Striking Students Shut Down Student Services

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Striking Students Shut Down Student Services

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Before classes started this morning, pickets sprouted up around the Student Union Building (SUB) at the University of Victoria. The United Steelworkers Local 2952, representing workers in the building, are on strike to resolve outstanding issues with the University of Victoria Students' Society (UVSS). They are seeking a wage increase, retroactive to April 2008, and job classifications.

Within hours, both sides had created competing Facebook groups. The UVSS Board of Governors chose to immediately disable comments and wall posts; the Union's group allowed both and has already more than tripled in membership.

The University released a statement that "[all] classes and services at UVic, including bus service, are operating as usual." Unfortunately, that is not completely true as the SUB is home to not only food outlets and a pub but also several resource centres, a used book store, a copy and print shop, a pharmacy and Canada Post outlet, dental and chiropractic offices, the Cinecenta movie theatre and CFUV, the campus radio station.

All businesses were closed in the SUB today though members of the Board of Governors were staffing the Information Desk and CFUV was re-broadcasting past shows.

It is unclear at this time when the bargaining committees will get back to the table after both negotiation and mediation broke down last month.