[lorend]

CUPE Meeting: 4pm on November 1st

*Update* 7pm

Ratification vote for most-recent offer given by University rejected.

More details to follow as they come available.

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Dear Colleagues,

As you are probably already aware, CUPE 3906 has indicated that they will be striking tomorrow morning. They will be having an information meeting regarding the strike today at 4:00 PM in Burridge Gym. Sign in for this meeting will be starting at 3:00 PM.

IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THIS MEETING WILL INVOLVE A VOTE ON THE UNIVERSITY'S FINAL OFFER.

It is for this reason that I ask you to take a couple minutes out of your day to contact anyone you know in Unit 1 and encourage them to attend this meeting. It is possibly the last real chance we have to avert a strike. I am aware that this is a long shot, but if there is a low meeting turnout and there is a vote, we will surely have a strike.

Thank you in advance for your efforts,

Chris Martin
Vice-President (Education)
McMaster Students Union

Everyone who knows TAs and RAs with CUPE 3906 Unit 1 make sure you call/text/e-mail/IM whatever them and make sure they know about this meeting and find out if they can be there. Its short notice but its very important. Don't assume they know about it, they should have been informed by now but who knows. Make sure to tell them to pass the information on to any other TAs and RAs they know as well. Its important that as many union members as possible show up to this meeting. Every little bit helps in getting the word out. If you know someone in the union make sure they know about this meeting.

This information is completely incorrect.

It is legally impossible for there to be a vote on the final offer at the meeting this afternoon. The 3906 bylaws dictate that there must be notification before a ratification vote.

Our VP Education should get his information straight.

Originally Posted by .:callen:.

This information is completely incorrect.

It is legally impossible... The 3906 bylaws...

The bylaws of an organization are not legally binding in a Canadian court of law. It's "legally" possible for a vote to happen.

Surely it must be in the CUPE constitution/bylaws that the organization is supposed to be democratic in nature... they're breaking their own laws already. Surely it won't matter if they do it once more.

Ugh Taunton, I obviously meant in accordance with the locals bylaws. Not the laws of the land.

They are democratic, hence why there has to be NOTICE to the membership before a possible vote on a collective agreement! It wouldn't be fair to allow business to be conducted at a special meeting if the membership wasn't made aware of it before.

The bottom line is that the final offer won't be voted on and our VP Education is making people think it will be. This is unacceptable.

Originally Posted by .:callen:.

They are democratic, hence why there has to be NOTICE to the membership before a possible vote on a collective agreement! It wouldn't be fair to allow business to be conducted at a special meeting if the membership wasn't made aware of it before.

from the 3906 Constitution:

"12. STRIKES
A strike vote, if called by the Bargaining Committee, shall be commenced
at a General membership Meeting, or a Special General Membership
Meeting. Voting by secret ballot of union members shall be held on two
(2) consecutive days, and strike action is authorized if the majority of
those voting vote in favor of a strike."

There was never a strike vote before this decision to strike happened.

Go pretend to be democratic elsewhere.

Taunton, The strike mandate vote happened back in August/September.

It happened over many days making sure that as many members could get out to vote as possible. The Bargaining Team got a strike mandate allowing them to call a labour disruption if need be.

Originally Posted by .:callen:.

Taunton, The strike mandate vote happened back in August/September.

A strike mandate vote is not the same as a strike vote, which has been explained on these boards and elsewhere (including the CUPE blog) many, many times.

It doesn't change the fact that the union constitution requires the membership to vote on the decision to strike, and this hasn't happened.

Isn't it convenient when you can choose not to follow rules when they don't suit you?

Originally Posted by .:callen:.

This information is completely incorrect.

It is legally impossible for there to be a vote on the final offer at the meeting this afternoon. The 3906 bylaws dictate that there must be notification before a ratification vote.

Our VP Education should get his information straight.

Actually it's accurate information. Concerned members of CUPE (myself included) have been trying to force them to change the name of this "General meeting" to an "Information session" for this reason (the 3906 bylaws)...but as far as everyone knows (including the president of CUPE) there's a vote on the final offer scheduled for 4pm.


It feels to me like CUPE's trying to play us...if there's strong support in favour of a strike then 'the meeting counts.' But if there's strong support against the strike, then they'll claim it doesn't count because it wasn't legal (without 24 hours notice).

Does anyone know how likely it is that there could be a change of a strike or not?

I'm trying to be realistic, and in doing so it seems unlikely at this point...At least, that we won't 'fix the problem before the strike begins.'

But we can all hope for the best! Namely that it will either be fixed, or that the strike will be short and sweet.

Originally Posted by jordanrogers

Does anyone know how likely it is that there could be a change of a strike or not?

If the membership actually gets to vote, then it seems quite strong, although there's no way to be certain.

Hopefully CUPE does the right thing and actually allows the membership to vote. Lord knows CUPE needs a bit of a reputation boost.

5 minutes

Hopefully people showed up at the meeting.

If they aren't doing a vote today they should at least be listening to members who say they want a vote and planning a legal vote sometime very soon.

"
Nov. 1, 2009

A message from McMaster University to Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants (holding an RA in lieu of a TA)
After almost 24 straight hours of negotiations CUPE 3906, Unit 1 rejected the University's latest and best contract offer.

At the same time, the union’s bargaining team decided TAs and RAs shouldn’t be given the opportunity to make their opinions known. They have refused a University request to let you vote on this offer."


I got this off the McMaster labour relations update website...so a vote doesnt seem likely today...as far as I read..correct me if I'm wrong please