Do you have some thoughtful commentary that won't fit in the mail bag. Send us your letter. Keep it clean, keep it factual, keep it fair and balanced and most of all keep it legal. Above all let us know what you THINK about the CUPE 1975 Strike.
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Send your comments to mailbag@sasktel.net with a subject heading of "Commentary"
Did you know that the Supreme Court of Canada has recently ruled that collective bargaining is a constitutional right? "Collective bargaining also enhances the Charter value of equality. One of the fundamental achievements of collective bargaining is to palliate the historical inequality between employers and employees." [Nov 13, 2007 09:04 AM]
This year, the university’s centennial, saw nearly every major employee group on campus either take a strike vote or prepare for one, in response to the employer’s bargaining agenda. When CUPE 1975 members walked out on November 2, it marked only the second strike in the local’s history. [Nov 19, 2007 11:23 AM]
"The University of Saskatchewan offers more than just a job. We offer excellent career paths, the opportunity for employees to build long-term financial stability and to fulfill their commitments both on the job and in their personal lives"...Usask HR web site.....Unfortunately, times have changed since the HR department posted the above.. [Nov 20, 2007 06:14 AM]
Salary increments should never be based on a supervisor's performance review, particularly when workers have no right to an appeal. That approach breeds favoritism from the boss and division among workers.... Union members across the province support you in your struggle for fairness and dignity. [Nov 21, 2007 09:42 AM]
SUN members to join the line at 11 a.m. today Members of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, meeting in Saskatoon this week, are taking a break from their conference to walk with us on the picket line. [Nov 21, 2007 09:24 AM]
Your resolve to defend your Collective Agreements and ensure fair and just working conditions for your memberships is empowering to our local. We too are at the bargaining table and are facing concessions on our pensions and benefits. Your fight is our fight! [Nov 21, 2007 10:38 AM]
I just want to personally let you know that myself and other members of ASPA and the faculty in our College support your position and I am very disappointed that the University has rejected your proposal to mediation - very sad. [Nov 21, 2007 08:37 PM]
...before this current strike the U of S only averted labour disruptions with the faculty and sessional union with last minute deals. The university administration appears to be following a destructive bargaining pattern here that likely creates animosity towards the employer that lingers long after settlements are finally reached. [Nov 22, 2007 10:44 PM]
Kurt Wetzel, a professor at the Edwards School of Business, spoke at the rally and refused to cross the picket line Thursday, so he held his industrial relations class on the line. "They need to pick up the ambiance because as long as they're in there taking classes there's no reality. They need to rub shoulders with the working class," he said, adding that it was a great learning experience for his students. [Nov 23, 2007 05:26 AM]
"I teach management at this university and I think the way this thing [bargaining] has been conducted by the university is appalling. It's ignorant. It's appalling. And it's disgraceful." [Nov 23, 2007 10:35 AM]
This contract will shape the future contracts to follow ... I encourage you to come to the meeting set up before the vote as you will be given a breakdown on what the offer will be and won’t be, what we will gain and what we will lose. [Nov 23, 2007 05:36 PM]
IT IS WORSE THAN WHAT WAS OFFERED WHEN WE WENT ON STRIKE. [Nov 24, 2007 12:19 PM]
PLEASE read below taken directly from Aspa's website to see what could very well happen to our "performance based" increments: (aka "merit based in Aspa") I have been a member of Aspa and I personally know some high performance members of Aspa and who were denied their increments. [Nov 24, 2007 02:09 PM]
Uof S's HR website..."If you want the strike to end, you should vote yes. If you want the strike to continue, you should vote no." This is a disgusting attempt at manipulation on the part of the U of S. EVERYONE wants the strike to end. [Nov 24, 2007 07:44 PM]
Open letter to Peter MacKinnon The words in your open letter to the University of Saskatchewan Community would be welcome indeed if it were possible to imagine that you had nothing to do with the horrendous labour relations on this campus... [Nov 25, 2007 02:46 PM]
Open Letter from Peter MacKinnon. In the future I would appreciate it if you did not use your unique privilege of having access to the campus wide PAWS emailing system to spread your rhetoric and push your agenda to students and others on campus....you have also failed to provide a clear policy on what is considered ‘spam’ and what is acceptable to send out from your office and through the PAWS system [Nov 25, 2007 04:02 PM]
MacKinnon’s letter also doesn’t explain why he and the bargaining team refused the union’s offer on November 21 to refer the two outstanding issues to mediation and end the strike in two working days. [Nov 25, 2007 06:27 PM]
Two Fridays ago I missed the picket line to travel to Edmonton. On the Saturday I was inducted into the Royal Society of Canada. On stage listening to my citation, I realized how much I owe to the University’s support workers and how little to senior Admin. [Nov 25, 2007 06:48 PM]
I have to admit that I am having a hard time finding anything that is "improved" in this version. They (HR) have certainly made every attempt to "sell" everyone on how good and reasonable it is. [Nov 25, 2007 08:42 PM]
If vote YES: "You will have forfeited a month’s wages for nothing, as nothing will have changed. Your employer will never take you seriously again; this will impact all future negotiations because they will think you are weak. Performance based increments undermine your guarantees for a yearly increase; there is no accountability for how your employer determines who gets what..." [Nov 25, 2007 09:36 PM]