CUPE 3906 is seeking to publish short pieces of nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and artwork in the upcoming fall issue of our print and online magazine. This issue will be directed at welcoming and introducing new and returning union members to our local by showcasing the creative talents of union members here at 3906. Prose submissions should range up to 750 words, and poetry submissions should range from 1-3 pages double-spaced. We also welcome bios and online links of union members with musical talents. We currently cannot pay artists and authors for their work, but they will be invited to read and perform their work at a CUPE 3906 magazine launch/welcome party in September.
Some possible topics may include, but are not limited to, the following…
-Labour Struggles
-The Life of Academia
-Travel Narratives and Field Research
-Social Activism
-Sci-fi, Lab Rats, Mad Scientists
-Why You Should Read This Book!
-What is Canadian?
-Mathematics and the Everyday
Submissions should be emailed to Malissa Phung at equity@cupe3906.org no later 
than August 24, 2010. We also strongly encourage union members who are also from equity seeking groups (Indigenous peoples, people of colour, LGBTQ communities, people with disabilities) to submit their work.
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the Employer’s “Offer to Settle.” After extensive consultation, your bargaining team has been given overwhelming direction to return to the bargaining table, rather than accept the offer.
We have informed the Employer of our strong desire to continue bargaining for a fair contract. We’re currently awaiting the Employer’s response, and will update you as soon as we have any more information.
In solidarity,
Your CUPE 3906 Bargaining and Bargaining Support Team
Photo by the Toronto Media Co-op
The following statement was sent to the Movement Legal Defense Committee (NOTE: the number of reported arrests increased to 900 after the drafting of this statement):
I am writing on behalf of CUPE 3906, representing over 3000 academic workers at McMaster University, to condemn the arrest, detention and abuse of nearly 500 G20 protesters.
Reports from the Movement Defense Committee?s Summit Legal Support Project indicate that protesters are given incorrect information about the bail process and denied timely access to counsel and release. Meanwhile, those peacefully protesting the detention are subject to police assault and illegal detention.
G20 Protesters are standing up for values of justice, equality, and rights for working class people, indigenous people and the environment. The unprecedented, violent response of the Harper government, the Toronto Police, and the Integrated Security Unit marks an attack on all of our democratic rights. It is a clear program of intimidation, silencing and assault on people of conscience who oppose the neoliberal agenda of the G20 leaders.
CUPE 3906 calls upon the government to ensure that courts and crown attorneys act to enforce constitutional rights, to end of the program of police violence and intimidation against G20 protesters and their families and to hold accountable those officers and elected officials responsible for this attack on democracy.
CUPE 3906 stands in solidarity with the detained G20 protesters in their fight for release, fair representation, and justice.
In solidarity,
Mary Ellen Campbell
President, CUPE 3906
Some people may have noticed that the website was down for a short period yesterday. We were undergoing some routine software upgrades that have temporarily rendered the Events Calendar incompatible. A fix is expected to arise in the next few days, and the calendar will be restored at that time.
Sorry for any inconvenience!
Alex
A couple of months ago I told you about an upcoming survey of Contract Faculty. This is an important project since Stats Canada, for instance, stopped collecting data on these workers in the mid-1990s. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that data collection stopped just as universities, especially in Ontario, decided on faculty non-renewal policies and turned to contract workers instead. CAUT is only now including them in their surveys. Continue reading "Surveying the field" »
