The following motions were passed unanimously at the YUFA Executive meeting of 12 January 2009:
- YUFA Executive re-affirms its support of free collective bargaining and does not endorse a ratification vote of CUPE 3903 members as forced by the Employer.
- YUFA Executive strongly urges all YUFA members to respect individual CUPE 3903 members’ rights in the forced ratification vote to vote freely and according to their conscience. We urge all YUFA members to respect CUPE members’ rights to vote freely.
- YUFA Executive, recognizing the power relations implicit in theroles of YUFA members and CUPE 3903 members, does not endorse any YUFA member attempting to influence how a CUPE 3903 member might vote in the forced ratification vote.
January 17, 2009 update: York faculty association vows to support strikers
January 14th, 2009 11:24 pm
A few YUFA executives passed it. Most profs are telling me (a TA, not a Cupe unit 2) that they hope ratification will pass and are beginning to support York fully.
Last time Unit 2 was the one that voted yes. This probably has something to do with the overall age and maturity level of those in Unit 2 as opposed to the TAs.
Let’s hope for a repeat.
January 16th, 2009 1:25 pm
I think voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ in this forced ratification has less to do with maturity and more to do with union members’ perceptions of the quality of the offer, individual financial situation and the diffential weight that different union members place on their desire to get back to the classroom and continue teaching vs. the desire achieve what they consider to be a fair contract. Obviously, given the varied positions of union members on these issues, opinions on the strike will vary considerably. It’s very unfair and one-sided to label those who vote ‘yes’ as mature and reasonable and those who vote ‘no’ as the opposite. It has everything to do with people’s conscious and informed evaluation of what their priorities are on the issues at stake in this strike.
January 16th, 2009 2:00 pm
I agree. Which is why I think Unit 2 has the maturity to realize what is realistic and what is not, and make the smarter decision.