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----- Original Message -----
From: Derek Blackadder
To: dblackadder@cupe.ca
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2000 6:53 AM

A rrquest for assistance.
===================
Derek Blackadder
Universities Coordinator
CUPE Ontario Regional Office
1-800-362-0974 toll-free
(416) 292-3999 (w)
(416) 292-2839 (fax)
(416) 766-2439 (h)
 
 
(PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AND EMAIL LISTS AS POSSIBLE.
THANKS)
 
Dear Friends,
 
This Wednesday will mark the 10th week that the part-time workers at the
University of Toronto have been on strike for a first contract. We are newly
unionized student-workers who are members of CUPE 3261. We are facing a
viciously unfair anti-union employer who wants nothing short of busting our
union.
 
We are the lowest paid workers at U of T and the lowest paid university
bookstore workers in Canada. Management still hasn't offered us a fair
grievance procedure or job security. In their last offer, management still
hasn’t offered us a penny more than the $7.25 we were already making. This is
especially disgusting as U of T is the richest university in Canada and can
easily afford our extremely modest demands. Last Friday the strikers held a
membership meeting where we unanimously voted to not only continue our strike
but to increase the pressure on both U of T Press and U of T. The message
coming out of the meeting was clear: we will not stop until we get
justice and dignity! The mood coming out of the meeting was incredibly
upbeat. We are determined to increase our militancy and bring greater numbers
of our supporters out to meet management’s offensive.
 
This is an important moment in our struggle. The back to school rush is just
around the corner and this is when the bookstore is most vulnerable. We need
your help! Please come to our rallies held every Wednesday at noon outside
the bookstore. Join our picket lines whenever you can. Tell as many people as
you can about our struggle. Even if you have already, please email the
president of the Press, George Meadows, and the president of U of T, Dr.
Birgeneau. Tell them to meet our modest demands and to end union busting at U
of T.
 
George Meadows, the President of the Press, can be reached at:
gmeadows@utpress.utoronto.ca
Dr. Birgeneau, the President of U of T, can be reached at:
president@utoronto.ca
Please remember to cc all communications to us at:
service.workers@utoronto.ca
 
******Rally*******
 
Our rallies are held every Wednesday at noon, outside of the Bookstore
(corner of College and St. George st.). We are pleased to announce that at
this weeks rally noted TV personality, journalist and author Judy Rebick
will be speaking out on our behalf.
 
In solidarity
Paul Lykotrafitis
CUPE 3261 picket captain