How annoying would it be if every time you tried to go to and from work, you were delayed up to an hour?
The good students of Carleton University know this all too well. Unlike most protestors, the unions at Carleton encourage their workers to stop traffic from entering and leaving the university—every single time.
This is even more frustrating for individuals that have to go to and from campus multiple times a day or who take the busses, which won’t even come on campus now. This leaves many missing important appointments or being late to pick up their children from daycare. The worst part is, when we voice our frustration, we’re told we’re in the wrong, simply because we want to go about our day and be productive members of society.
On March 8, it took me a whole extra hour to get home, when I only live 10 minutes away. Rob Thomas, vice-president (human resources), sent out an email later that day notifying students and faculty that the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 2424 had violated its picketing protocol. The email stated that people were being delayed up to an hour because of the picketing. According to Thomas, this is a violation of the contract.
Allow me to clarify—it’s not that I don’t care about these people or their situation, as some of their zealots would have you believe. But, I take issue with physically forcing your problems onto others. Imagine if every time something didn’t go your way, you just block random people going to and from their place of work using physical force? Physical force is never an appropriate way to deal with your problems, no matter how noble your intentions may be.
Quite frankly, I don’t even think most of their cohorts even know or care about the issue, they just jump on board the virtue-signalling and moral indignation train because they enjoy fitting in and having a holier-than-thou attitude.
What’s really concerning are the organizations that support them. CUPE 4600, which represents teaching assistants and contract instructors at Carleton, has come out unequivocally in support of CUPE 2424. As a TA myself, I would like to clarify on the record that I do not cosign for that and they do not speak for all of us.
On March 14, Jay Ramasubramanyam, Miranda Leibel, and Trycia Bazinet–who are running for executive positions in the Graduate Students’ Association elections–stopped by my office to talk about their campaign.
When I asked them about their stance on CUPE 2424, they quickly voiced their support. Bazinet even told me of a website where I can voice my support, but failed to know anywhere I could voice my frustration. So what am I supposed to do? Write a Yelp review for CUPE 2424?
The real irony is, CUPE 2424 wants us as students to acknowledge their plights, while simultaneously disregarding the misgivings that we may have. They and their supporters claim to be doing the right thing despite the ire they are causing others who very well might be, and are, in tougher predicaments.
I spoke with these disciples on social media to give them a chance to explain their side.
Instead, I was met with the usual: trolling, spin, strawmanning, changing topics, ad hominem attacks and when finally backed into a corner—silence.
