Letter to the Editor

J'’accuse!

The strike courageously waged by the members of CAW 3007 deserves a sober and alternative analysis centered around the workers. I noticed that this perspective was seldom expressed in the Manitoban, therefore I, as a student and frequent reader of this paper, wish to come to their defense and vindicate their valuable work. The U of M administration (knowingly messing with these workers’ livelihoods), backed by the lap dog media and certain narrow-minded students and faculty members, aggressively launched a contemptible anti-worker campaign designed to trivialise the dispute and mislead citizens inside and outside campus. The actions of the CAW workers were falsely portrayed as antagonistic to the interests of students, faculty, and higher education in general. I dispute this official version of the strike cynically groomed by this administration and their sycophants. Workers contribute immensely to the quality of our education even though the effects of their contribution are difficult to quantify. They are conscientious of our needs and they always have the quality of our education in mind. Hence, it is obvious that their needs and interests are concurrent with those of students and faculty. We all want a dignified standard of living and want to continuously improve it, but the ruthless tactics used by the administration (employment of scab labour, no attempt to negotiate) were depriving the workers of that opportunity. Equally despicable was the contempt expressed by some that a delay to get onto campus caused by defiant workers trying to inform the publicof their valid demands is somehow a violation of motorists’ “rights” (I still don’t know what specific rights they’re talking about?). The hostility and apathy displayed by many during the strike speaks volumes about the skewed logic of our society’s pervasive ideology. This strike brought the class struggle into the open, yet only an invisible minority of students and faculty members were actually conscious of it and, consequently, acted in solidarity with the workers. Although we were not well organized to raise awareness and mobilise students, we learned some very important lessons: First, more discussion and organised student activism are needed on campus.

This allows us to act in a timely fashion when disputes and/or major issues on campus arise. Second, students, faculty and workers should forge coalitions and unite against their common enemy/employer for the cause of education and democracy. Let’s hope that next time, this vicious administration doesn’t get off so easily.

Zachary Saltis

Economics-Labour Studies Undergraduate