We're Disgusted!

On Thursday, November 5th, support workers in the five CUPE College locals comprising the CUPE Colleges Bargaining Council (CCBC) marked a Day of Disgust.

Support workers at Local 2081 (Camosun College), 2773 (College of the Rockies), 900 (University College of the Cariboo), 1858 (Malaspina University College) and 3479 (North Island College) have plenty to be disgusted about.

They're disgusted with the lack of recognition and respect they're accorded in the college and institute system. They're disgusted with increasingly unmanageable workloads, with the erosion of job security, and with inadequate levels of staffing and resources necessary for the provision of quality service to students, faculty and administrative personnel.

And, they're disgusted with wage controls at 0-0-2 while administrations across the province have just secured for themselves increases, averaging between 2.5% and 3.5% under an "Exempt Compensation" job evaluation program that assures many of such increases for up to nine years into the future.

Perhaps most disgusting of all realities confronted by CUPE members in the college sector is the employers' refusal to even meet with the CCBC. In spite of repeated requests to the Post-Secondary Employers' Association (PSEA) to meet, the PSEA response has been "Not interested."

Actions taken by college support workers ranged from noon hour focus sessions, to targeted strike action at Camosun which has had a strike mandate since early this summer. Malaspina also has a strike mandate, as does Langara College (Local 15).

Newspaper ads were placed within each college region, and members were provided with 0-0-2 Just Won't Do! buttons they have been requested to continue wearing until such time as progress is made towards settling contracts around the province.

Media response was excellent, and Colleges Coordinator Donn Stanley found himself virtually tied to his phone giving interviews November 4 and 5. CUPE National Communications representative Louise Leclair warrants thanks and praise for pulling together ads and media releases, and circulation of the buttons and Post Script newsletters within very tight timelines.

As for employer response: the Day of Disgust definitely got their attention. Three institutions have indicated that they will not stand in the way of establishing a provincial table to deal with issues clearly driven by a provincial agenda. College support workers are hoping enough pressure will be exerted on the others, and that the "real employer" will standup, i.e., desired response will be forthcoming from PSEA.

"We're disgusted that it takes threats of job action and strikes to have the legitimate concerns of support workers in the colleges sector heard ..."