Of course, I'm not trying to generate fear or anything like that (I hate the strike as much as anyone), but I think this might be an interesting discussion.

Assuming the worse case scenario (ie, York-style strike that reduces class time to almost nothing), how would you have the university proceed?

I would have there be an optional exam session for the cut classes, allowing students to either take the exam (the weight of which depends on how many assignments have been completed and marked as of the strike date) or do the courses over the summer/next year/etc. That way we could at least avoid some of the issue with losing summer jobs and things - study at home and be ready.

Sure, we;d have to be compensated for the tuition, since we would now be studying independently, but I think it's a valid course of action, shoudl things get really bad.

well, there will be no effect on math courses which are not TA dependent. physics courses will be effected if my TAs are of that kind...which i dont think they are and my comp sci TAs are good too

no use for me

Logistically, this will not be a York 2.0, the TAs at our school are not as big a part of the class as they are in York. In York the classes could not function w/o TAs, we're likely only going to have Tutorials and Lab affected (and we may end up doing more MC tests/exams if the strike lasts long enough).

The bottom line is that we won't be stopping classes, we'll just be getting less support and supplementary work in the form of Tutorials and Labs, apart from that everything will be the same. If there was a chance of a York 2.0, McMaster wouldn't have walked away from the table, that strike cost York more than any amount the TAs were asking for.

I'm going to hold onto my last bit of faith in McMaster, and say that they would not dare regress to York's level of how they handled things last year. If they do, well, call me a hypocrite and I hope the students, parents and staff don't take it without a fight.

We won't. The York strike included CLAs as well which stopped classes. York is also has a far more left-wing student body compared to ours, so the Union held more weight on campus. Furthermore, the York student union was stupid and supported the strike, but ours is not.

We'll see something more along the lines of Wilfrid Laurier's strike; the most severe thing that happened there was an increased wait time in getting grades.

Originally Posted by deadpool

We'll see something more along the lines of Wilfrid Laurier's strike; the most severe thing that happened there was an increased wait time in getting grades.

But I need those. prtnkslwuxawqkhfg. Bah grad school apps are stressful.

There either was a short TA strike or threat of a TA strike 3 or 4 years ago.

Most tutorials/labs get canceled and tests/assignments take longer to grade.

Originally Posted by FireDragoonX

There either was a short TA strike or threat of a TA strike 3 or 4 years ago.

Most tutorials/labs get canceled and tests/assignments take longer to grade.

There was the threat of a strike 3 years ago, but when the offer was put to vote, the union members accepted it.

This is different. There has been no vote, and there has been a piss-poor attempt at a strike mandate vote. Yet we are on strike.

Originally Posted by lorend

But I need those. prtnkslwuxawqkhfg. Bah grad school apps are stressful.

Straight from the horse's mouth (namely, my department head):

Prospective students (for grad school) have their grades calculated first...so there shouldn't be any significant delays, don't worry! (Infact, he gave me a funny story in which a professor was too slow with his grading, and grad schools were putting pressure on the university, so the department head just gave everyone 12's)


By the way, I'm pulling for you this year Danielle. Every once in a while I think about how awesome it's gonna be when you get your acceptance letter.

I say you throw a Macinsiders party when it happens. (:

Originally Posted by kleung

There was the threat of a strike 3 years ago, but when the offer was put to vote, the union members accepted it.

This is different. There has been no vote, and there has been a piss-poor attempt at a strike mandate vote. Yet we are on strike.

This is exactly the problem.

Let the TAs vote on the deal they're being offered. If they reject it then by all means they should go on strike because they feel they are being given an unfair deal and they don't deserve that.

The fact that the union has forced a strike without allowing union members to vote on the deal is total crap.

I'm sure Mac already has a plan in place that will make it so that this strike doesn't turn into something similar to at York. I've talked to a friend at UofT about this strike, and he told me that UofT was looking at a possible strike earlier. He said that UofT had an emergency plan ready just in case it happened, so I wouldn't be surprised if Mac has something similar.

I disagree. the York student union were not 'stupid' in supporting the strike.
I suggest reconsidering your use of words considering political science is one of your majors.

You might not agree with the stance The York student union held in supporting the strike, however what you should consider is that they actually had the *courage* to defend their principles - regardless of the criticism they were knowingly going to confront.

I would much rather have a student union that is not intimidated and refuses to be a push over rather than just standing aside and letting the issue escalate without taking a firm stance - something they are required to do as an official representative body of students.

I can understand if your philosophical views on economic policies generate a bias against unions, however it is clear that you fail to understand the perspectives and conditions the union is under and why the mechanism of a strike is the only leveraging tool the union has in getting the employer to listen to its addressing issues seriously.

So we're in agreement that school can continue without TAs? That seems like it would solve all of the problems! Just sayin..

Originally Posted by ramirez.a

I disagree. the York student union were not 'stupid' in supporting the strike.
I suggest reconsidering your use of words considering political science is one of your majors.

You might not agree with the stance The York student union held in supporting the strike, however what you should consider is that they actually had the *courage* to defend their principles - regardless of the criticism they were knowingly going to confront.

I would much rather have a student union that is not intimidated and refuses to be a push over rather than just standing aside and letting the issue escalate without taking a firm stance - something they are required to do as an official representative body of students.

I can understand if your philosophical views on economic policies generate a bias against unions, however it is clear that you fail to understand the perspectives and conditions the union is under and why the mechanism of a strike is the only leveraging tool the union has in getting the employer to listen to its addressing issues seriously.

Actually, that's bull.

The student union should only be looking out for the best interests of the students. Principles should never be involved.

Classes will still be going on. There may be issues with labs and tutorials, perhaps some grading, but it will be nowhere near as debilitating as York.