Hey guys,

im hearing a lot about this strike. Has it started ? How much will it affect us ?

Anyone got any details they'd like to share ?

- Abhi

I don't know much about it myself,
but it is supposed to start the 4th of September.

If there IS a strike, classes will go on, anyway.
oh, and Titles will still be open..

(haha, I got an e-mail saying so )

http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...ghlight=strike
There's detailed information there if you're interested in further reading.

In a nutshell, the Canadian Auto Workers are considering striking on September 4th if the university does not meet their specific demands regarding pensions for new members.


Classes will go on however other services such as the Registrar's Office and OSAP pick up etc may/will be affected. TA's will continue to teach as will professors, however people are worrying a great deal due to the possibility of picket lines, other groups striking in solidarity and so on.

CSD (Centre for Student Development) and Titles expect to remain open during a strike from what I understand though clarification is always welcome.

The university has already given its final offer (http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca /image...ust%2031 .pdf) and there will be voting on sept 2 and 3 where the administrative and technical staff members will either accept or say no to the final offer. A "no" vote by the majority will result in a strike.
http://www.mcmaster.ca/opr/labour_relations/caw.html

Just a heads up to everyone, I spoke to a couple prof's over the phone and they advised me to purchase any course materials, or books from the bookstores NOW, because, in the event of a strike the book stores will be run by management which will result in HUGE wait times to get in the store, and LONG lines.

ALSO my prof's advised me that in the event of a strike picketers will more than likely be blocking off entrances to the school, making it especially hard for HSR buses, GO buses, and vehicles to get into campus. If this does happen, it'd be best to get off the bus just outside campus, and walk-in.

On a side note, does anyone know what the chances of this strike happening are? I take the bus and I really don't wanna get stuck with angry picketers blocking my way to class.

I thought it was illegal to / you can't block entrances.

Man, I'd walk right through that crowd.... just to piss them off.

I didn't even know McMaster was a legal place to picket...

Originally Posted by micadjems

I thought it was illegal to / you can't block entrances.

Man, I'd walk right through that crowd.... just to piss them off.

I don't know about it being illegal, but they did do it at the York strike. It took people more than an hour to get past the picketers. I know from experience because I visited friends who lived on campus during that strike.

They blocked the entrances so much so that the GO buses refused to drop-off inside campus, they instead dropped off on the street outside campus. Come to think of it pretty much every strike that had to do with facility's like this had entrances blocked off. It's almost like it's a strike tradition, lol.

Originally Posted by micadjems

I thought it was illegal to / you can't block entrances.

Man, I'd walk right through that crowd.... just to piss them off.

"Where's my burrito?! Where's my burrito?!"

Just curious, why would McMaster be an illegal place to picket? I'd assume it's because of the hospital? Although they can still block off entrances to the actual University itself without blocking the hospital, which I wouldn't be suprised to see happen.

Originally Posted by Greco

Just curious, why would McMaster be an illegal place to picket? I'd assume it's because of the hospital? Although they can still block off entrances to the actual University itself without blocking the hospital, which I wouldn't be suprised to see happen.

Yeah, I would assume because it contains a hospital they wouldn't be allowed to picket.

Originally Posted by jhan523

Yeah, I would assume because it contains a hospital they wouldn't be allowed to picket.

The only entrance that I could see them blocking, is the one on Emerson.

Originally Posted by micadjems

Man, I'd walk right through that crowd.... just to piss them off.

Agreed. I'm going to be so angry if I'm prevented from going to class. I'll dig an underground tunnel with spoons if I have to. Or build a huge human catapult and just launch myself into campus.

I really don't understand what picket lines try to achieve. Do they think that if they piss off enough people who have absolutely no bearing on the matter they're more likely to get what they want?

They could block off the main entrance as well.

It branches off into two roadways, one leading to the hospital, and the other to the University. I could see them blocking off the University roadway, the one the buses that come off of Main St. use to go into the bus terminal where the Health Sci. building is and such.

Originally Posted by Geek

I really don't understand what picket lines try to achieve. Do they think that if they piss off enough people who have absolutely no bearing on the matter they're more likely to get what they want?

That's pretty much exactly what they think it'll achieve. Either way i'm getting to class, one way or another lol!