George,

A member of the Labor Action Group attempted to contact [D. R.] by telephone and by e-mail message to her work address requesting she get in touch with LAG. Neither attempt was successful. LAG judged trying to contact her at work might be problematic. She is listed as a Housekeeping Supervisor Senior and the Net Tech Specialist attempting to remove her from the list does not appear to be her supervisor; therefore, she "could" have requested to be taken off the list though the reason indicated, a virus, is thin because the "Labor" mailing list had been moderated for several weeks and was without virus problems. LAG has decided not to pursue contact with [D. R.] because of her apparent reticence or disinterest in talking to us. The despicable and indicative content of the original message stands without explanation or apology by the originators.

On May 1, the University Director for State Governmental relations sent down an email message to staff through employee councils regarding funding for salary increases in limbo in Richmond. This budget impasse has emphatically emphasized the non existence of "consistent funding" promised for employee salary and raises. In "reply all" I expressed my frustration and concern in a series of exact quotes, with emphasis, from Central Appropriations 935 and the Report on the Classified Pay Plan which directly promised consistent funding and job market information for employees. The message finished with my personal comment, "Consistent Funding Mechanism equals No Funding Mechanism".

The response I received from John Plummer, Business Manager, UVA, Northern Virginia Center, is as follows :

Mr. Plummer could have criticized the content of my message, or he could have simply complained about unwanted e-mail. Instead he choose to issue a thinly veiled threat against my welfare in the work place. The two messages, taken together, support oral reports in regards to management practices limiting freedom of speech, information and association in the work place at the University of Virginia.

This also may be a further indication here that information dissemination through employee councils and other bodies is desired to be a one way flow and not the free communication that the university administration would have "the world" believe.

Sincerely,

Wilson McIvor, Member, Labor Action Group (electronic mail, May 10, 2001).