Sunday, December 14, 2008

Students in solidarity with ATU strikers

Just in case these students never get any press, here is an excerpt from a Facebook group called "SFUO Flying Squads in Support of the ATU" created for members of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa who are interested in picketing along with striking bus drivers:
So here's the deal:

-The OC Transpo workers are on strike.
-They need all the support we can get.
-Our union office is 3 blocks away from the pickets at city hall.

So, in the interests of solidarity, it would be nice to have a constant SFUO presence down on the line at city hall. The workers there are incredibly happy to see students, and this is the kind of solidarity and movement building that will get results in the future.

So I'm thinking, starting Monday (or if they picket this weekend, starting Saturday) we work out a schedule. Hour and a half shifts sound about right. So if you could post what time and day you're available to help picket, I'll work out a schedule. If you know people who would be up for this as well, please invite them to the event.

Solidarity!
This is not an initiative officially supported by the SFUO, but an individual student.

3 comments:

Gordon said...

They're kidding, right?

The SFUO is operating private shuttles for the students to help them get to their exams. I wonder how many of the students protesting "in solidarity" with the ATU are making use of these shuttles.

I hope they have fun standing in the rain tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

I think most people, when pressed on the matter, would stand in solidarity with the Transpo Union. But it is comments like the one from Gordon that drive students away from feeling sympathy for the union's cause. People have to continue to live their lives, even if a strike is on. The Driver's Union has made its point and, I think, is making it effectively: They are an essential service and loosing them, because management wants to niggle over scheduling control, makes it so that everyone's life gets a bit more complicated. Short of a general strike you won't stop people from going to school--striking professors can barely manage that feat. Telling people to "have fun standing in the rain is," as I interpret it, nothing but divisive language where talk of unity would serve their cause much better. Small things, done by many people are what make a difference in these situations, so why look a gift horse in the mouth.

Gordon said...

Actually, according to the Harris/Decima survey conducted last week, most people are siding with the city in this issue, to the extent that they're prepared to go without transit for at least another month.

The SFUO can't say the union's cause is just and everyone should support them at the same time that they're operating shuttles.

The only point the union is making is that their union boss doesn't know how to negotiate.