Happy Holidays

Well it is Christmas eve and I hope that you are all taking the time to enjoy your families and friends in whatever celebration you adhere to.
Best wishes to all for the New Year.

Andrea

FYI

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Monday, December 15
11:00 AM - Mass Rally and Teach-In, Keele Campus
Assemble at: York Boulevard Picket
The rally will assemble at York Blvd, before marching to Vari Hall where teach-ins will be held on the subject of popular education. Other actions may also occur. This is organized by the Flying Squad and Undergraduate Allies.
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Tuesday, December 16
11:00 AM - King and Bay Block Party
Assemble at: South-East corner of the King St. and Bay St. intersection, downtown (one block west of King subway station)
In order to bring awareness of the CUPE 3903 strike to the public, we will have a Block Party to provide the public with information in order to counter the misinformation and propaganda generated by York University. We will hand out fliers, march across the intersection during pedestrian lights, and have an afternoon of entertainment by 3903 members in theater troupes, musicians, and bands!!! If you are interested in performing at the Block Party please contact Simon [simongarth@gmail.com].
Following the Block Party we will be marching through the downtown area along the sidewalks past York's lawyer's office ending up at Nathan Phillips Square. The purpose of this event is to inform and entertain—not to disrupt or prevent the public from their activities. Let's use this event to bring CUPE 3903's presence to an area that contain's York's union-busting lawyers and is highly populated with the offices of York's major corporate donors!
This event is organized by the Chimneystack and Sentinel picket lines.
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Wednesday, December 17
12:00 PM - Caroling Snake March, Keele Campus
Assemble at: York Boulevard Picket
We will be marching through campus singing reappropriated carols, spreading holiday cheer and reminding people that we've been ready to negotiate for weeks while the administration has sat on its hands. This event is organized by the Shoreham and Northwest picket lines.
4:00 PM - GMM at Meron Banquet Hall, 1600 Steeles Avenue West
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Thursday, December 18
11:00 AM - Board of Governors Information Pickets, Downtown
Assemble: Outside First Canadian Place, NW corner of Bay and King St intersection (one block west of King subway station)
We will set up soft, information pickets outside one or more buildings containing the offices of high-placed members of York's Board of Governors, with the intention of informing the public about the employer's intransigence, embarrassing BOG members, and maybe gaining some media attention. As with all the week's actions, the ultimate aim is to build pressure on the administration to start working constructively with us towards a collectively bargained solution. This action is organized by the Founders and Main Gate picket lines.
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Friday, December 19
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Mass Picket at Glendon College, with BBQ
Assemble at: Glendon College Main Gate, 2275 Bayview Avenue (Bayview and Lawrence Avenue East)
Let's show our most remote picket line some love, as for the past six weeks they've been responsible for holding down an entire campus on their own, cooking their own food and sometimes hiding their equipment in the forest overnight. This event is organized by the Glendon and Pond Road picket lines.
How to get to Glendon -- TTC Buses:
11 Bayview (from Davisville or Bayview subway station)
124 Sunnybrook (from Lawrence station)
162 Lawrence-Donway (from Lawrence station)
Evening - CUPE Strike Party, details TBA.
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All the week's actions are also being actively organized and supported by Alternative Duties (the 9th Picket Line)
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YORK BOULEVARD PICKET FOOD DRIVE
During the Week of Action, CUPE 3903 will be running a food drive at the main entrance of York University. We encourage all members of the York community to participate in this initiative to alleviate hunger in Toronto by bringing non-perishable food items with them when coming to the university. Donations will be divided between the York Tenants Coalition food bank, which serves on-campus full-year tenants of York University, and the North York Harvest food bank.
The food drive will be running Monday to Friday, 7 to 5. We are still looking for union members willing to help with this project. If you are interested in helping or would like further information please contact Tom Peace at 041796p@acadiau.ca.

FYI

1. Meetings for next week are now up on the calendar on our website: http://www.3903strike.ca/
2. THE ECONOMY: On Wednesday Excalibur printed an article in which the union and the administration spoke to the impact of an economic downturn on the university, since the university is using this context to claim it can't afford the union's demands. The article is here: http://excal.on.ca/cms2/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&pop=1&page=0&id=6643&Itemid=#>Written

Holiday Pay

Hi,
Just in case you were wondering how to get paid during the holidays, I have included in this post the relevant information that I received by email in case this information has not gotten to you.

Q2: How do I report my hours during the "holiday" period?
A: Report your TOTAL hours by e-mailing holidays3903@gmail.com. In this e-mail you must include your full name, your unit, your department, the total hours and a brief overview of tasks that you have done (such as additional picket line hours that you've banked) and/or a brief list of what you will do during the "holiday" period to account for these hours.
thanks v much - questions pls call me at 416 834 7145claireunit 1 - geog

Letter of support

Hello,
I thought that I would share this letter that I received.



Dear President Shoukri:

I am a faculty member in the Arts sociology department and I will be retired in 3 days. I have been at York since 1971 and from 1975 through until 1997 when the 8 week YUFA strike took place, I havebeen close to and often deeply involved in the negotiating process atYork.Based on all of my experience and insider knowledge of how thisprocess works, I have to say that it is time for a RADICAL change inthe way the York Administration manages its side of the process.Please understand that I am not putting all of the trouble at thefeet of the York Administration side. I know about two sides and howeither side and both sides can get stuck in their principles andpositions. I want you to know that when I have thought it necessaryin the past, I have confronted the union side, including my own unionYUFA, about its responsibility for working toward, through the giveand take of negotiations, the settlement of disputes.However, during one of my deep involvements in the process in the mid1980s, a senior administrator who shared responsibility fornegotiating collective agreements boldly told my side that the onlyway to bring about a resolution to our dispute at the time was forus, the union, to see if we could pull off a strike and that onlywith the pressure of the strike would there be any movement in thepositions of his side. This approach to bargaining has become deeplyingrained in the Administration culture at York. It predates yourPresidency and although it has been shaped from time to time bycharacteristics of particular Presidents, every President at Yorksince the early 1990s has had their term of office negatively markedby the way York handles labour negotiations .
Whatever may be theinternal reasons for the long life of this approach, York Universityand especially its educational mission and its students have beenharmed by it.I was present during the last long CUPE strike and now my formalcareer is ending in the midst of this one. I can tell you as a frontline teacher that no one benefits from this. I worked hard onorganising the two courses i began to teach in September because Iknew that they would be my last as a full-time faculty member. Theirpedagogical integrity is now seriously threatened and if the strikecontinues into January as it will surely do if an agreement is notreached now, they will lie in ruins - along with the courses of mycolleagues. We can't calculate the negative effects on students fromexperiencing one of their precious years in university this way.Imposing these effects on them is a profoundly serious matter and formy part, nothing in these negotiations is worth it.Some body has to take leadership in bringing this to an end. I knowthat you, as President, cannot in good conscience authorise thegiving away of York's financial stability to settle a strike (shakeyas financial stability can be at this time). But in reality, itcannot be argued with any credibility that CUPE 3903 is going topersist with demands that contain such a potential. I am appealinghere to your Administration's moral responsibility to take the kindof leadership that will lead to productive discussion and resolutionof the outstanding issues. Among other things, that means beingwilling to show one's hand first, so to speak, rather than waitingfor the other side to weaken its resolve. This is what I wasreferring to earlier about the York Administration needing toradically change its deep rooted habits of negotiating collectiveagreements.As a new President at York, you have a chance to make this shift inapproach and we - by which I mean not only the faculty and staff butalso our students - are calling on you to do it. In the past,Presidents have tried to stand back from the negotiating process.Having been involved, I understand how that can be a necessary thingto do - to not interfere with or undermine your own negotiators. Butyour negotiators are acting in a context. I am talking about the needto change that context and to take the lead in breaking away fromnegotiating through defensive lenses.

Sincerely,
Janice Newson, Department of Sociology

Sign up update

Hello all,
Could you please let me know if there are any changes to your availability for picketing. I would like to update the schedule for December
Thanks
Andrea

Almost December

Hello all,
Again I hope that you are all keeping well and warm on the lines! Keep up the good work. Please let me know if you want to sign up/change your sign up times.
Thanks
Andrea

Hello

Hello all,
Hope everyone is doing well. Thanks to all those who have been coming out to picket and partake in alternate duties! Your help and support is greatly appreciated.
Remember if you know someone who is thinking about picketing, encourage them to come on out and show their support.

Also, if you have any concerns, please email me and I will do my best to have them addressed.

Thanks
Andrea
Hello all,
This is just a reminder that the picket shifts have changed slightly as of Nov 17th. They are now SHIFT: 7-11am, SHIFT: 10-2pm, SHIFT: 1-5pm
Double shifts are also available, 7AM to 3PM; and 9AM to 5PM.

I have altered the picket schedule to reflect these changes. If you can no longer do the shifts that you have signed up for please let me know.

Thanks
Andrea
Hello all,
We have received some word of encouragement from community supporters. Please see the following for their words of support.



November 12, 2008


To the Sisters and Brothers of CUPE Local 3903:

OPSEU Local 559, the Support Staff workers of Centennial College want to extend our support to you during this trying time. A work stoppage is never easy and the decision to do so is never made lightly.

Workers everywhere are under siege, not only in this province, but on a global scale. You do not stand alone!

As more and more full-time positions are replaced by Mc-Jobs; as we see our pay cheques stagnating and our benefits slowly being stripped away; the need to stand up for fair and decent treatment has never been mandated more urgently.

It’s hard to believe that after so many years, after so many struggles, in this day and age, people are still fighting for equity, fairness and a decent living wage – but the fact is – they are…we are ...you are!!

It’s difficult to stand up to the employer, to make the sacrifices you must make now make in order to achieve the gains you need and deserve - we know that, but we applaud you for your courage and your resolve.

We applaud you for fighting for the respect and fairness you deserve and must get! What seems to be a sacrifice now will turn into gains in the long run – if you hold strong.

Stand together! You will win!

On behalf of OPSEU Local 559,

In solidarity,

Larry Goldin
President

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR A SHIFT:

Send an email to finearts.picket@gmail.com with:

- Your name and contact info
- What shift time you would like, on what day
- Specify whether you are picketing or working on alternative strike duties

We will update the calendar with your name and (p) = picket (alt) = alternative strike duty, so that people can see how well the shifts are being covered. We need to be 15 to 20 people on the line at all times, and we will probably be picketing with Political Science.

Picket pay & schedule / alternative duties

You are expected to take on FIVE 4 hour shifts per week (20 hours) in order to receive a 200 $ weekly honorarium (strike pay). You are welcome to take on more shifts on a voluntary basis! You can also take on less shifts if you are unavailable: in that case, each 4 hours shift is compensated with 40 $.

The strike date has been set for Thursday Nov. 6th, and the Special Consultative (Final Offer) GMM where we will collectively discuss the proposals offered by the employer, has been set for Wednesday Nov. 5th. However, we are in a legal lockout position on Sunday Nov. 2nd -- we have to be ready to walk by this date. Thus our sign-up shifts begin for Monday Nov. 3rd: just in case of a lock-out.

You can do your shifts back to back (2 or 3 a day) if you have impediments to coming up to campus every day.

If you cannot stand on a picket line for family, medical or legal reasons (etc.), there is a list of alternative duties you can take on, from the union headquarters (near the picket lines) or from home.

December 2008












SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday













1






SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)


SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)


SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)


2





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)


SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)


SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)

3





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)


SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)


SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)

4





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Ruben E (p) Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)

Monique G (p)

SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)

5





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)

Monique G (p) Radek K (p)

SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)



6



7




8






SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Monique G (p)
Pete J (p)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)
Bridget C (p)

SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)

9





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Monique G (p)
Pete J (p)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)
- Marielle A (alt)

Radoslawk K (p)
SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)

10





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Pete J (p)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)

Monique G (p)
Bridget C (p)

SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)

11





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Pete J (p)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)

Monique G (p)

SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)


12





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Pete J (p)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (11AM-3PM)
Monique G (p)

SHIFT 3 (3PM-7PM)




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15







SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Monique G (p)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Cheryl R (p)
Bridget C (p)
Monique G (p)

Stephanie R (p)

Laura B (p)

Zev F.(p) (11-5pm)
SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)

16






SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)

Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Cheryl R (p)
Monique G (p)

Risa H (p)
SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)

17





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)
Monique G (p)
SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Monique G (p)
Bridget C (p)

SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)


18





SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Monique G (p)

SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)

19






SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Monique G (p)

Risa H (p)

Stephanie R (p)

StStephanie (

SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)



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22


SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Monique G (p)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Bridget C (p)
Cheryl R (p)

Monique G (p)
SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)

23


SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Monique G (p)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Cheryl R (p)
Monique G (p)


SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)

24

SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)
Monique G (p)
SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Monique G (p)
Bridget C (p)

SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)

25

SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Monique G (p)

SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)

26


SHIFT 1 (7AM-11AM)
Ruben E (p)
Regina L (p)

SHIFT 2 (10AM-2PM)
Monique G (p)

Lili C (p) Lil

SHIFT 3 (1PM-5PM)
Lili C (p)






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Followers