Post Strike Musings

As many of you are aware, the strike by 2400 CUPE1975 support staff at the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina has just ended, after 4 weeks of picketing, with both parties agreeing to binding arbitration. As a librarian member of the faculty association at the U of S, I was not part of the striking union, but throughout the strike I was presented with a number of questions and situations that required personal and professional reflection and decision making. I would like to share some of those with you…….

Know your rights as a member of the non-striking bargaining unit. Read your collective agreement, and if you are uncertain about your options, talk to your union. If you are not a member of the striking union, do you have the right to not cross the picket line? If you choose not to cross, what are the implications -- are there financial penalties for not crossing the picket line? Are there any disciplinary repercussions? Is ‘working from home’ an option, and if so, what does this really mean? Should you be doing the work of the striking staff?

You will also need to come to grips with a number of philosophical/ethical issues. Do your personal feelings conflict with your professional responsibilities, and if so, how do you reconcile this? How vocal or circumspect do you want to be amongst your colleagues and others in voicing your opinions? Is it hypocritical to cross the picket line virtually when you are not willing to do so physically? How, if at all, will you show support for the striking bargaining unit (walking the picket line with them at lunch time, bringing food/drink, firewood or hand/foot warmers to the picket line, sporting buttons or signs in support, attending rallies, etc.).

Each and every one of the questions posed above, along with many, many others, is an individual and very personal decision. It may seem easiest, especially as a new or untenured librarian, to go along with the majority opinion. A great deal of soul-searching may be required to discover what makes most sense to you, what best fits your personal and professional situation, and what decisions or actions you are willing and able to support in both the short and long term. Ultimately, it is important to respect the decisions made by your colleagues, even if they differ from your own, and work together to maintain a respectful, trusting, and productive work environment, both during and after the strike.