Update on strike/lockout of U of Toronto TAs -- Jan. 25, 2000 (fwd)

[kelley]

More you can do if you're not doing it......if you care, i should say.  i'm
thoroughly disgusted by the silence on lbo re this topic.  all that
brouhaha over seattle and here's your opportunity to build on the momentum
and once again use the internet, alt technologies, and whatever influence
you have, as well as time to write a letter to kenand his fellow grad
students--in public--offering your support, thoughts, care, concern,
encouragement.  this is what freaking solidarity is about these days
people.  we can actually let someone know 1000s of miles away that we give
a shit even though we feel helpless and powerless.  but what the hell else
do these grads have but that, that someone is watching, that someone cares
and is cheering them on..  and not one peep from any of you.  i hope it's
just technology and that this thing is slow or that you at least wrote ken,
who's been working his ass off for a good couple of years now for the
union--maybe more.   

solidarity my ass.

kelley

Dear PSNers,

As a previous e-mail from Robin Griller noted, there is a very ugly 
labour dispute currently going on with teaching assistants at the 
University of Toronto. What makes this case particularly galling is that 
the U of T has just completed a huge fundraising campaign, making it one 
of the richest universities in Canada. There is no shortage of funds to 
pay these students. The goal here is clearly to break the union.

In addition to the suggestions for action made by Robin, I hope you 
will consider sending letters of solidarity and some financial support to 
the CUPE strikers (see below for address).

Joanne Naiman
Department of Sociology
Ryerson Polytechnic University

The following update on "negotiations"  was forwarded from the 
CUPE local of striking/lockouted Teaching Assistants at the 
University of Toronto.

------- Forwarded message follows -------


>From CUPE 3902... 

Greetings -  

The University of Toronto administration tonight declared war on our 
union by once again bargaining in bad faith. The admin bargaining 
team returned to the table and offered us less than they had done 
before Christmas - including removing dental benefits, signing 
bonuses and so on from the table, but adding the threat that we 
have until Feb 1 to sign. On Feb 4, we are fired.  

As if it wasn't clear enough, it is now more than obvious that the 
corporate right-wing UofT admin is attempting to destroy our union. 
We ask for any support you can provide; this includes contacting 
everyone, absolutely everyone, that you know with progressive 
leanings, including your former university graduate associations, 
labour groups, professors and so on. They are trying to take us 
down 

Solidarity S ===== 

Stephan Dobson 
Strike Co-ordinator 
CUPE Local 3902, 
University of Toronto 
info at cupe3902.org 
sdobson at chass.utoronto.ca  

------- End of forwarded message -------

Mark Rosenfeld, Ph.D
Community and Government Relations 
Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations
27 Carlton St., Suite 400
Toronto, Ontario M5B 1L2
e-mail: mrosenfeld at ocufa.on.ca
tel: (416) 979-2117, ext. 34
fax: (416) 593-5607
URL:http://www.ocufa.on.ca