CUPE 3903 (the union representing contract faculty, TAs, GAs and RAs at York University) has been on strike for 10 weeks now. Being a York student myself, I strongly feel the effects that this strike is having on my school year, and at this point know that I will not receive the same quality of education this year as I expected when I payed my tuition and signed up for courses. However, these are my very own teachers that are on strike, and they are the reason why I answer "I love it" when people ask me if I like York. No, I don't like York because of the admin or the campus, I love it because of the wonderful professors, course directors and TAs (the latter two are members of CUPE 3903), the open minded course material they present us with, and the wonderful people I have met here. Many of my courses are taught by contract faculty, and it is sickening that they are a prime example of the casualization of labour - they have to apply for their jobs EVERY YEAR! Such short contracts for people who selflessly dedicate themselves to their work shows an utter disregard for human dignity and quality of life.
I may not agree with all aspects of this strike, and I too have become frustrated by the lack of progress being made, but we must remember that there are two sides at the bargaining table, and York university is every bit as responsible for our loss of education as the union is. I'm sure most 3903 members don't want to spend their winter standing around in the freezing cold at picket lines, yet York has flooded its website with propaganda and new releases with titles such as "Does CUPE 3903 really want to settle?" (Which has dissapeared from the media release archive, but I clearly remember it.)
After over 2 months of waiting to see what will happen and wondering when we will be going back to class, I will be extremely dissapointed if the union does not get a fair deal. In that case, all of this would have happened for nothing and it will likely occur again another year if the problem isn' t solved. I am not blindly supporting CUPE 3903, and feel that both sides need to be heavily questioned at this point in time, but I am hoping this will be resolved in CUPEs favour, because without teachers, my education at York amounts to very little. York has made a new offer, which is a least a step forward in bargaining. I'm not going to comment just now over the issue over pay increases, but York's new offer doesn't even begin to address the issue of job security. Opening 22 new full time positions only benefits the lucky few who get promoted to YUFA, and does nothing for the rest of the contract faculty left in CUPE 3903.
So once we hear the result from the supervised vote which is going to take place, we will know if we're headed back to school or if we're doomed to keep waiting for a solution. In the meantime, for those of you that are frustrated by the strike and are trying to 'take action', please try to use problem solving skills that demonstrate that you are actually capable of rational thought. Spray painting insults on picket line shelters, yelling rude comments at picketers, and displaying acts of violence are not going to make this strike end. Picket lines can be dangerous places for strikers, as some people choose to comfront the individual (even though the union member may not even agree with all aspects of the strike, but still has to show up for picket duty). With many cars trying to get through and some drivers allowing their anger to affect their self control, incidents do sometimes happen where cars will even hit picketers.
Apparently Todd from the Dean Blundell show on 102.1 the Edge somehow found it suiting to take matters into his own hands and raise a ruckus at a York picket line. His behaviour was dangerous and inexcusable. I can't beleive that he got away with this in an Edge vehicle and it was broadcasted live on air. He uses intelligent language such as 'douchlords' to describe the actions of the union, and shows an inability to think for himself as he does whatever his buddys on the radio tell him to do, going as far as to threaten to punch a picketer and insulting individual strikers with no restraint, many of his insulsts having nothing to do with the strike and being personal attacks.
Go to http://www.edge.ca/DJsandShows/DeanBlundellShow/Audio.aspx and click on Todd at York Dec. 2-08 to listen for yourself.
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