regina students protest month-long support-staff strike

Taylor Bendig, The Carillon (University of Regina)

REGINA (CUP) — By the time the march reached University of Regina President Jim Tomkins’ office, the chanting voices were getting hoarse.

Stretched out behind two large banners, a column of approximately 50 protestors had snaked its way around campus for 20 minutes, growing as it processed. They entered the Administration Humanities building, rode two cramped elevators to the top floor and clustered, still chanting, in front of the hastily-locked doors of Tomkins’ office.

Support staff at both of Saskatchewan’s universities have been on strike since Oct. 30, effectively crippling many services and threatening students’ ability to graduate. The union represents cafeteria and food service workers, caretakers, security officers, library service workers, engineers and boiler operators, medical and lab technologists, nursing and dental assistants, farm workers and animal attendants.

Carissa Fichter, a social work student and protest co-organizer, led the chanting line to the president’s door, where she produced a letter from the Social Work Student Society calling on the administration to “meet with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to fairly negotiate a settlement, keeping in mind fair working conditions and workers’ rights.”

The crowd quieted when she called for Tomkins to come out and receive the letter.

The results were anti-climactic.

After a few moments, an aide unlocked the door and stepped outside.

“He’s not here,” she told the crowd.

Fichter handed her the letter, and she stepped back inside, and the protesters dispersed.

The protest was not the first organized display of student aggravation over the labour disruption, but it was the first event to present visible support for the strikers.

“The purpose of the march was definitely to keep it neutral, to get as many students out, and just to have one united voice,” said co-organizer Cara Riendeau.

While the march did involve some anti-union participants, they were mostly glad of the opportunity to show their opposition to how the university has handled the labour dispute.

“The university is . . . doing a disservice to the public by not continuing to bargain in good faith with the union of workers who keep this place going,” said physics major Gabe Potter.

“I think that it’s important for students to show where they stand on issues, and that we’re concerned with the quality of our education.”

Satisfied with the event’s impact, Rideau and Fichter say they are considering repeating it on a weekly basis, stemming partly from a belief that calls and e-mails from students to the administration have been ignored.

Barb Pollock, the University of Regina’s vice-president of external affairs, denied the allegation.

Students at the University of Saskatchewan are also affected by the strike. Dentistry students there are concerned that they might not graduate on time. Though that college is considering extending the academic year to allow students to graduate, some students, who pay $32,000 in tuition, cannot afford to stay on campus or turn down job offers.

The college’s student-run dental office has also been unable to offer patient services, leaving many without proper care.

The College of Veterinary Medicine is also absent 150 CUPE employees, forcing it to close and leaving fourth-year students making arrangements with clinics in other provinces in order to graduate on time.

“Regardless of your stance there’s no doubt that its affected all the students,” said Riendeau.

—with files from Wendy Gillis