Howard Hampton 416-325-8300, hhampton-qp@ndp.on.ca

Gilles Bisson 416-325-7122, gbisson@ndp.on.ca

Andrea Horwath 416-325-2777, ahorwath-qp@ndp.on.ca

Michael Prue 416-325-1303, mprue-qp@ndp.on.ca

Peter Tabuns 416-325-3250, tabunsp-qp@ndp.on.ca

To ensure speedy passage of the bill, we need all MPPs to vote “yes” tomorrow. We expect Liberals and Conservatives to be on side.

We need to let NDP members know how important it is that they also support this legislation.

PLEASE E-MAIL NDP MPPS TODAY. A SAMPLE E-MAIL IS BELOW. THEIR E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE:

gbisson@ndp.on.ca, dinovoc-qp@ndp.on.ca, fgelinas-qp@ndp.on.ca, hhampton-qp@ndp.on.ca, ahorwath-qp@ndp.on.ca, pkormos-qp@ndp.on.ca, rmarchese-co@ndp.on.ca , pmiller-qp@ndp.on.ca, mprue-qp@ndp.on.ca, tabunsp-qp@ndp.on.ca

E-MAIL THE PREMIER at https://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/feedback.asp

FOR A LIST OF ALL MPPS SEE
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/member_addresses.do?locale=en

OTHER IMPORTANT EMAIL ADDRESSES:
1. Mamdouh Shoukri, President and Vice-Chancellor of York: mshoukri@yorku.ca

2. CUPE 3903hq@gmail.com

 That’s what the strike at York University will likely cost students in lost summer earnings. And for every week the strike continues, students stand to lose another $17.5 million collectively. In the face of this, the McGuinty government’s hands-off position and refusal to intervene and get the students back into the classroom is irresponsible and unacceptable.

 We need back-to-work legislation to be at the ready, in case the CUPE 3903 votes down the latest York University offer next week. To help get that message out let’s flood their MPPs and the Premier with e-mails and phone calls demanding government intervention in this dispute.

1. Call Premier Dalton McGuinty at 416-325-1941.
2. E-mail Dalton McGuinty at: https://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/feedback.asp 
3. E-mail your MPP: For contact information, go to: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/member_addresses.do?locale=en

Government is not a spectator sport: It is about accountability and leadership – and on the York U strike issue, this government has failed on both counts. It’s clear that the university and its striking union cannot reach a negotiated settlement: They have had 11 weeks to do just that but have failed. It’s time for the government to step up to the plate and get this dispute resolved.

*50,000 students x 35 hours/week x $10/hour (average) = $17.5 million per week. Based on  York Senate statement of Dec. 18, 2008, to fulfill academic requirements students would be in class all of May (5 weeks) and possibly into early June.

We have run out of time for the government to “wait and see” what happens at York. We need back-to-work legislation to be at the ready in case the union turns down the latest York offer next week (Ministry of Labour holding supervised vote at York’s request).

Here’s what needs to be done:

1.  Call Premier Dalton McGuinty at 416-325-1941.
2. E-mail Dalton McGuinty at: https://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/feedback.asp
3. E-mail your MPP: For contact information, go to: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/member_addresses.do?locale=en

MEDIA RELEASE

Parents need to step up to the plate in York dispute

Toronto: Ongoing labour disputes at York University severely compromise its ability to ensure a quality, strife-free education and university experience, according to parents who have launched a campaign to encourage parents of York U students to get vocal in pressing for an immediate resolution to the strike.

The campaign has three objectives:

1. To get 50,000 students of York U back into classes as soon as possible and salvage some part of the 2008/09 academic year.
2. To have York U commit to finding a way to complete the current academic year without extending the school year – a move that penalizes students as it affects their summer job prospects.
3. To encourage Grade 12 students and their parents to think twice about selecting York as an option for their post-secondary studies.

“The university and the union don’t seem to be listening to the 50,000 students whose lives are on hold. Maybe the added weight of a few thousand parents will help resolve this dispute,” say Dagmar Kanzler and David Ross, parents of a second-year York University student.

The YorkParents Facebook group encourages parents of York students to make their views know to both university management and to striking CUPE union 3903. York students are encouraged to use their social media skills to let students now graduating from their former high schools know about the labour dispute and how it has affected their academic year. Parents and students looking at university options for this September may want to think twice about York as an option.

“We’re hoping that pressure from many sources and on many fronts will make both sides realize that they need to find lasting solutions to the labour problems at York. And if they cannot, then high school graduating students and their parents should ask themselves if this university is the best option for their post-secondary education. Students deserve better than to be held hostage by a labour dispute.”

For more information, see http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=43698919019

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Contact:

Dagmar Kanzler

YorkParents@gmail.com

416-371-2093

High school students and parents thinking about what university to choose should think twice about choosing York for several reasons:

• it is a university with a history of labour relations problems (2 lengthy strikes in the last 8 years) plus work-to-rule compaigns); the current strike started Nov. 6, 2008.
• there is now a real possibility that students now at York could lose the whole year;
• the quality of the education that students will get this year (if the strike is resolved) will be compromised by having to compress the curriculum; and
• students will inevitably be penalized by having their school year extended into the summer – making it difficult if not impossible to work and make the monies needed to fund their university education.

Would you want your son or daughter to have to go through this kind of experience?

High school students and parents: Educate yourself about what is going on at York. Know that in 2 or 3 years the school could again be on strike.  The unstable labour relations situation at York U compromises the university’s ability to deliver a quality, dispute-free education and university experience.  It is not a happy place.

York students: Use your Facebook and other contacts to let students at your past high school know about your experience at York; encourage them to find out what is happening at York and to think twice about choosing York as a university.

What can you do?

York parents and students: Contact the university President Mamdouh Shoukri (mshoukri@yorku.ca) and CUPE 3903 (3903hq@gmail.com). Let them know you want this issue resolved immediately. Tell them  how this strike has affected your view of York. Let them know if you are thinking of switching universities.

E-mail Premier Dalton McGuinty at http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp to let him know you want this strike ended even if it means the government must intervene and enact back-to-work legislation.

York students: Use your Facebook and other contacts to let students at your past high school know about your experience at York; encourage them to find out what is happening at York and to think twice about choosing York as a university.