March 29, 2000
A Debate... On the CUPE strike - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- Today, a look at the CUPE strike. Some readers have called on me to write on this topic, so I managed to cajole May Chan, an opponent of the strike and we did a little debate. Herewith is a transcript of our conversation...
< Joseph > I happen to think that CUPE has every right to strike.
< May > I think you're right, but I think they are inconsiderate and uncontent with their position
< Joseph > Uncontent? What do you mean by that?
< May > They make more money than my accountant does in a month, plus they don't even have that much education compared to those who actually have a profession.
< Joseph > That's a cheap shot. How dare you compare yourself to them!
< May > Why can't they be content with their pay? It's not like they have to risk their lives everyday working. Their work is more relaxing than those who actually have to do flagging on the streets.
< Joseph > The current dispute has nothing to do with pay. It has to do with job security and workers rights.
< May > When you get to the deep end of their point, they're just striking against us.
< Joseph > They aren't striking against us! They want more rights.
< May > That's what makes them selfish then, they want more rights, but what about our rights? Our right to go to school?
< Joseph > They are not selfish for themselves... when the screws are being put to you by the government, then you must know that they need to show their deficiencies in their working situations.
< May > They have made a commitment to serve the school board, which in indeed means us (children), then they should think about how their behaviour which can affect others.
< Joseph > Should they have no rights then?
< May > Then why do they demand that the provincial government to be involved? Why can't they just settle this in a more considerate way? For the sake of children? They should have rights, but they are now abusing it by striking.
< Joseph > The provincial government must be involved because they control the money. You say that they should be considerate of us... haven't they?
< May > If they expect to be heard and respected, then they should be considerate of others wants. They anger parents, teachers, and students. How can they get their voices heard? They are not considerate.
< Joseph > Listen, they have been threatening a strike since January... Surrey went on strike then... couldn't the government (meaning all levels) take a hint and negotiate before the strike actually took place? Yes, they could, but they did not.
< May > So are you trying to say that the government should be responsible too?
< Joseph > Yes. Dosanjh could very easily legislate CUPE back to work tomorrow. Hell, they did that in 1993 or 1992, with the teachers! But when will School Boards negotiate? They won't negotiate (the government) won't until a strike.
< May > CUPE are just the handy people, why should our future be ruined b/c of their action? As I’ve been hearing from teachers, most aren't willing to strike, most don't even agree.
< Joseph > Yes, but workers rights are at the forefront of this strike. Let me give you an example... Peter Warren got a call from a woman who's husband is a janitor. Her husband was given a duty list, where it listed what he had to do in his shift. One of the things on the list said he had to clean up the area where a kid had puked. It said he had exactly one minute and 37 seconds to clean it up... That isn't right. School Boards should not dictate how much time one should do their tasks.
< May > That's another problem with their union. Their working time is adjusted by their union, not by school board
< Joseph > May, the duty sheet came from the school board! The times were dictated by the school board.
< May > That's stupid! The school board can't do that. The union should have be notified of this issue!
< Joseph > The union was!!!! That's why they're on strike. That's why I sympathise with CUPE. Okay, next topic...
< May > The thing is, I don't have anything personal against CUPE... I just don't like what they're doing now. I think Dosanjh is a jerk for not interfering.
< Joseph > Dosanjh has "interfered" he has appointed two super mediators and they have until Saturday to do something.
< May > Could they be earlier?
< Joseph > No, because Dosanjh respects the union’s right to negotiate, they call that Free Collective Bargaining... Dosanjh has also said that we will be in school by Monday at the latest.
< May > The thing is CUPE, when they don’t feel that they’re being listened by the government, they want to create a scene like this to pull off attractions.
< Joseph > That's what strikes are for, to gain attention for their demands.
< May > That's stupid. Strikes never solve any problems.......they never get what they want, they only get half or little of their demands...just you watch and see...so what's the point of strikes?
< Joseph > The point of strikes is that they get something in the end. You say half only, well that's a half more than they had before a strike took place.
< May > If they had been fighting over this situation for about 2 or 3 months.....why couldn't they be more considerate and talk about the money problem privately?
< Joseph > Because the government (school boards) refused to talk.
< May > Strikes are like fights - noisy and noticeable.... if CUPE was aggressive enough, they would have thought of something smart and talked behind walls with the government.
< Joseph > Okay, let’s wrap up... make a closing statement.
< May > Strikes, when you come to think of it, are all about money. Respect or no respect, at the end they just want money. They should not strike, especially at a time like this. If they want to be respected then they should respect others first by giving what others want and prove their importance, not by striking... striking only proves their selfishness.
< Joseph > Well, May you have out done yourself. This strike is not about money...
< May > Of course it's about money!
< Joseph > Let me finish...
< May > Every shit is about money. Go ahead.
< Joseph > If the union doesn't strike when will they get their demands righted? When will the union brothers and sisters, have a decent working situation?
< May > My neighbour is a janitor in an elementary school, he has no problem making a living, he's content. Those who want a bigger pay are those who need more in life.......what makes them want more pay?
< Joseph > When in the summer? when they'll have dried up and not survived?!?!?
< May > Strike in the fall, when school starts....that'll pull the school boards ears. Not when we're about to graduate
< Joseph > You cannot move the timing of a strike just to suit you... strikes happen when they happen, they aren't nearly as predictable as you think.
< May > Would they settle down if they were heard, but not paid more or even a little? Can they put down their signs and go home without a penny paid more? I just don't like this strike. They don't care about how it's going to affect others. Especially they serve a big community of kids.
< Joseph > You're being a hell of a lot more selfish than CUPE, just because you won't graduate, you are stifling workers rights! God forbid, you’ll be a worker one day.
< May > I'm just arguing for kids right now and our education right. I am selfish, aren't they? They want to be respected, but I want to learn...
< Joseph > Then lobby for the government to make education an essential service like hospitals... don't supersede workers rights for your selfishness.
Thanks to May for the joust and if you’d like to take me or another topic on, by all means.
Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca
An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .