OPSEU Website

Notes From the Brockville Campus Picket Lines

by Lynne Gardiner Phone: 340-6224

Friday, March 17, 2006

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all.

Our thanks to Eithne for providing us with our Irish cultural education today. No more green beer and leprechauns for us in Brockville ! Eithne brought Irish soda bread and cheese to the line this morning to compensate for having disavowed us of many of our ‘beliefs’ about St. Patrick. (The food was awesome in the trailer today…thanks to all for your donations)

Although the general consensus has been that the sunshine has boosted the collective spirits of our faculty, it has been very cold. My understanding from the Weather Network is that we have nicer days ahead of us next week. Hopefully this will also boost the spirits of our negotiating team so that progress can be made at the table. We have also been heartened by the news that the two sides have been called in to meet with the Ministry.

In addition to the cold, we have a number of people under the weather with strep, joint and back issues, and general malaise. Please look after yourselves, and let Wayne know if you’re not able to make your picket shift for health reasons.

Announcements:

1) The first week pay is in! Please see Jim Miller for your cheques (2 – one from OPSEU, one from the LEC).

2) Next week, the strike pay will be increased so that you’re receiving $300 from the LEC, $125 from OPSEU, and your dependents allowance. Hopefully this will help ease some of the financial pressures people are experiencing.

3) Next weeks picket duty is now posted in the trailer.

4) There are extra raincoats in the trailer. Please feel free to use them at any time – even if you just need to have an extra windbreak.

5) There is a Rally at Dalton McGuinty’s Office, in Ottawa , on Monday. The bus will be leaving the College at 9:30 and returning at about 2:30 . Anyone attending will be credited for 8 hours of picket duty. Please sign up in the trailer if you’re planning on going.

In solidarity,

Lynne