The University of Manitoba could be faced with the second strike by support staff in a little over three years, after their contract expired in October 2010.
Currently there are about 450 support staff workers employed by the university, which includes personnel in areas such as caretaking, maintenance, engineering and food services, who are represented by the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Local 3007.
On Jan. 13, 87 per cent of support staff voted in favour of giving the union a strike mandate, if negotiations failed.
When contacted by the Manitoban, Frank Wright, the current chair of the Canadian Auto Workers Local 3007, refused to provide any comment on what the support staff wanted amended.
Leah Janzen, the university’s communications manager, confirmed that negotiations were taking place and had been ongoing since the collective agreement expired in October 2010.
Janzen said that more meetings were scheduled towards the end of the month and into February.
“We’re confident that these meetings will bear fruit and an agreement will be reached. [ . . . ] We’re hopeful and confident that sitting together at the table will address any concerns on both sides and there won’t be a labour issue,” said Janzen.
Janzen explained that contingency plans are in place to ensure the continuation of university activity during any labour dispute, but declined to comment on the specifics of these plans.
“Classes would continue, and we would expect day-to-day operations to be relatively unaffected,” said Janzen.
In October 2007, the support staff went on strike for more than a week, when their contract expired and negotiations with the university met a deadlock.
Noel Rautert, a student in the faculty of education, was around during the October 2007 strike, but said that the experience was bearable.
“To be honest, it wasn’t really that bad. I mean, there was excessive garbage around campus, and it was a little bit dirtier, but it wasn’t unbearable if you were only coming for class and then leaving,” said Rautert.
However, Rautert felt that the current potential strike would be more noticeable if it happened, in comparison to the October 2007 strike, since there would be no snow removal either.
Rautert said that the biggest effect the October 2007 strike had on him was when staff on strike blocked traffic trying to enter and exit the campus, creating access problems.
“As workers, if they are not happy they have the right to [strike], but I guess the university should do more to compromise and meet their needs,” said Rautert.
Radhika Desai, a political studies professor, explained that in certain cases, strikes have worked to resolve labour disputes.
“If you ask the question ‘historically do [strikes] work?’ I would say yes. Labour organizations have been central to the advances that common people made, [ . . . ] from more rights in terms of political rights or better working conditions, to better wages,” said Desai.
Typically, strikes manifest after workers have tried very hard through negotiations to achieve what they want, said Desai.
“Strike is a sort of stronger weapon. I don’t want to say it’s an ultimate weapon, but it’s a stronger weapon to use — because persuasion has failed, negotiation has failed — to compel the employer under certain circumstances to yield.”
Desai explained that the outcome of a strike depends on which side is better prepared.
“A strike is like a siege; it may end by the employer triumphing, because the employees do not have the capacity to holdout for very long, or it might end in the employees triumphing, because they have the preparation,” said Desai.
