Jan 27, 2009 03:50 PM
Sunny Freeman
Staff Reporter
Four people were arrested today on charges of assaulting police officers outside Queen’s Park during a rally against the proposed legislation to send striking York University employees back to work.
Toronto police received calls about the demonstration around noon, said Toronto police Const. Tony Vella.
Several police officers, and at least a dozen cruisers from various units arrived at Queen’s Park shortly after, he said.
Two men and two women were arrested on charges of assault, assaulting a police officer, and obstructing police.
Four police officers received minor injuries in the incident, Vella said.
The four suspects were protesters, Vella said, but added he did not know their affiliation to the university. They are being processed at 52 Division headquarters.
During the rally, organized by CUPE local 3903, protesters met outside the Ministry of Labour around 10 a.m. and then marched to Queen’s Park.
Premier Dalton McGuinty recalled the legislature on the weekend to introduce a bill aimed at ending the 12-week strike at Canada’s third-largest university.
The bill is supported by the Opposition Progressive Conservatives but the New Democrats oppose it.
That means the legislation may not become law until Thursday, and students will have to wait until at least next week to return to class.
The union says McGuinty should use the time before the bill passes to restart the bargaining process.
About 50,000 students saw classes cancelled on Nov. 6 when 3,400 teaching assistants, contract faculty and graduate assistants walked off the job.
About 5,000 students were able to return this week to attend courses taught by tenured professors under a special deal with the university.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/578029
105 Comments
January 27, 2009 at 2:17 pm
s0
January 27, 2009 at 2:21 pm
http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090127/090127_york_strike/20090127/?hub=CP24Home
thoughts?
January 27, 2009 at 2:23 pm
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday he’s “more than prepared” to urge York University to return to the bargaining table but added his government stands behind yet-to-be passed legislation to end a strike that’s crippled Canada’s third-largest university.
“We will do everything we can to make sure that we get young people back in the classroom at the earliest possible opportunity,” McGuinty said in the legislature. “We will assume our responsibility.”
The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which hasn’t ruled out a court challenge of the back-to-work bill, blames the university for the deadlock.
Union officials called on the government Tuesday to give bargaining one more chance, saying if the premier throws his weight around they are convinced an agreement can be reached before the bill, tied up in political wrangling, is passed — eliminating the need for a court challenge.
The union said it made every effort to resolve the dispute, even dropping its wage demands, when a top provincial mediator was dispatched last week by McGuinty in a last-ditch effort to end the strike.
“Now is the moment. If ever there was a crunch, it was now,” said Tyler Shipley, a spokesman for CUPE Local 3903.
“We want to go back to class. We want to go back to work.”
Growing frustration over the protracted labour dispute spilled over into a confrontation with police during a union-organized march to the legislature. Four people were arrested during the rally that repeated the call to restart negotiations.
One person faces charges of assaulting a police officer.
“Negotiate, don’t legislate,” teaching assistant Noaman Ali chanted to the crowd of some 200 people.
Wayne Samuelson, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, told the rally the government “should pass a law to send your employer back to the bargaining table so you can negotiate a collective agreement.”
Lydie Brawer saw the protest from an office building across the street, threw on a coat, and went over to confront them.
“I want my kids to go back to school,” said the mother of two York students — one in fourth year who’s in jeopardy of not graduating, and a son in first year who she said has “lost his appetite” for university.
“I sympathize with (the striking workers), but that’s enough now. They have to think about the kids.”
Some 75 people later broke off from the main rally and headed to the police station where the four were taken. The crowd was confronted with barricades, some 25 police officers and nine officers on horseback before the peaceful demonstration dispersed after about 30 minutes.
The protracted strike has also angered many students, who fear their entire year may be wasted if their teachers don’t return to the classroom soon.
Pushing York University back to the table isn’t going to help, said Catherine Divaris, who helped organize a coalition of fellow students who oppose the strike.
“They’ve been trying to negotiate for 12 weeks, I mean, what’s the point?” she said.
“We’re so close to getting back to class now, that would just be devastating. I think students … would just lose complete faith in this entire process.”
The coalition is organizing a students rally at the legislature Wednesday to demand action to end the strike.
McGuinty recalled the legislature last weekend to introduce the back-to-work bill, hoping all parties would agree to pass it quickly.
The New Democrats oppose it, and have shot down every attempt to speed its passage in the legislature.
That means the legislation may not become law until Thursday, and students will have to wait until next week to return to class.
Some 50,000 students saw classes cancelled on Nov. 6 when 3,400 teaching assistants, contract faculty and graduate assistants walked off the job.
About 5,000 students were able return Monday to attend courses taught by tenured professors under a special deal with the university.
Source: cp24
January 27, 2009 at 2:24 pm
@ moo
wow! good find. So now what?
January 27, 2009 at 2:26 pm
McGuinty has already stated he won’t be delaying BTWL to give restarting bargaining a shot. It’s just for show.
January 27, 2009 at 2:27 pm
@ B.
He also said he wouldn’t even enforce BTWL.
January 27, 2009 at 2:27 pm
now if only the rest of the union supporters were that stupid….
January 27, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Now what? Write your local NDP representative and make it clear that their party has no political future in Ontario if it continues to pursue the rights of public sector unions over those of the paid university students.
The circus has to stop. Howard is taking no risks currently by supporting his core constituency – the lazy and shiftless – ahem, public sector unions – make his supporters realize it is political suicide.
Meanwhile, the BTWL will go through, no matter how long the wool-sweater socialists try to stall it, and no matter how many tears CUPE sheds.
January 27, 2009 at 2:30 pm
1. Just when we thought CUPE couldn’t get any more childish, they start assaulting police officers. Lovely.
2. The reason the government is legislating CUPE back to work is because the two sides are clearly not going to come to a compromise. Urging York to bargain for two more days is totally useless.
January 27, 2009 at 2:30 pm
@ so – where has he said this? If he doesn’t plan on enforcing it, why the hell is he wasting tax dollars with this emergency sitting of the legislature?
January 27, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I said earlier that less crazies on the street is a good thing. It’s good to see that the Toronto police agree concur.
January 27, 2009 at 2:34 pm
@ B.
Before calling back the emergency sitting he said he probably wasn’t going to enforce BTWL, but I see what you mean. Its just hard trying to believe that it will be passed. It will eventually tho. He just might postpone it. who knowes?
January 27, 2009 at 2:35 pm
BTW, this is CUPE’s version of the story:
“As demonstrators attempted to march up university avenue to queen’s park, they were violently stopped by police officers from 52 division. The Chief Security marshall along with four other demonstrators were subjected to police assault and brutally dragged away and arrested.”
http://www.3903strike.ca/police-brutally-arrest-five-3903-peaceful-demonstrators
Lol, lol, lol.
January 27, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Look up “ralph435z” video called “strike protest.”
It has CUPE from today. And just when I thought they couldn’t sink any lower…
January 27, 2009 at 2:36 pm
The press was nowhere to be seen for the first half hour or so when a lot of
stuff went down, so be careful of what you hear.
I was at 52 Divison today at 11:30 with about 8 or 9 others trying to find out
about our comrades.
We discovered that they were in the vans in the back so we tried to move around
to let them know we were there in support – the cops shut us out and threatened
us with arrest for “trespassing” if we didn’t move away from the fence and onto
the sidewalk – apparently the police station is “private property”…right.
The number of detainees given by the cops was initially four, then five. There
was report of a sixth member arrested, but this was unconfirmed as far as I
know. While we know the identities of the initial four, they refused to name
anyone at all.
The cops also forced our members who went inside out of the building, physically
assaulted three members when they tried to enter the precinct,
pushed us back to the sidewalk and refused to allow us access to either the
building or to our incarcerated comrades. Oh, that and they also verbally abused
people who tried to intervene (including the usual racist crap) and then of
course refused to give their identification numbers or proper names when these
were demanded of them.
For the first while (seemed like about 45 mins or so) there were 28 cops sent
out to form a barrier with bodies and bikes and attempt to intimidate the 8 or 9
of us who were there.
Further, they also refused to allow a person (not sure if he was a member or
not) who had been punched in the face by a cop at the rally to enter the
building to file a complaint…flat out refused.
Our lawyer also faced some difficulties both even entering the building and
getting access to the prisoners. They even denied her the right to represent one
of our incarcerated members unless he specifically asked for her to represent
him – she could not even tell him that she was there.
She finally worked out a deal to gain access so long as we “backed off” from the
barricade and stayed out on the sidewalk. We moved back and at the same time as
the 7 (yes seven) horse cops started to arrive and the metal barriers were
erected around the police station (yeah! the same ones we use..that was funny),
a group from the rally arrived to shore up our numbers.
After some grandstanding by both sides and a bit of chanting and after our
lawyer informed us that it would be hours before any progress was made, we
decided it would be better to move the whole group to the GMM to deal with the
immediate problem of bargaining rather than stand and provoke an incident (which
they were clearly hoping for based on the way they attempted to provoke both the
small and the large groups in various ways).
January 27, 2009 at 2:37 pm
@JR I wonder how CUPE’s national leadership feels about the optics here.
Can’t imagine they are thrilled with the local ‘leadership’.
January 27, 2009 at 2:37 pm
“Four police officers received minor injuries in the incident, Vella said.”
I’m sure. Poor cops.
January 27, 2009 at 2:39 pm
my prof emailed me and is super pissed. he doesnt want to go back and is against BTWL. I dont like going back in these conditions. There’s gonna be so many protests and demonstartions @ Vari hall, I dont even want to think about it.
January 27, 2009 at 2:39 pm
My god, those poor CUPE protestors! How unrelentingly brutal! How shocking! How appalling! Words cannot express my outrage!
Get real.
January 27, 2009 at 2:42 pm
so really, what happenes if it doesnt work out on thursday????
January 27, 2009 at 2:44 pm
@ Baran
Wait until it goes through? Thats all students can really do – wait!
January 27, 2009 at 2:44 pm
@ so
I’m pretty sure there are very few people left, profs included, that still side with CUPE. I mean, how could you not be pissed off by their self-serving, childish, arrogant behaviour?
January 27, 2009 at 2:44 pm
I BET THEY THOUGHT IF ONE PERSON DOES IT THE WHOLE GROUP WILL!!!!
BOY ARE THEY STUPID
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!
LIKE ANYONE IS GOING TO HIRE SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO ATTACK A POLICE OFFICER!!!
idiot
January 27, 2009 at 2:46 pm
@ JR
youre right. I guess my prof is the self serving, childish, arrogant type.
January 27, 2009 at 2:46 pm
These kids have watched V for Vendetta one too many times…
(good movie, but get real CUPE)
January 27, 2009 at 2:48 pm
seriously, is school starting monday or not?
January 27, 2009 at 2:52 pm
LOL at these clowns
January 27, 2009 at 2:56 pm
@Another bloody CUPE troll
You say “there were 28 cops sent out to form a barrier with bodies and bikes and attempt to intimidate the 8 or 9 of us who were there.”
I passed by — can’t remember exactly when but probably around 1 PM. Looked like there were at least several dozen protesters facing down the cops.
You also seem to believe that police stations should be freely accessible, even to troublemakers. Why is that?
January 27, 2009 at 3:07 pm
@so
What is the name of the professor?
January 27, 2009 at 3:10 pm
no offense but some of you posters are so frickin’ naive it makes me wonder if you’ve ever read a history book. institutions do the best they can! politicians care about us!the police are always on the right side and they always say it the way it happened!
if i may paraphrase some posters, i don’t think its only ‘CUPE’ members who have to acquaint themselves with the “real world.”
January 27, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Think for yourself; Question authority.
January 27, 2009 at 3:20 pm
@me
Just because the please aren’t always acting in the right, does not mean that they are always wrong.
January 27, 2009 at 3:21 pm
The police didn’t do anything wrong by not allowing you to come into the station, they are detaining people and you were trying to show your support for them and get them out. They avoided a potential problem inside their headquarters and kept you outside – how do they know, assuming the police were actually the ones who instigated, that you wouldn’t retaliate? Police get crapped on by everyone for trying to maintain order, i’m sure they were in the wrong for making sure a protest of 200 angry CUPE members being forced back to class didn’t go out of hand. Grow up.
January 27, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are going in this ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities, the political, the religious, the educational authorities who attempted to comfort us by giving us order, rules, regulations, informing, forming in our minds their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority and learn how to put yourself in a state of vulnerable, open-mindedness; chaotic, confused, vulnerability to inform yourself.
Think for yourself.
Question authority.
January 27, 2009 at 3:31 pm
@ Third Eye
I question the relevancy of labour unions in the 21st century, especially when their interests are placed above the futures of our nation’s young people.
January 27, 2009 at 3:31 pm
@me
HAHAHAH are you f’in serious??
“institutions do the best they can! politicians care about us!the police are always on the right side and they always say it the way it happened! ”
HAHAHAHA everything that you said right there is soooo wrong and stupid and ignorant…i dont even need to explain myself…god you’re stupid
January 27, 2009 at 3:32 pm
God so true. No one’s immune to corruption.
January 27, 2009 at 3:33 pm
@ Third Eye
You mean like question CUPE’s belief that they have some sort of authority?
January 27, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I saw that one coming from a mile away. Fuckin’ Cupe……….
January 27, 2009 at 3:38 pm
@ update
would the ironic intent be more clear if i put quotes around these claims? posters who claim “peter shurman cares about us” or that CUPE “must have attacked the police” could use a history lesson or two.
January 27, 2009 at 3:41 pm
And why do you say that Peter Shurman does not care about us? Yes, it is true. He is getting a rather large bump to his political career at the moment. However, that does not mean he does not care. I don’t know if you are smart enough to understand this, but one action can have more than one causes.
And, while I believing that blindley trusting the police report may be a tad be naive. I’d argue that it is even dumber to trust what CUPE is saying about the incident given that their organization has more to loose in the event of this serious violence.
January 27, 2009 at 3:42 pm
@ me
I am not for or against the police’s actions; however, I am against CUPE 3903’s actions. They have proven time and time again how immature and irrational they are. CUPE 3903 should be ashamed.
Case and point:
-the youtube video a CUPE MEMBER took of the incident today (which was later made private), which shows CUPE’s violent actions against the police including spitting and kicking (which is never okay and was NOT SELF DEFENCE!).
-dressing as bunny rabbits in a protest and saying they are “hopping mad”
-the Shoreham pirates (in full costume + flags)
-re-adding terms to the contract, but claiming to bargain “in good faith”
January 27, 2009 at 3:45 pm
They are in dead-lock. BTWL is the only way to get back to class.
CUPE 3903 has two terms that are non-negotiable, but are sticking points for them.
-a 2 year contract, which York cannot give because it almost certainly means another strike in 2010
-allowing CUPE to appoint CF to tenure stream themselves. And this would be based on the time they have been in the union, rather than academic credentials. This would completely undermine the whole York institution!
January 27, 2009 at 3:47 pm
YES WE CAN … yes we will … rally on queen’s park tomorrow at 11:00 am.
I am going tell CUPE and York how to protest!
Back to work legislation NOW!!!!
January 27, 2009 at 3:49 pm
@ Obama Student
Yes, I will go to the rally, specially to show Cupe how to behave in a civilized manner.
We should all go!
January 27, 2009 at 3:52 pm
anyone know if the second reading was passed?
January 27, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Cupe members are not the first people in the history of the world to be treated in this manner during a protest. While I do not condone the actions by them or the police…it happens and will continue to happen. I love how if anything is done to them well OH NO! But if students crossing the picket lines get verbally assaulted or anything of the like its okay because their picket lines are legal.
Give me a break.
Lets get back to class.
January 27, 2009 at 3:52 pm
I wasn’t saying that there aren’t instances of police corruption or cases of where police may go over the top – I choose, however, to believe that most police choose their career to help. Detaining 4-5 members of CUPE and making sure the protest doesn’t take a sour route and turn violent doesn’t cross the line in my books. Ideally there would have been no reason for police to be there in the first place but when you have 200+ people marching down the streets its better to be safe – if you know your rights and don’t overstep the boundaries there’s no reason to get arrested.
January 27, 2009 at 3:53 pm
@ so
The second reading will be passed tomorrow.
Here’s a letter from Peter Shurman about today:
The vote is deferred until right after Question Period…so at about 11:35am tomorrow and it will pass 2nd reading. #rd reading will be called at 3pm tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday). That gives everyone in every party the right to speak again. Initial (lead) speaker for each party for 60 minutes and then 20 minutes each for every other MPP of every party. There will be no Liberal or PC speakers. The NDP could do the who thing again and they have 10 members so you can do the math…Thursday for 3rd reading vote and Royal Assent. But the government could follow the 2nd reading vote with a motion for closure which is the ability of the Speaker to dispense with debate and go straight to a final vote if he/she believes all debate has been exhausted and is simply repetitive…of course that is a politically-charged move because those who want to prolong things will publicly complain. So that’s where we are and those are the scenarios. Meanwhile we’ll be blasting away at the Premier again in Question Period tomorrow and (if you’re there), in troduce youself at the rally. /ps
January 27, 2009 at 3:56 pm
@ Elle
Thanks.
January 27, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Wooh! 5 000 down, only 45 000 to go!
January 27, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I truly hope that the protesting TA’s/contract faculty who had the balls to challenge the police all get hit by a bus. Please-o-please Mr. Darwin cleanse our gene pool of these extremist jackasses…
This strike and the “message” behind it are a joke. Get over yourselves. No one cares anymore and good luck getting any love from your students or the university come hiring time next year, you tards.
Kudos to the TPS.
Next time, use the tazers
January 27, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Here’s a CBC news story on the rally and allegations of violence today.
According to one bystander, identified as Ted Myerscough whom is not affiliated with CUPE, say, “…and then [I] saw the police begin to shove the protest marshalls with no provocation.”
Link to news coverage here (you’ll see the RealPlayer or Quicktime link on the right hand side):
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/01/27/york-tuesday.html
January 27, 2009 at 4:01 pm
CUPE 3903’s last offer was more than double University’s offer for settlement
Union added back previously dropped items
TORONTO, January 27, 2009 — On Wednesday, Jan. 21 Premier McGuinty announced that he would send in his top mediator, Reg Pearson and provide him “with a limited amount of time to explore the possibilities of bringing the sides together” to “give this one more shot.” York welcomed this initiative and looked forward to working with the mediator in an effort to reach a settlement.
Unfortunately CUPE 3903’s offer still had 42 outstanding proposals and put back on the table a significant proposal that had previously been withdrawn by CUPE 3903 thereby pushing the parties farther apart:
CUPE 3903 put back on the table a ‘Minimum Guarantee’ proposal for Unit 3 members. The cost of this proposal alone represented an increase of 23% ($1.6 million) to the current Unit 3 agreement.
CUPE 3903 also increased its proposal for Unit 3 GA bursary funds above the amounts previously tabled.
CUPE 3903 also continued to demand a two-year collective agreement in an effort to coordinate future strike activity with other CUPE Ontario Locals in 2010.
The total cost of CUPE 3903’s proposals was still at 15% over two years or 7.5% per year on average. The University’s offer for settlement was 10.7% over three years or 3.5% per year on average.
York’s President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri said:
“York’s bargaining team spent over 40 days in negotiations with CUPE 3903 beginning in July of last year. After six months, which included 11 weeks on strike, the Union’s last offer was still more than double the University’s offer for settlement. That is an impasse by any standards.
“Two independent Ontario mediators also confirmed that negotiations were at an impasse,” he said.
“York has tried to get our 50,000 students back to class at the earliest possible moment and offered to accept binding arbitration before the strike began.
“Our primary and fundamental interest is getting our students back to class as soon as possible and this legislation is the only certain way now to make this happen. The parties are in deadlock and the summer term is now in jeopardy – we need to get these students back to class immediately.”
January 27, 2009 at 4:01 pm
P.S. I’m one of the fortunate 5,000 B.Ed students that was permitted to return to *selected* classes. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Professors are NOT honouring the Senate regulations outlined with regards to extensions/grace periods for assignments…
January 27, 2009 at 4:03 pm
@me
I haven’t seen anybody say that “Peter Shurman cares about us”. How can you claim to know what he cares about? Do you think history books are a good basis for making judgements on his personal character?
On that note, historical instances of police brutality and corruption do not prove CUPE is innocent. Would you argue the police do more bad than good for our society? Are they not as likely to have made legitimate arrests?
To be fair, CUPE’s record of spinning the truth, acting like children, and disrupting the lives of 50,000+ people does not prove their guilt. But I can’t think of many legitimate contributions to society CUPE has made in last 83 days.
January 27, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Wow!:
post a line to the CUPE vs. POlice youtube
January 27, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Wow!:
post a link to the CUPE vs. POlice youtube
January 27, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Is everyone hear planning on attending the rally tomorrow?
January 27, 2009 at 4:12 pm
@ everybody who is worried that they will be overloaded with work
This is what happened at my ADMS 1000 class. My professor felt sorry for us and he said that all the chapters that we studied previously will not be on the exam. Instead, since we have 3 more classes to attend to before exam, he says that he will be covering 3 chapters. And that the exam will only cover the three chapters and nothing else.
January 27, 2009 at 4:14 pm
EVERYONE stop speculating about when the strike will end and whether it will be extended. IT WILL NOT. We WILL be back in our classes on monday and everyone know should be getting ready to get pummeled with work and stress.
January 27, 2009 at 4:14 pm
@ tester.
It is currently for private viewing only. I watched it minutes before this happened. Cowards!
www. youtube. com / watch?v= X_duG78yHQU
January 27, 2009 at 4:20 pm
@Wow, tester and JR
You might be interested in the story and footage that CBC broadcast today. The story has footage of one bystander, Ted Myerscough, who is not affiliated with CUPE, say, “…and then [I] saw the police begin to shove the protest marshalls with no provocation.”
Link on the right of this page:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/01/27/york-tuesday.html
January 27, 2009 at 4:20 pm
off topic again, but does anybody know where I can find Toblerone White Chocolate (only white) in Toronto? Have you seen it anywhere recently (not during Christmas..apparently every store orders it around Christmas time)
Thank for any help.
January 27, 2009 at 4:21 pm
@ JR
“To be fair, CUPE’s record of spinning the truth, acting like children, and disrupting the lives of 50,000+ people does not prove their guilt. But I can’t think of many legitimate contributions to society CUPE has made in last 83 days”.
Wise worlds
TOP 10 most (im)mature things CUPE has done in this strike:
1- Ask to change the code of conduct. They did not want to do any grading in computers;
2- Ask to York to construct more toilets (that’s true, it was in the first proposal with 150 outstanding demands)
3- Tell to the public that “they will demand the impossible” (???)
4- They will strike “until you’re happy”
5- The day after Obama’s inaugural day , the CUPe official website copy – trying to gather public support – the same words as the Obama speech.
6- Say that the beginning of the strike they were fighting against “neoliberal practices” and at the end of the strike (now) , fighting for better contracts
7 – Punching Alex Bilyk in the stomach
8 – Appeal to the NDP to stop the back to work legislation – knowing that NDP holds ONLY 8 sits in the parliament
9 – Being arrested on charges of assaulting police officers at their own strike while trying to gather public support
and
10 – SPENT 3 MONTHS circulating around a fire at York campus instead of bargaining with York – leaving 50,000 students waiting for them to “decide” when to act.
January 27, 2009 at 4:22 pm
* wise words
January 27, 2009 at 4:23 pm
off topic again, but does anybody know where I can find Toblerone White Chocolate (only white) in Toronto? Have you seen it anywhere recently (not during Christmas..apparently every store orders it around Christmas time)
Thank for any help.
Please, I’d like to purchase them by V-Day
January 27, 2009 at 4:26 pm
@ Fearful Student
11- dressing in bunny suits at prior Queen’s Park protest
12- the “Shoreham pirates”
13- building semi-permanent structures on picket lines
14- crossing their own picket lines
15-claiming to want students back in class, but finding Osgoode and Schulich (and the new 5000 students) disgraceful going back!
January 27, 2009 at 4:28 pm
16- interrupting lectures and exams
January 27, 2009 at 4:30 pm
17 – Trying to brainwash those students who passed their picket lines with their ideologues.
January 27, 2009 at 4:34 pm
18 – Chanting “Jingle bells, Schulich smells, they crossed our picket lines” during Schulich’s exams
January 27, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Sure, he says that, CMWC, but you’re also ignoring:
“Some 75 people later broke off from the main rally and headed to the police station where the four arrested protesters were taken.
The crowd was confronted with barricades, about 25 police officers and nine officers on horseback before the peaceful demonstration dispersed after about 30 minutes.”
What happened to the 8 or 9 alleged earlier? If 75 can turn into 9 people, why can’t CUPE initiated violence turn into police brutality? And heck, I can certainly understand why the police wouldn’t let 75 individuals into the building.
The news is also reporting 200 people, whereas CUPE claims 500. So what the heck is going on here?
January 27, 2009 at 4:36 pm
19 – Insulting me and my younger brother when I was trying to cross their picket lines with my car on December.
January 27, 2009 at 4:37 pm
20- telling a mom to go fuck herself.
January 27, 2009 at 4:38 pm
21 – Initiating negotiations way back when by demanding a THIRTY percent wage increase.
January 27, 2009 at 4:40 pm
22 – Telling to other media mechanism that they are on strike to make history (????)
January 27, 2009 at 4:46 pm
…
January 27, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Sorry, posting wasn’t working.
January 27, 2009 at 4:48 pm
23- Using “power to the classroom” as a slogan when they’re the reason classrooms are empty
January 27, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Sshmr,
You write:
“What happened to the 8 or 9 alleged earlier? If 75 can turn into 9 people, why can’t CUPE initiated violence turn into police brutality? And heck, I can certainly understand why the police wouldn’t let 75 individuals into the building.”
I don’t know what you’re talking about. I merely forwarded the CBC report. Some people default to not believing what CUPE members say, some default to not believing what the members of the police say. So, I pointed out a neutral bystander’s quote. It’s up to you to believe him or not, and I don’t care if you do or don’t. So what is it that you’re challenging me on?
January 27, 2009 at 5:00 pm
No, not exactly. But isn’t the media “neutral” as well? So I’m saying that while you’re presenting your neutral party (who just happens to say something supporting CUPE), you’re ignoring the other parts of the report – written by a neutral party – (the 75 people going down to the police station) that may not present the Union in such a positive light. Therefore, your presentation shows a selection bias.
January 27, 2009 at 5:11 pm
24 – misspelling “their” twice in a row on the strike website – very professional.
January 27, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Its hilarious how CUPE always try to play the victim. The university screwed them, the students hate them, the media ridicules them, the government is against them, and now the police beat them…
CUPE do you think there might be a reason for all of this negativity?
Is it possible that everybody else is wrong and you are right?
Do you think its a coincidence that nobody sides with you? Is it all one big giant conspiracy?
Get real you clowns.
January 27, 2009 at 5:15 pm
CUPE 3903, we thought you were cool.
January 27, 2009 at 5:49 pm
the loser in any situation always reverts to violence.
January 27, 2009 at 6:09 pm
@ Cupe Member with Child
Good job being one-sided!
Striking York Staff Clash With Cops During Rally Against Back-To-Work Legislation At Queen’s Park
Tuesday January 27, 2009
CityNews.ca Staff
On Tuesday union members sought to halt any further votes before a clash with police, reportedly over where the protestors were allowed to go, resulted in four arrests.
“Numerous police started shoving various people around, dragging them to the ground,” said witness Ted Myerscough.
“I didn’t see that the police officers had done anything improper,” countered another onlooker named Bruce Minnes. “They were generally trying to move people out of the way of traffic and the people kept moving back into that lane of traffic.”
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_31411.aspx
January 27, 2009 at 6:32 pm
25 – starting a ridiculous rumour that we are going to get some injunction to stop BTWL — and using my alias (!) to spread that rumour
January 27, 2009 at 7:22 pm
26 – Having Tyler Shipley asa their spokesperson.
In recent breakdown, Tyler justified CUPE’s violent clash with cops during rally by saying : “I feel we have shown that we are prepared to move, we’ve shown time and time again that we want to bargain”
January 27, 2009 at 7:28 pm
This is awesome! I will try to come up with one too.
like
27 – After 3 months trying to bargain with York, and now seeing the back to work legislation coming, the union said that NOW they are willing to accept the money offered by York and NOW will move on and bargain on other issues.
January 27, 2009 at 7:30 pm
hope those arrested cupe members will spend some horrible time in jail to cool them down. 12 weeks would be just fine !!!
January 27, 2009 at 7:40 pm
28-Wondering why the cops were pushing them out of the emergency lane in Toronto’s hospital district.
January 27, 2009 at 7:51 pm
29- Threatening students saying that because they’ve intervened in their “cause” , they will mark them hard now.
January 27, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Good. I’m glad.
Bring in the military too. There’s about 45,000 students that wish they could have been there.
This is ridiculous…can I take a summer job, KNOWING it’s a summer position, then refuse to work because I want to be assured I can come back for the next 3 years?
The way I see it, all York is trying to do is prevent CUPE from forming the super strike in 2010. If this objective is not met, this will all have been for nothing.
P.S. for those of you wanting to join the class action against York, may I suggest suing CUPE instead
January 27, 2009 at 8:02 pm
29- Demanding full-time wages for part-time hours.
January 27, 2009 at 8:05 pm
30-Tyler Shipley, on cp24, told poor Koopmans that SRS rallies have fewer attendance than cupe ones. Koopmans strikes back by saying CUPE buses people to their rallies, while SRS budgets only on 60 dollars. Shipley….arguing with a first year about whos more popular.
January 27, 2009 at 8:12 pm
This strike made me more politically aware.
January 27, 2009 at 8:35 pm
31 – hoping that the injunction blocks the BTWL.
January 27, 2009 at 8:38 pm
@ ram
Highly unlikely. You dont want to go back obviously.
January 27, 2009 at 8:43 pm
@ram
nevermind. I just read the list. LOL that is ridiculous. I thought YOU were hoping the injunction blocks BTWL. my bad.
January 27, 2009 at 9:17 pm
32 – telling the media, through Howard Hampton, that the wage debate was solved MONTHS ago….
soooo they accepted the three year deal? BALLS! Who do they think they are fooling???
January 27, 2009 at 9:34 pm
33- Coming to York in the first place!
January 28, 2009 at 1:21 am
What is this # business going on…i.e., “33- (insert comment)” etc
January 28, 2009 at 6:35 am
Someone started a top 10 list of the most silly things Cupe has done in this strike … and
everyone started adding … we got up to the number 33 already.
January 28, 2009 at 6:37 am
I have one:
34- e-picketers now come to this website and write saying they’re undegrad students who approves the strike and the union’s action
January 28, 2009 at 9:27 am
35 – e-picketers coming to this website, admitting they are from CUPE, but asking us all to believe that they are providing us with unbiased information from the goodness of THEIR heart, for OUR sake! haha! oh, CMWC, you’re so funny!
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