Day Three
St. Clair
(source Local 138)
The college announced today that all
classes are cancelled -con ed, contract training, weekend college,
everything!
It might have had something to do with
the great publicity we got last night when one of our faculty members
was handcuffed and taken to the paddy wagon by the police. She was let
go after about a half hour - not charged with anything. The OPSEU lawyer
was very helpful. Great morale builder for us - the college didn't like
the negative publicity - front page of the newspaper today - and a very
supportive article.
Today's adventure was great fun - the
armbands that OPSEU sent to us didn't come with instructions - so you
can imagine how and where they were worn - pictures to follow sometime
soon.
Fanshawe
(source Local 110 G Gibson)
Walking the picket line at Fanshawe
College in London today, we experienced a real scare. A young driver
decided to run the picket line. One of our most experienced Mechanical
Engineering professors leaped out of the way - pushing off the hood of
the accelerating vehicle at the last second. This professor has taught
here for more than 30 years and is just 6 months from retiring. Another
professor of Sociology was saved by the actions of her quick thinking
colleague who managed to push her out of the path of the speeding car.
The driver, later arrested, was coming to
pick up a friend who was taking a part-time course on campus. In the two
days we have picketed that entrance, we have not blocked any one from
entering. We just asked drivers to slow down and when possible, we have
passed out leaflets explaining the faculty and student concerns.
People should understand that its teacher
that take the risks and that loss the pay to improve out colleges. The
administrators take no risks, lose no salary and win no matter the
outcome of the strike.
Fleming
(source – Local 352)
Members of Fleming's Faculty Union could
be found playing ball hockey at an entrance to Fleming's Brealey Road
campus on Wednesday. It kept folks warm and more importantly improved
the morale of the picketers and those stopped to receive information
updates as they entered campus.
Support staff, admin and students all
expressed their appreciation of the absence of any type of
confrontational attitude at the gate.
The rain on Thursday dampened the
enthusiasm for hockey but the homemade squash soup and chili prepared on
the line on a camp stove did much to keep spirits high. This was a
delightful respite from the ample, and very much appreciated, donations
of donut holes and cookies.
Both local newspapers are now dropping
complimentary copies at picket locations. While the editorial content of
these outlets has been very balanced, we believe that actions speak
louder than words and their support is also appreciated.
Loyalist
http://www.opseu420.org/Strikenews.html
(Source: local 420) Bernie Belanger
I walked the picket line last evening
with the teams of Pat Dockrill and Larry Cook. The mood was cheerful,
given that it is a picket line! It has been seventeen years since I have
walked on picket line, but it didn’t take long to remember some
important lessons.
We had a fellow pull into the driveway by
the Pioneer Building demanding to know what we would be doing for the
students now that we are on strike. He appeared agitated that we would
be putting students’ semesters in jeopardy with our strike. I told him
that “what we would be doing for students” is assisting them in their
learning endeavours. I told him about my experiences in the classes that
I teach. One course has 15 students, the other 45. The students in the
small class get a better learning experience because we have more
one-on-one interaction.
Students, I advised, are paying about
$2500 per year in tuition and other costs, so the students in this class
are getting their money’s worth. Students in my other class are not
getting the same experience; it is much more difficult to reach each
student in the way that I can with the class of 15. If we average these
classes I have 30 students. It wasn’t difficult for the chap to
understand how averaging class sizes deceives the public into thinking
that the average class size of 23 (college numbers, how they arrived at
this number is unknown) is deceptive. He left with a better
understanding of our concerns and demands for quality. If you have the
opportunity to engage in discussion with the public, tell them stories
of your teaching experiences. Your stories will resonate with listeners
because we are on the front line of college education. We know what
college students are getting for their hard earned money: more students
in a class, less time with the teacher, reduced class hours in the
timetable and increased tuition. Use the picket line as an opportunity
to get our message out to the public.
Northern
(source local 653)
Just want to pass on the good news we
received at our picket line at Northern College in Kirkland Lake on
Wednesday. Bill Laurilla, a former OPSEU local president for MNR,
stopped at our line to let us know he is scheduled to teach a gun
control course at the College. He was going in to inform the College
that he will not teach the course while the faculty is on strike.
We really appreciate his show of
solidarity.
Please send your
picket line stories to dcox@opseu.org
