Yes, the negotiations affect you too
Over the last couple of weeks, you might have heard about potential “labour disputes” between CUPE 1334 and the universityUniversity of Guelph. What has troubled me is the type of discussions that this potential strike action has brought to the campus.As the president of another union for teaching assistants and sessional lecturers, I like to keep my ears peeled to the type of discussions potential strike action creates. Now, CUPE 1334 will be in a legal position to strike as of Oct. 3 (or the release of this paper), but I’d like us to step back and analyze the university’s strategy for a moment. Before we begin, a disclaimer: I am not a member of CUPE 1334; I am not on the executive of CUPE 1334; I do not claim to represent CUPE 1334 in any way or form. I am merely here to make a couple of observations the campus discourse surrounding a potential strike.
On Friday Sept. 27, the university sent a series of emails from different departments. I found that, in general, you could breakdown what any of these emails said into three distinct groups.
The first group is “fear mongering.” This email, of which I only received one, but I’m sure there are more, came to the graduate students of a certain department. It went something similar to: “things may get out of hand, so be careful not to make the campus gross.” This puts the onus on the students and workers to provide a Band-Aid solution to the potential strike action. It also shows a blatant disregard and disrespect for the work CUPE 1334 workers put into this campus to ensure its safety and cleanliness. The truth is, this campus works because they work hard everyday.
The second was a warning to anyone thinking of “showing solidarity.” This email was provided as both a framework of the acceptable ways of showing support and a way telling labour organizations on campus that they were being watched. A lot of Collective Agreements on this campus have a clause on strike support and picket lines. Collective Agreements on this campus have language thatoften state that unions and their members shall not take part in “sympathy strikes,” or related action arising from activities of another union that is out on strike.
The language in my union’s Collective Agreement goes like this:
“7.01: The Union undertakes that there will be no strike as defined in the Ontario Labour Relations Act during the term of this Agreement, nor will the Union or any of its members (during their scheduled hours of work) take part in sympathy strikes, work showdowns, or any other such related action arising from the activities of other units, Locals, Unions, employee groups or persons.”
So otherOther workers on this campus, including academic staff, on this campus are expected to show up to work as scheduled. So there you have it, teaching assistants and sessional lecturers on this campus are expected to show up to work as scheduled. However, the nature of the CUPE 1334 strike leaves us with one fundamental question: what if our workplace becomes unsafe during the course of a strike? It doesn’t take very long talking to CUPE 1334 to find out that they wish they had the resources and people-power to bring this campus to a higher standard of cleanliness and safety. As of right now, the university seems satisfied with their current classification of clean: “moderate dinginess.” Furthermore, should workers not be concerned with how Fire Prevention Officers striking would affect this University? With CUPE 1334 workers on strike, the situation will inevitably become worse, and if you are an employee of this University, or anywhere in Ontario for that matter, you have every right to refuse unsafe work.
The third type of email came in the form of scab recruitment. This is by far the most problematic of emails that somehow made its way to my mailbox. This email sought the help of staff and students in doing the work of CUPE 1334 workers. As a trade unionistan active member of this campus, I could not believe my eyes as I read this email. Really? Is this how we are going to solve a legitimate labour dispute in the 21st century? By going around the contract altogether, and pretending we don’t know anything about labour laws principles or even common decency? Workers in Canada have the right to collectively withhold their labour if they feel they’re not getting a fair shake. This is a democratic right. Management’s recruiting of staff and students to do their jobs undermines the ability of the campus workers to come to an agreement that will allow this university to function in the future. There are many employers that respect the rights of striking workers under the bargaining process, and do not work to force others to cross picket lines. The University of Guelph does not seem to be this type of employer.
If this is how this conversation is being carried forth with students and staff, I don’t even want to begin thinking about what is being said at the table. The university needs to get an “Employers 101” handbook and get back to the bargaining table. This labour dispute needs to be solved, and (just in case you didn’t get my message) by “solved,” I don’t mean temporarily contracting the work out temporarily to other workers.
CUPE 1334’s working conditions are our living, working and learning conditions. Their average pension is below $18,000, and somehow this University thinks that this is acceptable – that they should be able to dismiss any concerns and hire new people so as to get the cheapest, most desperate employee to work on this campus. I remember first year in residence, our custodian was the loveliest, nicest person around. CUPE 1334 has been working over the last couple of weeks for you to know who they are. Make sure that you know who will be impacted by this university’s unilateral decision to drive wages, pensions, and job security to the floor. After all, youth unemployment and underemployment are at record levels in Ontario. The solution to the problems of decent work for the younger generation, and real prosperity for GuelphOntario and Canada, starts at home. Ask questions, get informed, and (if the strike occurs) join CUPE 1334 on the picket line.