PICKET UPDATE FOR TODAY:
Given Flying Pickets are visiting our lines today, we want to ensure as many members have the opportunity to talk with them so picket shifts will continue beyond the rally. The only change is that in recognition of the hard work the evening shift has been putting in, tidying up and holding our lines strong until the end of each day, we’ll be cutting their shift short by 5:00pm FOR TODAY ONLY. Any questions about this can be directed to picket4munfa@gmail.com.
/// Today’s State of Play ///
1) RALLIES TODAY!!:
Grenfell
Date: Fri., Feb. 3
Time: 2:30 pm
Location: March from picket lines to Sir Richard Squires Building
St. John’s
Date: Fri., Feb. 3
Time: Noon
Location: Arts and Administration Building
2) According to a media release from MUN administration, clinical nursing courses will resume on Monday February 6 with administrators filling the role of MUNFA instructors. Details are still being assessed, but it appears that this is a major escalation of the labour dispute by administrators. The situation raises serious questions about the quality of clinical training that will be provided to nursing students in the field. The move may also violate other relevant collective agreements. This situation highlights the critical work MUNFA members provide and the essential roles of students trained at the university even as administrators experiment with governance by public relations instead of negotiating a fair deal.
3) Meanwhile, our strike continues to gain support! Today, we have supporters from academic unions from across the country who have flown in to be here with us on the line! With us today are folks from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. W00T!
Here is the list of our supporters who’ve arrived for today:
Dominic Silvio: DUFA (Dalhousie)
Rick Brick: UAFA (Alberta)
Michael Shaw: Defence Fund President and UMFA (Manitoba)
Michael Arfken: UPEIFA (Prince Edward Island)
Peter McInnis: CAUT President and StFXAUT (St. Francis Xavier)
Hassan Qudrat-Ullah: YUFA (York)
Ryan Stack: AUFA (Acadia)
Kate Cushion: URFA (Regina)
Pauline MacIntosh: StFXAUT (St. Francix Xavier)
Chris Burton: ULFA (Lethbridge)
In addition to these folks walking the lines with us, MUNFA has received thousands of dollars in donations from unions here and across the country to help us with our strike efforts.
/// Love from the Line ///
Keep your eyes peeled for the BARMP-B-Q and the amazing students rolling out their support for MUNFA!
