Most of our readers would be aware of the ongoing strike at York University led by CUPE 3903. York administrators have also indicated serious financial difficulties.
What people may not have realized is that the strike also affects law students at Osgoode Hall.
A second-year Osgoode student, Thomas Wisdom, shares the challenges some of his peers are facing,
First- and second-year students with summer jobs: A lot of people are ecstatic about the fact that they will be gainfully employed at law firms in the summer months… [but] they face the frustration of renegotiation start dates with their employers.
Daniel Simard, also in his second year, points out how graduating students are also impacted,
…third year students could potentially be detrimentally impacted if they have to complete their studies well into the month of May; the period perennially allotted for the fulfillment and preparation of licensing requirements mandated by the Law Society of Upper Canada, including Bar Admissions.
Parents and students have also expressed that the reputation of York University, and by extension, Osgoode Hall, may be affected.
But do all these concerns give a right to sue? The Globe & Mail mentioned yesterday that some of the families are considering a class-action lawsuit against both York University and the union.
See the rest of the post at Slaw; Simon Fodden points out that classes have resumed at Osgoode, but could a cause of action be made in the future, depending on the fallout from these students’ legal careers?
Could Osgoode Law Students Sue Over Strike?
—-
It would be good practice for them, wouldn’t it?
January 15, 2009
Message from the Deans to the York community
When CUPE 3903 went on strike in November, we all undertook to seek the
suspension, with limited exceptions, of academic activities in our
Faculties. In so doing, we acknowledged our reliance on the work of our
CUPE colleagues in helping to carry out the academic mission of the
University. In addition, we continue to recognize the importance to our
graduate students of financial support for the successful completion of
their “apprenticeship†in our profession. At the same time, we have had to
recognize the unusually severe budgetary constraints that currently
characterize all universities in the country in the midst of a worsening
economic crisis. And we have had to consider the significant negative
impact of a continuing labour disruption on all of our students, as well as
on the reputation and academic development of the University. Having all
these considerations in mind, we have reviewed the offer for settlement
tabled by the University administration (and indeed have been consulted as
negotiations were underway). We believe that the offer is a responsible
effort to meet the needs of contract faculty and graduate students in an
extremely difficult economic climate. Familiar as we are with
the budget situation in our own Faculties, we do not believe that more can
be responsibly provided. We hope CUPE members will recognize the gains they
have made, and put an end to this debilitating strike by accepting the
settlement offer.
Cynthia Archer
Nick Cercone
Robert Drummond
Dezsö Horváth
Rhonda Lenton
Kenneth McRoberts
Patrick Monahan
Doug Peers
Alice Pitt
Barbara Rahder
Barbara Sellers-Young
Harvey Skinner
*****
My thought:
York University strike is CUPE’s Waterloo
This link and many other links like it stated it, months ago.
This link was written Nov 8, the day CUPE strike started.
http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2008/11/08/2008-york-university-strike-is-cupes-waterloo/
My prof says her YUFA union executive is about tyranny of the minority and
self-interests group. YUFA union exec even forbade her to speak on a University matterin an urgent memo.
The president of YUFA Union, what is his/her name anyone, should have known better.
Can the University do more? –probably yes.
President of YUFA union set his CUPE followers up to fail.
Time for Ontario Judges or independent minds to step in to examine YUFA Exec action and union money trail.
One person comments,
>> Could Osgoode Law Students Sue Over Strike?
>> It would be good practice for them, wouldn’t it?
I have no idea.
YUFA Union President allows “pushing CUPE strike” at all costs without any consideration for reality. No general membership vote ever attempted. There is an apparent money trail.
Can some one find out his name?
http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2008/11/08/2008-york-university-strike-is-cupes-waterloo/
CUPE 3903 are the biggest contributors to the radical Ontario Coalition Against Poverty that has been pushing for a nationwide strike because they have said they want a world wide economic collapse.
No wonder nothing satisfies CUPE 3903.
From: “OCAP”
To:
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 2:54 PM
Subject: [ocap-members] CUPE 3903 Week of Action Information & OCAP Annual
General Meeting Saturday January 10th – SAVE THIS DATE!
> Strike Week of Action!
>
> CUPE 3903 PICKET DUTY & ACTIONS – WEEK OF DEC. 15
>
> In the face of the York administration’s continued disinterest in
> bargaining, a week of more diversified actions has been planned to
> lead us into the holiday break. While pickets at York Blvd. and
> Glendon will be maintained, the rest of the picket lines will be down
> in order to focus on each day’s actions.
>
> Attendance at each action will count for at least one shift of picket
> duty, and sign-up sheets for all lines will be at each action as well
> as at the remaining pickets. SEE SCHEDULE BELOW.
>
> —-
>
> 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.
>
> –
>
> 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.
>
> –
>
> 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
>
> –
>
> 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.
>
> –
>
> 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.
>
> –
>
> All the week’s actions are also being actively organized and supported
> by Alternative Duties (the 9th Picket Line)
>
> —
>
> 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.
>
> —
>
> YORK BLVD AND GLENDON LINES STILL OPERATING
>
> Can’t participate in the week’s actions or want to supplement your
> participation in those actions with regular picketing? Come out and
> support the York Boulevard (Main Gate) and Glendon picket lines, which
> will continue to operate as normal, 7 AM to 5 PM, through to Friday.
I think the University and the union should be ashamed of what they are doing to students. If you can sue both, do it. Unions were initially created to establish safety and health standards. I’ve worked with university faculties, and personaly, other than the security and maintenance people, the work is light, and all acadmically based, even at the admin level. Take the union to court…they’re screwing with other people’s lives that are keepign their members employed, (and don’t forget the government and private donors, which have contributed monies to keep the university going…having nothing to do with the union. I also wonder if the union itself has invested in the very university it despises?
Again, it’s a power struggle and there are many victims, and none of them the union leaders, who walk away with big fat paycheques, while they demand their little minions to live on scraps and walk the line.
Pathetic.