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UVIC SS on strike


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#1 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 03 September 2008 - 10:17 PM

Not sure where to post this, but anyway, it looks like they are indeed off on strike Thursday based on info I have received. Kids these days. :)

Workers at UVic vote for strike
Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, August 27, 2008


Unionized employees of the University of Victoria Students' Society have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike, but have no immediate plans to proceed with job action, a union spokesman said.

"We're not even close to being at the stage of that happening yet," said Earl Graham, from the Langley office of the United Steelworkers of America. "We're going into mediation this Friday.

"We'll have to see where the chips fall there before we make any decisions on what we're going to do."

Graham said the major issue arising from Monday night's strike vote is wages.

The affected employees fill a variety of jobs at the Student Union Building, working at such venues as the Cinecenta snack bar and Felicita's pub. They are not directly employed by UVic.

SUB workers have been represented by the Steelworkers since 1991.

#2 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 03 September 2008 - 10:51 PM

CFAX:


STRIKE SHUTS DOWN BUSINESSES IN UVIC STUDENT UNION BUILDING

Sep 3, 2008

STARTING TODAY, UVIC STUDENTS WANTING A SLICE OF PIZZA OR MORNING CUP OF COFFEE FROM THE STUDENT UNION BUILDING WILL HAVE TO LOOK ELSEWHERE.

THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA STUDENTS' SOCIETY SAYS UNION WORKERS AT BUSINESSES IN THE STUDENT UNION BUILDING ARE ON STRIKE.

THIS MEANS THAT ESTABLISHMENTS SUCH AS FELICITA'S PUB, BEAN THERE CAFE, AND THE INTERNATIONAL GRILL WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

THE SOCIETY SAYS IT CANNOT AFFORD THE 30% WAGE INCREASE BEING SOUGHT BY THE UNION.

THE SOCIETY SAYS WHILE THE STRIKE IS ON, ALL BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL EVENTS, SUCH AS A BEER GARDEN LATER THIS WEEK, WILL BE CANCELLED.

NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BROKEN OFF, BUT THE STUDENTS' SOCIETY SAYS ITS MEMBERS WANT TO GET BACK TO THE TABLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

#3 Bernard

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Posted 04 September 2008 - 06:19 AM

30% wage increase? Seems rather out of whack with reality.

#4 Holden West

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Posted 04 September 2008 - 06:34 AM

^30%? Who do they think they are, government deputy ministers?
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#5 Koru

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Posted 04 September 2008 - 07:06 AM

geezus H Christ...30%...completely ridiculous...I'm obviously union, and we're at maybe 2 or 3% a year...not 30%, I think self-entitlement has really got the best of this group...And anyhow, why in the hell are they represented by the steelworkers union? I hardly see them doing any steel work!

yeesh

#6 Baro

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Posted 04 September 2008 - 07:35 AM

30% ??? What are they being paid now?? Have they not had a rise in 10 years or something?

#7 Guest_Marcat_*

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Posted 04 September 2008 - 08:11 AM

For information directly from the UVSS the following link provides a pretty good low down on the employer's point of view, I believe there is also a link off that page to the students and they're case...
,
http://www.facebook....07607539&ref=nf

Funny thing that these students don't seem to get is the UVSS isn't some big multi-national conglomerate, its non-profit and in its nearly 20 year history has posted numerous deficits, In order to facilitate such an enormous wage increase, student fees would increase quite handsomely, effectively eliminating their wage increases...In my owe so humble opinion its another case of self-entitlement by a younger generation who have lost the ideals of hard work and budgeting to get where and what you want, I know several people through friends that currently attend UVIC, they work in the SUB yet most of their university is paid for and in some cases apartments by mom and dad, yet they can't seem to manage their funds and want more from a non-profit. I usually will support unions in wage increases of 2 and 3% to combat inflation associate with big companies, whose owner's are nice and wealthy, but its a non-profit society for crissake, and so a few people can make a few bucks ,the entire student body of UVIC will wind up having to shell out more student fees to cover the increase to the debt load of the UVSS.

#8 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 04 September 2008 - 08:26 AM

The numbers aren't too high:

Union Proposal:
The union has proposed a new two year collective agreement with a $1.50 wage increase for all student staff and a $1.25 increase for permanent staff in each year. Student wages are currently between $9.95 and $12.16. The union’s proposal would mean a 30% increase for most student staff over 2 years. The union’s proposal would cost $146,877.75 in the first year and an additional $146,877.75 in the second year for a total increase in staff costs of $293,755 after 2 years based on current levels of staffing.

Employer Proposal:
The employer has proposed a new three year collective agreement with a $0.50 wage increase for permanent staff and $0.30 for most student staff. That works out to a 3% increase for most student staff and more than 2% for permanent staff. The employer has proposed a higher increase for some cook positions and security staff and a $0.10 for gratuity earning staff in Felicita’s. The employer has proposed all staff get a 1% increase in the second and third year of the agreement. The employer’s proposal would cost $46,978 in the first year and an additional $15,992 in the second year for a total increase in staff costs of $62.971 after 2 years.

#9 Bernard

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Posted 04 September 2008 - 08:56 AM

The UVSS would do better if they managed their businesses better - when I was involved in the 1980s, the bar was a gold mine. Last year they had their license pulled for violations.

So the union side would see the bottom end of the employees earning $12.94 in two years and the top end $15.80?

These rates seem high for the sort of work involved.

#10 Newlywednotnearlydead

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Posted 08 September 2008 - 07:46 AM

With the labour market what it is at the moment, many students can probably go out and find a job that pays more than the current $10-12 an hour that the UVSS pays, so it's probably time to up the rates a bit. A 30% increase is ridiculous though.

#11 Guest_Marcat_*

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Posted 08 September 2008 - 09:19 AM

With the labour market what it is at the moment, many students can probably go out and find a job that pays more than the current $10-12 an hour that the UVSS pays, so it's probably time to up the rates a bit. A 30% increase is ridiculous though.


The labour market the way it is?...things are tightening up around here, just as it is across North America, unemployment rates are up nationally (although, we've bucked the trend for now, its a matter of time)...The people in the UVSS are running cash register's, cooking, serving etc...for the most part all entry level positions, and their current wages aren't a lot different than many other establishments across Greater Victoria...I believe in my perusing of this forum their was an earlier discussion regarding wages in the service industry and it was pointed out these are entry level positions, and if you choose to stay at it you're whole life and not spend the money to further you're education, and stay at the same wage, thats you're own problem, those of us that make a living wage have spent time making the shiz wages, gotten training, gone to school or have an entrepreneurial sense and started our own businesses at least for the most part. This money grab by the staff at UVSS is just another example of how the generation currently coming into and at university all have a sense of self-entitlement and can't accept that living wages come with hard work, training and education. They have lived off money and daddy for so long, or continue too, and insist on having all the luxuries of life on wages that don't allow for the luxuries but if managed and budgeted appropriately can be lived upon. I say wake up kids, try an old fashion concept, work you're way up to higher wages instead of standing around like infants, kicking and screaming because you want more money but are in an entry level job...yeesh, its an argument that is getting so old in this town...

#12 Newlywednotnearlydead

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Posted 08 September 2008 - 10:53 AM

It wasn't my intent to argue that people working at Felicita's or slinging burgers at the International Grill should make a living wage doing it. However, while it's been a few years since I worked an entry level job, a 12 dollar an hour max seems low.

When I was at UVic a few years ago, like many students I needed a part-time to help pay the bills. The labour market was tougher for young workers and I was working off-campus at an entry-level job at a grocery store making just under 10 bucks an hour. By the time I graduated in 2004, I had earned a few pay raises and was making around 14 bucks an hour, which I thought was not too shabby for a part-time early morning/weekends gig. If UVic workers top out at around 12, that's actually pretty weak. A quick search on Craigslist will find a pile of comparable entry-level jobs that start at $11-12 bucks an hour and probably go up if you stay in the job.

#13 Zimquats

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Posted 08 September 2008 - 11:17 AM

Lock out the union employees...fill the position with the student willing to work non-union for $12.

Maybe just me, but I'm positive they won't have any difficulty filling the positions.

#14 Newlywednotnearlydead

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Posted 08 September 2008 - 01:42 PM

Lock out the union employees...fill the position with the student willing to work non-union for $12.

Maybe just me, but I'm positive they won't have any difficulty filling the positions.


Ah the irony, the campus radicals who run the UVSS being turned into heartless capitalist running dogs of the bourgeoisie. I'm just happy to see those losers face some misery. I was not a big fan of the clique that ran the UVSS while I was a UVic student and didn't appreciate the crap that they spent my student fees on.

 



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