The Strike Vote has Passed

From the WLUFA website:

The CAS Strike Authorization ballot was completed today.

89.4% voted in favour of authorizing the WLUFA executive to call a strike if necessary.

The teams will be in mediation on Monday March 17th and Tuesday March 18th. The Bargaining Unit will be in a legal position to strike as of 12:01 am on Wednesday March 19th.

Now, before anyone panics let it be emphasized - this does not mean there will be a strike. It only gives the executive power to call for one if mediation on the 17th and 18th fails. If anything, this vote says that a strike may be averted because it puts more pressure on the administration to settle. Also, look at that number and what it is saying - there are 365 CAS/part-time profs now at Laurier and 89.4% are fed up with the way they are being treated by the administration, so much so, that they are willing to do the most drastic labour action they can to fight for their livelihood. If all 365 of them voted, 326 of them are fed up with their working conditions to that point - that's a lot of our profs very, very upset.

It's paramount now that we stand behind them in this time of need and much still depends on us, the students, who have a big stake in these negotiations - we must pressure the administration to settle, the profs need our support. So, even if it's for a few minutes, show up to our demonstration on Monday 17th at noon - it will be leaving from the Dining Hall, concourse, and the Science Building atrium to gather in the quad outside of the Fred Nichols Campus Centre by about 12:15-12:30. We need more people there to show that Laurier stands united behind the part-timers!

Strike Vote Today

Today was the day. In fact, tonight was the night. The CAS would have gone into a meeting understanding one thing about their reality, and left perhaps moving on to another.

What everyone needs to understand is that this is just another step in the process and by no means a reason to panic or think that anything has changed. This vote may or may have not put them into strike position. This doesn't mean that strike will absolutely happen next week, but it means that if they have strong enough support, they could. This also doesn't mean that there isn't the chance that Laurier won't lockout. This is, and has always been an option as soon as the "No Board" report is delivered.

This is now our chance to move. We can use this time to act. I do still believe that the students can apply pressure to motivate action on the behalf of the administration. We have always proven that we can inspire movement, and I think we can inspire more. Come to the general demonstration on Monday, March 17th. This is a key day: a day of mediation. Let's make noise, and show our outrage in an extremely visible way.

Terre

Strike vote, Tuesday. Strike, March 19th?

Dear all,

I am writing a general letter again, and it is with great concern for all of us. When I say this, I mean not only us students, but also the CAS who will be poised to strike in the next week.

As the subject of this note indicates, due to the lack of progress in negotiation, the CAS will holding a strike vote next week, Tuesday. It is at this time that we must all remember that strike is not a pleasant choice. When workers go on strike, the first 3-4 days are unpaid before strike pay starts. Strike pay is only a percentage of a regular wage, and their regular wage is already a raw deal. The CAS members are our teachers, but we have to remember that they are people, home-owners, tenants, parents, spouses, people with real life worries. We stand to suffer in our education, but they are fighting for their livelihood.

Even with this vote, the administration is also in position to lockout the CAS. This is a nerve-wracking time for us, but it is a scary time for the CAS.

In light of this, WLUFA responded to our questions and concerns after every twist and turn. It was with great disappointment that they informed us about this vote. This is not the result that they have been hoping for, but it takes two parties to negotiate. There are clearly major issues outstanding.

WLUFA keeps its members informed by email and newsletters released to its website, which we have been checking to pass on this information to you. WLUFA has set up information tables, handed out brochures, created poster campaigns (some of us have approached our professors who wear the pin-badges), and has kept in touch with the Cord since the end of October. As we all sit in tense lectures, wondering whether or not we will even be attending in a couple of weeks, whether or not we will need to cross picket lines to get to classes, the administration has not released an ounce of information about how we will be compensated for our term. As we worry about the status of professional and grad school applications, as we worry about time spent and money lost, they have yet to give any information that sheds light on our situation.

It is at this point that I challenge the administration to inform us. I would like to see the administration shed some light on all of this too. I challenge them to create a website with the latest news, like wlufa.ca. I challenge them to talk to us about how they are going to change the situation for the CAS and improve their working conditions. I challenge them to come and talk to us in the Concourse and answer our questions, like WLUFA has, at our request. So far, the administration has sent out a canned email response, riddled with grammatical errors, telling us nothing relevant.

After all, the CAS's working conditions, are our learning conditions.

In solidarity,

Terre