Volume 27, No. 5 Editor: Mark Langer January 1997. POTENTIAL STRIKE BY TAPS UNION (CUPE 2323) For some time now, CUPE 2323 has been in a legal strike position. Mediation talks are scheduled January 16 and 30. CUPE 2323 will mount an information picket at Bronson and Colonel By Drive on Wednesday, January 29 (this is not a strike). The employer's financial offer of an annual increase of $66.00 in the second year of a contract remains one of the larger stumbling blocks to achieving a settlement given significant increases in tuition fees over the past few years. A projected strike deadline of 11:59 p.m. on January 30, 1997 has been set for the commencement of the strike. If the strike proceeds, picket lines will be in place Friday morning January 31. CUASA members should carefully read the CUASA Policy and Advice Statement printed below. CUASA POLICY AND ADVICE STATEMENT WITH RESPECT TO STRIKES BY MEMBERS OF ANOTHER BARGAINING UNIT Terms of reference as recommended by the Steering Committee and accepted by Council at its meeting of September 22nd, 1978. The Association recognizes that one of the principles of unionism is that a union member should respect the request of other members of the union movement that they honour a picket line. However, decisions of the Ontario Labour Relations Board indicate that an Association promoted refusal by an employee to cross a picket line set up by another union may constitute a strike which would violate the Labour Relations Act and the collective agreement. In light of this the Association must advise its membership as follows: 1. A mass refusal, promoted by the Association, to cross picket lines established at the University campus may constitute an illegal strike and subject the Association to appropriate penalties for violation of the Ontario Labour Relations Act and the collective agreement, particularly if members of the Association in positions of responsibility are involved, such as Councillors and Executive Officers. 2. The absence of a clause in our collective agreement insulating employees from disciplinary action on the part of the employer means that individual members of the academic staff who observe legal picket lines run a risk of disciplinary action by the employer; such disciplinary action usually takes the form of docking of pay. In the event of such discipline, members of the bargaining unit have a right to fair representation from the Association as in any other case. 3. In the event of a legal strike against the Board of Governors by another union, members of the Association should not undertake the work of those employees who are involved in such a strike. In such a situation members should also be alert to violations of our own contract or of the law, such as a reduction of services or unsanitary conditions. Any attempt to force members of the Association to do work outside their normal duties or other violations of our own contract should be protested through the Grievance Procedures of our contract. 4. In the event of a legal strike by another union, members should also be aware of the fact that students may have conscientious objections to crossing a picket line. It is the view of the Association that any such objection should be respected without prejudice to the individual student "d that members should take appropriate measures to accommodate such objections.