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Question about where the TAs will picket if there's a strike

 
Old 10-28-2009 at 09:45 PM   #31
sew12
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Please try to remember that these picketers will include your TAs and they will be fellow students. Don't do or say anything to them that you wouldn't want done to you (unless of course they directly provoke you).

These aren't nameless, faceless randoms that are going on strike here. These are students just like you and you may even know some of them, or have had one of them as a TA in the past.

I don't want to see a strike happen and I may not support pushy CUPE but I won't be verbally or otherwise attacking the STUDENTS who may be picketing.
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Old 10-28-2009 at 09:48 PM   #32
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You should make a sign that says that and join us on the line.
Old 10-28-2009 at 09:50 PM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by temara.brown View Post
We've got an xkcd sign already made and ready to go. Just need to get a few more scrabble boards, folding card tables and chairs.
Let me know when you decide to do that! I think a [citation needed] sign would be pretty awesome for this particular circumstance, I may have to bring one of those as well.
Old 10-28-2009 at 09:55 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dsahota View Post
Couple of things:


You can expect the major entrances for vehicles to be picketed. The whole purpose of pickets is to disrupt the Administration's ability to operate smoothly. The hospital, for obvious reasons, won't be picketed.

If you do have to drive to school, parking off campus somewhere and then taking the HSR to campus is always an option. We know its an inconvenience, but its pretty difficult to disrupt the administration without disrupting students. The sterling entrance will also be crazy because its only one lane and backs up as is. Just avoid it if at all possible.
Derek
You know what, I don't pay 350$ a year to park off campus and take the bus to school thank you very much, and I definately don't pay 6 grand a year to sit in traffic while a picket line holds things up....
thats my opinion, and I don't feel bad for feeling that way...
I understand that you feel you need to screw the administration....but why not go picket the administration buildings.... go yell your little hearts outside their windows all day long, im sure theyw ould love that, at least then you wouldnt be affecting people opportunities for education
and not only does it affect our education... how about the people who need to use those entrances to LEAVE campus and go to jobs after class? because as we all know if traffic is backed up one way, it will be the other way... you start messing with peoples lives in all aspects
thats just annoying
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Old 10-28-2009 at 09:56 PM   #35
sew12
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Let's just hope it doesn't come to that.

The University needs to suck it up and at least compromise with the (as far as I can tell) reasonable demands the TAs are asking for. I pay them more and more tuition money every year and I'd be more than happy to see some of that extra money go towards compensating the TAs I've appreciated these last few years. I've had a TA or two I didn't care for but that doesn't override the fact that most of my TAs have been genuinely nice, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and helpful people who also happen to be fellow students. They're in the same boat as you, they have to pay for school, housing, food etc and they're doing a lot more work than you by taking on the job of helping to share their knowledge of something with their fellow students on top of all the school work they have.

Reading the other thread about the strike made me realize how many people don't appreciate what TAs do for them and other people.
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Old 10-28-2009 at 10:00 PM   #36
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exactly, just effin doooo something so we dont have to even deal with the situation...
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Old 10-29-2009 at 08:37 AM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charbs View Post
Y
I understand that you feel you need to screw the administration....but why not go picket the administration buildings.... go yell your little hearts outside their windows all day long, im sure theyw ould love that, at least then you wouldnt be affecting people opportunities for education
We'd love to picket the administration buildings, unfortunately we're legally only allowed to picket at the entrances. If we came onto campus with picket signs and surrounded a building, we could (and likely would) be arrested and charged with trespassing :(.
Old 10-29-2009 at 08:41 AM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dsahota View Post
We'd love to picket the administration buildings, unfortunately we're legally only allowed to picket at the entrances. If we came onto campus with picket signs and surrounded a building, we could (and likely would) be arrested and charged with trespassing :(.
Out of curiousity why would you be charged with trespassing?
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Old 10-29-2009 at 10:09 AM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sew12 View Post
Out of curiousity why would you be charged with trespassing?
In general, the University has the right to disallow access to campus to anyone. Being on strike is more than enough reason for them to not permit us on to campus as workers to picket. If we do end up on strike, we will even have to negotiate being able to stay on the sidewalk that is part of university property (just the first few feet). This would be negotiated as part of a protocol in the first few hours after the pickets go up. We've already been warned that even a single individual carrying a picket sign or any sort of picket material across campus between the lines may be subject to arrest for trespassing.

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Old 10-29-2009 at 11:57 AM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sew12 View Post
Please try to remember that these picketers will include your TAs and they will be fellow students. Don't do or say anything to them that you wouldn't want done to you (unless of course they directly provoke you).

These aren't nameless, faceless randoms that are going on strike here. These are students just like you and you may even know some of them, or have had one of them as a TA in the past.

I don't want to see a strike happen and I may not support pushy CUPE but I won't be verbally or otherwise attacking the STUDENTS who may be picketing.
Very true and I support this statement 100%. There's no need to approach and directly attack/provoke them.

That said if any CUPE member is pushy/provocative with you, give them some lip and put them back in their place.

I support the idea of "picketing the picketers" with some mildly humourous antics.
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Old 10-29-2009 at 01:25 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Taunton View Post
I support the idea of "picketing the picketers" with some mildly humourous antics.
I agree. I hope someone does this. If I walk by and I see someone yelling random Welcome Week cheers or something, I'll join in too.
Old 10-29-2009 at 01:30 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sew12 View Post
Let's just hope it doesn't come to that.

The University needs to suck it up and at least compromise with the (as far as I can tell) reasonable demands the TAs are asking for. I pay them more and more tuition money every year and I'd be more than happy to see some of that extra money go towards compensating the TAs I've appreciated these last few years. I've had a TA or two I didn't care for but that doesn't override the fact that most of my TAs have been genuinely nice, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and helpful people who also happen to be fellow students. They're in the same boat as you, they have to pay for school, housing, food etc and they're doing a lot more work than you by taking on the job of helping to share their knowledge of something with their fellow students on top of all the school work they have.

Reading the other thread about the strike made me realize how many people don't appreciate what TAs do for them and other people.
I agree. But on the flip side, I don't think many TAs appreciate it how great they have it. I don't think their demands are reasonable (which is why I'm not supporting them), and I hope the university doesn't give in.

I don't think anyone here hates all TAs (I could be wrong, but I doubt it). I've had some perfectly fine TAs, and my TA last year graduated her masters program and now we're great friends because she is a such a nice person. But that doesn't mean I think all TAs deserve a massive pay increase. I don't think anyone with like 2 or 3 years of university education (or even someone who just graduated a 4 year program) deserves that kind of money.

I just don't want people thinking "Students are so stupid. They hate all TAs because [whatever reason] so they shouldn't get to complain!" A lot of us are fully educated on the subject and we just don't think it's fair.
Old 10-29-2009 at 01:43 PM   #43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kathy2 View Post
I don't think anyone here hates all TAs (I could be wrong, but I doubt it). I've had some perfectly fine TAs, and my TA last year graduated her masters program and now we're great friends because she is a such a nice person. But that doesn't mean I think all TAs deserve a massive pay increase. I don't think anyone with like 2 or 3 years of university education (or even someone who just graduated a 4 year program) deserves that kind of money.
The union is asking for a wage freeze for graduate TAs (approx 90% of the members by compensation), so a massive pay increase isn't going to happen (unless it gets forced on us). The bigger issue is finding a way to address the 8% / year tuition increases that are planned and classes which (in some departments) are too large. If the tuition increases keep up, a Ph.D student starting now would be paying 36% more in tuition by the end of their degree. Similarly, a first year undergraduate student will be paying 17% more than they are currently. Neither of those numbers are acceptable and we need to find ways to address that.

For undergrad TAs there is a significant pay increase on the table.
Old 10-29-2009 at 01:57 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dsahota View Post
The union is asking for a wage freeze for graduate TAs (approx 90% of the members by compensation), so a massive pay increase isn't going to happen (unless it gets forced on us). The bigger issue is finding a way to address the 8% / year tuition increases that are planned and classes which (in some departments) are too large. If the tuition increases keep up, a Ph.D student starting now would be paying 36% more in tuition by the end of their degree. Similarly, a first year undergraduate student will be paying 17% more than they are currently. Neither of those numbers are acceptable and we need to find ways to address that.

For undergrad TAs there is a significant pay increase on the table.
Wait, so now you're fighting for lower tuition costs?
Old 10-29-2009 at 02:09 PM   #45
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyV View Post
Wait, so now you're fighting for lower tuition costs?
According to some of the CUPE literature they're not fighting for lower tuition costs since that's not really their area (but I'm sure they would appreciate it) but they're saying that the University keeps increasing tuition costs and last year specifically they increased it by the maximum legal amount (4% for Undergrads, 8% for Graduates) but this money isn't being used to help the TAs in any way which would fall under bettering education which is alledgedly what the University is trying to do by asking for more money to fund education. (Long run on sentence, I know).

The package the TAs/RAs union CUPE is asking for is apparently only a very small percentage of this additional money the University collected this year by increasing tuition, and presumably they will increase tuition again next year and still no money will go towards the TAs.

That is what the claim is but I'm sure if tuition had frozen or decreased they'd be just as happy with that.

As far as I can tell though the biggest issues aren't pay increases (though they are asking for one for Undergrad TAs) but more the TAs want to be compensated for more hours because right now they are only compensated for 260 hours a year and they feel they work more than that.
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