How likely is the TA strike that is threatened for this weekend? Also if there is a strike what will it actually affect?

Check out this really great release from the MSU here

Basically, it's too early to tell if there is going to be a strike, because there are marathon negotiations happening this week. Both sides (CUPE 3906 and the University) are working hard to come to agreements on the "sticky points" of the agreement. No one wants to see a strike happen.

The MSU website and President’s Page of the Silhouette will continue to post impartial information during a strike scenario. For more information, please feel free to contact VP (Education) Chris Martin at extension 24017 or [email protected]. Also, please view the blog of CUPE Local 3906 and the McMaster Daily News for updates from both the Union and the University.

I don't know how each group is working, but I want to say that I think the tendency would be to avoid it, with York still looming over everyone's head.

Originally Posted by britb

I don't know how each group is working, but I want to say that I think the tendency would be to avoid it, with York still looming over everyone's head.

Yes, you would think (as we all would), but unions don't think like normal people.

LOL. I believe in what their meant for - to protect employees from abuse - but I think they need to acknowledge that there are hundreds, thousands of people willing to take their place, esspecially with things being as they are.

Can't they just do all this in the summer, when there are waaaay less students to be screwed? They would have a lot more time to properly negotiate, etc.

Originally Posted by britb

LOL. I believe in what their meant for - to protect employees from abuse - but I think they need to acknowledge that there are hundreds, thousands of people willing to take their place, esspecially with things being as they are.

Can't they just do all this in the summer, when there are waaaay less students to be screwed? They would have a lot more time to properly negotiate, etc.

We actually tried to negotiate all summer so everything would be sorted out by September 1st. Unfortunately, a lot of the administration take vacation in the summer and had to cancel a lot of our negotiating days, so by the end of the summer we were only still at the initial monetary packages for both sides. Its not anyone's fault, its the reality of a University that no one is able to take vacation during the school year, so everyone ends up on vacation in the summer.

As for the probability of a strike, jmbauman basically said it perfectly. Its a possibility, but there's still 2 whole days of marathon bargaining to go. Both sides want to avert a strike and hopefully we'll find a way to get a deal done. Updates will be posted on the weekend to let everyone know what's happening on Monday morning. Please also don't be alarmed if you see CUPE 3906 members being more visible on campus towards the end of this week. There can't and won't be any labour disruption until after October 31, 12:01am.

I just got this email from the University: (and PS, ALL McMaster communication is done through @mcmaster.ca , so if you're getting other emails, ignore them)

October 26, 2009
A message to our students from McMaster University

CUPE Local 3906, Unit 1 which represents Teaching Assistants and some Research Assistants will be in a legal strike position as of 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, October 31. A work stoppage will only happen if the union calls a strike. McMaster will not lock out TAs and RAs.

Negotiations to reach a new contract have been underway for several months. Here ’s an overview of progress to date:

• The University and union have been meeting since June and we’ve made good progress, with agreement on the majority of contract language.
• The University is offering TAs and RAs a raise of $1.30 an hour (Class A - $39.30/hr., Class B - $22.05/hr.).
• Talks continue October 29 and 30 and the University believes a deal is within reach.

As these talks continue, McMaster’s top priority continues to be our students and providing the best quality education. The University will remain open and classes will continue.

However, there will be some changes and impacts should the union decide to strike. Here are a few reminders for students:

• Classes will continue but there could be changes in classroom and lecture hall locations. Your instructor will inform you of these changes.

• Tutorials and labs could be affected. Your instructor will provide information about any changes and every effort will be made to minimize the impact of these changes.

• If you have yet to activate your McMaster e-mail account, you should do so now. You will be receiving regular updates via your McMaster e-mail address. If you have a question about your McMaster e-mail address, visit https://mugsi.mcmaster.ca

You can find updated information at:

• • • The Daily News – http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca
    • The Students information website: http://mcmaster.ca/opr/students_parents/student.html
    • The Parents information website: http://mcmaster.ca/opr/students_parents/parent.html
    • McMaster’s Twitter feed - http://twitter.com/McMasterUpdates

If there is a strike and the union sets up picket lines at the University there will be delays getting onto campus. You will need to take this into consideration when planning your travel to and from McMaster.

i just got a flyer by CUPE that said the university didn't respond to any of their major issues... Salary wasn't one of them

l.o.l.
This issue is so ridiculous that it's funny.

Originally Posted by jmbauman

If there is a strike and the union sets up picket lines at the University there will be delays getting onto campus. You will need to take this into consideration when planning your travel to and from McMaster.

Which is pretty crappy for those of us who already get up at 5:30am to get to school on time :(

I see that picket lines have a use, if they cause enough of a ruckus that the uni has to listen, but as a student:

The issue is with the uni, not us. Please do not picket and get in student's way - we just want to get to class. Besides, I don't think students have much of a say in this, it's not like making a few people miss class is going to halt everything, since they do it all the time.

Making students scared or late or whatever won't bother the admin unless it's a huge group. I.e; hititng students isn't really all that productive. Picketing the campus is going to hit students mostly - how many times to do you see the Pres strolling around MUSC?

Besides, pickets make me uneasy - with all the shouting and things, I don't feel safe near people who do that - they're in an emotional state and might do some stupid things.

Originally Posted by Afzal

i just got a flyer by CUPE that said the university didn't respond to any of their major issues... Salary wasn't one of them

Wages aren't really an issue in that we're not asking for more. For graduate TAs we've asked for a wage freeze and to instead use the money normally put into wages to address the other issues on the flyer. The University Administration wants to put money into wages, (hence the raises they quote). Its a really strange situation, and it does drive me only slightly nuts that they haven't agreed to freeze wages 5 months after we asked for it (and have continued to ask for it) :|.

Originally Posted by britb

I see that picket lines have a use, if they cause enough of a ruckus that the uni has to listen, but as a student:

The issue is with the uni, not us. Please do not picket and get in student's way - we just want to get to class. Besides, I don't think students have much of a say in this, it's not like making a few people miss class is going to halt everything, since they do it all the time.

Making students scared or late or whatever won't bother the admin unless it's a huge group. I.e; hititng students isn't really all that productive. Picketing the campus is going to hit students mostly - how many times to do you see the Pres strolling around MUSC?

Besides, pickets make me uneasy - with all the shouting and things, I don't feel safe near people who do that - they're in an emotional state and might do some stupid things.

Generally speaking, its only vehicular traffic that will be delayed. We may have information pickets to hand out flyers to foot passengers (like at Convocation last year), but we're not going to be stopping people from walking on to campus. That would just be ridiculous. The bad delays that typically occur if McMaster gets picketed are along Sterling and then onto King through Westdale. The backup occurs because its only one lane and can be messy even without a picket up. City and Go buses won't cross the picket line but will use alternate stops somewhere else. Main street is nice and big and wide and certainly can't be picketed.

That being said, the first day or two of a strike tends to be a bit of chaos especially as the buses get their routes sorted out and the people who weren't aware anything was going to happen get caught off guard. If a strike occurs, if would be wise to give yourself a significant amount of extra time to get to class on the first couple of days. After that things will either get sorted out at the table, or settle into a pretty orderly pattern.

A lot of the videos you see of pickets and stuff where things are crazy are typically just a 30 second clip selected by the media to show the worst of what happens in a many weeks long strike. Most of the time, its just a group of workers orderly walking back and forth maybe singing to keep up spirits. Its actually somewhat anti-climatic and a lot less drama than you would expect.

P.S. picketing and delaying primarily vehicles does hit the administration and staff disproportionately more than students. The majority of the admin and staff at McMaster drive onto campus and park, and would get delayed.

Also, if a strike does happen - I don't expect it to be as bad as York. Professors are really working to develop contingency plans to allow their course to continue to run smoothly. As well, I've heard a lot of TAs are interested in crossing the picket line. I think it will be a hassle and will negatively affect students, but I don't think to the degree that it did at York. McMaster's much smarter than that

is anyone else annoyed by the amount of paper waste being generated by the flyers that are being handed out?..I mean ive been handed a flyer 3 times in the last week