calories that go straight to
your stomach.”
“I probably gained 10 pounds,”
said Crystal Goure, a sophomore
art major. “I am not sure whether it
is from lifting weights for track
practice or from eating a lot.”
Jean Parsons, a sophomore chem
istry and education major, said a lot
of freshmen gain weight, because
they snack in their dormitory rooms
a lot.
“You go to the cafeteria, and you
do not get full,” Parsons said.
“You cannot eat the food, because
it is not very good. So you go back
to your room and munch on junk
food to try and make your stom
ach full.”
There are several ways to pre
vent freshman weight gain,.said
Rick Pyeritz, director of health
services.
“People should learn more
about nutrition,” said Pyeritz.
“There are a lot of good foods in
the cafeteria. If you feel that the
“Often students have to work full
time, carry a full load of classes and
juggle all the things they did in the
past,” said Pyeritz. “They may not
make eating right a priority, and
they may not have time to exer
cise.”
College students are not the only
people gaining weight, according
to Pyeritz. There is a national trend
of weight gain and a decline of
physical activity. The Surgeon Gen
eral recently announced that dur
ing the 1990s, fewer Americans ex
ercised than ever before.
“Students reflect society,” said
Pyeritz. “In today’s society, the
problem is that we have a lot of time
pressures. People have not made
eating well a priority.”
Freshmen are confronted with a
lot of freedom when they enter
college, according to Pyeritz. They
make choices about the food they
eat along with career choices.
“Before, they would often eat a
meal that their parents prepared,”
said Pyeritz. “Now, students choose
the foods they eat. They should
get some knowledge about what
is good for them. They are wel
come to learn in the health center.”
Some weight gain may not be a
bad thing for some students, ac
cording to Pyeritz. The health cen
ter does not keep any statistics on
student weight gain. Health ser
vices considers each student’s weight
individually.
“Weight gain is not necessarily all
that bad,” said Pyeritz. “So much of
society is driven by what the media
says. The media cannot tell you
how much you should weigh. It is
not about percent body fat. It is an
individual thing.”
The number of college students
diagnosed with clinical depression
rose last year. However, Margaret
Weshner, director of the counsel
ing center, said that she does not
blame depression for all
freshmen’s weight gain.
“With depression, you often
have a distorted eating pattern,
one that is not usual foryou,” said
Weshner. “Either you are not able
to eat, or you eat too much. Occa
sionally, a client will mention
(weight gain) in connection with
depression, but usually my clients
cannot eat.”
Weshner said that students
might turn to food when they are
unhappy, but she does not usu
ally talk to those students.
A lot of people turn to comfort
foods when they are insecure,
lonely or unhappy,” said Weshner.
‘ I think maybe students that turn
to food do not come to (the coun
seling center).”