Portland State University faculty union protests administration plan to sever email access for faculty who strike - Betsy Hammond, Oregon Live

Portland State University administrators plan to sever access to PSU email accounts for any members of the faculty union who opt to strike next month. Union leaders say that would constitute illegal retaliation. On Monday, they filed a formal unfair labor practice complaint with the state Employment Relations Board, which enforces state laws regarding strikes by any of the state's quarter-million unionized employees. “Historically, the university has not cut off email access to employees who are not working for other reasons," such as unpaid leaves or medical leaves, faculty union executive director Phil Lesch said in a statement. "Striking is protected activity under law, and employees do not lose their employee status just by exercising that right.” http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2014/03/portland_state_university_facu_2.html