Strike, 24th of November

33% God

mloc wrote: »

Remind me again what the point of the strike is?

"Pursuit of compliance with the Transitional Agreement or an Agreed Alternative in each case."
From the SIPTU website.

delta_bravo

mloc wrote: »

Remind me again what the point of the strike is?

I think its a protest at last nights game. Trying to cut all funding to the Department of Francophone studies

convert

According to a statement from UCD officials, the university will be open as normal because it's the last week of term, and that they'll try to carry out services as much as possible. It was also stated that students should assume that letctures, labs, etc. will continue as possible unless otherwise informed, despite the fact that a large number of staff have indicated that they will not be working.

Chet T16

Here we go

Dear UCD Student,

The Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has organised a one-day work stoppage on Tuesday 24th November 2009. SIPTU, IFUT and TEEU have notified the University that their members have voted to support the action.

Given that next week is the last week of the semester and that some of you have assessments and/or assignment submissions scheduled for 24th November, the University will be open and will endeavour to maintain services at as close a level as possible to normal. Unless you have been told otherwise by a member of staff from your School or Programme you should assume your lectures, lab sessions, field trips, assessments and assignment submissions for the 24th remain as scheduled. Nonetheless, it is clear that a proportion of staff will not attend for work on Tuesday, and inevitably, some lectures, lab sessions, field trips, assessments and assignment submissions currently scheduled for the 24th November will have to be rescheduled. We will do our best to ensure you are notified of any such changes.

Any supplementary information regarding the above arrangements will be posted on the UCD website and you are advised to check for updates.

It should be appreciated that it is difficult to anticipate what level of services will be available on the day and your patience and flexibility will be appreciated.


Philip Nolan

1968

Article from Maynooth FEE that might be of interest/relevance to some UCD students:

STRIKE ACTION BY CAMPUS TRADE UNIONISTS, 24 NOVEMBER 2009


All of the trade unions representing staff working on the Maynooth campus are taking part in a one-day strike on Tuesday November 24th. The strike is protesting against the threat of further government-imposed cuts in the pay of university employees. Action is being taken following ballots in which the majority of members of the unions that are taking part voted in favour of coming out on strike.

Pickets will be placed at the entrances to the North and South campuses throughout the day on Tuesday. Students are asked not to pass these pickets and not to enter the campus while the strike is in progress. (A distinction is, of course, recognised here between students residing on campus and those who would normally be coming in to attend lectures etc. There is no intention to interfere with anyone's access to their home. The aim is to bring the ordinary working parts of the university - its lecture theatres, labs, library etc. - to a halt for the period of the strike).

Hopefully you will have been informed of the cancellation of your classes by your lecturers in advance of Tuesday. If you are in any doubt, please contact the lecturer concerned to confirm that cancellation. With official pickets in place, the only people who will be conducting or attending classes will be those who have deliberately chosen to break the strike. Given the wide range of Maynooth employees stopping work on the day, it is quite likely that the campus will close down completely. University management intend to try and keep it open but health and safety considerations may lead them to reconsider this position once the strike is in progress. If you do not wish to actively express support for the strike, your wisest course of action may be to stay away from Maynooth on November 24th. Public transport services are likely to be disrupted on that day because workers right across the public sector are going to be involved in the strike.

It must be emphasised that trade union members on the campus are seeking and will warmly welcome student support for their action. Pay cuts are part of a wider package of measures that will progressively reduce the resourcing and the quality of the education provided to students in our schools and universities. The return to charging students tuition fees forms part of the same political agenda. Students and staff have a common interest in the protection of our education system against the kind of destructive changes with which it is currently threatened.

Dr Strange

Message from UCD Library Services:

UCD Library wrote:

Message from UCD Library: Arrangements for the 24th November

UCD Library Management anticipate that arrangements on Tuesday 24th November 2009 will be as follows:-

-Health Sciences, Richview, Blackrock, and the Vet Library will be CLOSED

-PROVISIONAL arrangements are being made for the following:
James Joyce Library to open with LIMITED SERVICES from 09:00 to 18:00
This arrangement will not be confirmed till MONDAY

All libraries will reopen on Wednesday 25th November 2009.

The library’s opening hours will be available from our website http://www.ucd.ie/library/about/opening_hours/index.html <http://www.ucd.ie/library/about/opening_hours/index.html&gt;

cherrypipp

Effers. Of course the bloody health sciences library will be closed because why the hell would any of us need to use it. Strike my arse

Extrasupervery

It'll just make it more tempting to not go to that stupid ****ing tutorial I dread every Tuesday

princess_calico

1968 wrote: »

Article from Maynooth FEE that might be of interest/relevance to some UCD students:

I'm in the NUIM SU and we are getting serious backlash over our attitude that we are there to represent the student's EDUCATION, not the lecturers' pay. I'm trying to find out some of the other SU's stances on the strike. Is anyone aware of UCD's?


Cheers

1968

princess_calico wrote: »

I'm in the NUIM SU and we are getting serious backlash over our attitude that we are there to represent the student's EDUCATION, not the lecturers' pay. I'm trying to find out some of the other SU's stances on the strike. Is anyone aware of UCD's?


Cheers

Gary Redmond, UCDSU President + Fianna Fail sympathiser:

9. Day of Action

Several public sector Trade Unions have served strike notice on UCD for a 24 hour period encompassing all of Tuesday, November 24th. Given the close proximity to the end of semester exams I have written to SIPTU to request that they allow a skeleton staff to operate in the library – as off 18:00 on Sunday this request has not been responded to.

The university is committed to making every effort to ensure as many of the university’s services function as close to normal as is possible and in particular that the main library is open however, it is unavoidable that certain services will be curtailed and lectures cancelled.

princess_calico

1968 wrote: »

Gary Redmond, UCDSU President + Fianna Fail sympathiser:

so... is UCDSU basically taking the stance as Maynooth- that our job is to stand for the students' education, not for the lecturers' pay? But that we are not opposed to the strike?

Tayto2000

cherrypipp wrote: »

Effers. Of course the bloody health sciences library will be closed because why the hell would any of us need to use it. Strike my arse

I'm guessing that since no-one really has any idea how many staff are going to be out, the library are being conservative and consolidating everything to the main library...

Kournikova

I'm not going to anything on Tues, as a Socialist I refuse to lol,

1968

princess_calico wrote: »

so... is UCDSU basically taking the stance as Maynooth- that our job is to stand for the students' education, not for the lecturers' pay? But that we are not opposed to the strike?

Yeah, it seems like they're also going to be sitting on the fence. Student Unions' should stand for students' education foremost but should always give concrete solidarity to our college's staff when they need/ask for it. An Inury To One Is An Injury To All.

Kournikova

To be fair, one day hardly effects anyone's education.

It's not a long term strike.

boneless

betafrog wrote: »

That makes no sense at all. The STUDENTS union is there for the STUDENTS and not to support the staff regardless of whether they need it or not. If the students ability to study is coming in to question then it is the union's obligation to ensure that everything possible is done to ensure that's not the case.

USI, to which UCDSU is affiliated, is affiliated to ICTU thus making it an integral part of the broader trade union movement. Therefore Congress rules on strikes and picketing apply to USI as well.

1968

boneless wrote: »

USI, to which UCDSU is affiliated, is affiliated to ICTU thus making it an integral part of the broader trade union movement. Therefore Congress rules on strikes and picketing apply to USI as well.

Exactly.

USI have come out strongly in support of the ICTU strikes.

The Union of Students in Ireland is supporting planned strikes by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) next month.

The USI is opposed to government plans to slash the public sector wage bill by €1.3 billion.


This decrease in the pay bill will only lead to a further unrest among the teachers of Ireland and it will also further stifle the recovery of the economy.


USI President, Peter Mannion, said:
“The USI represents over 250,000 students nationwide. We are taking this opportunity to urge these students to join the ICTU strikes, which have been organised over the coming weeks around the country. We are impelling the students of Ireland to demand a better future for themselves. Our students will be tomorrow’s graduates and any changes in pay or working conditions in the public sector will directly affect them in years to come..”

Sad Professor

Library hours are reduced:

Update published 11.20am Monday 23rd November
The following restrictions in service will prevail on Tuesday 24th November.

The UCD James Joyce Library will have reduced opening hours (10am until 4pm) and limited services.
The Health Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Richview and Blackrock libraries will be closed.
The main restaurant will be closed for food service, the lower ground floor Rendezvous and Post Office will be open. It is anticipated that other non-UCD operated food outlets on campus, which are not party to this dispute, will be open.
The Student Desk, Tierney building will be closed.
UCD regrets any inconvenience caused. Normal building opening hours will apply (8.00am to 10.00pm).

I've had a lecture and a tutorial cancelled, while another tutorial (which I can't miss) is still going ahead. I don't agree with the strike but I don't like passing pickets either, but I'll probably have to.

RandolphEsq

Sad Professor wrote: »

I don't agree with the strike but I don't like passing pickets either, but I'll probably have to.

Just put a jacket over your head so nobody knows who you are

bnt

1968 wrote: »

An Inury To One Is An Injury To All.

But An Inury To Thousands Is A Statistic.

If the SU thinks condoning this is the way to get students on their side, well, so much for the SU as a union for students.

Kirnsy

how many lecturers marched with students when the fees were being proposed?

pljudge321

USI President, Peter Mannion, said:
“The USI represents over 250,000 students nationwide. We are taking this opportunity to urge these students to join the ICTU strikes, which have been organised over the coming weeks around the country.

I never remember asking/been asked to be represented by this man and his organisation.

Chucky the tree

Tempted to knock up a sign telling these ***** to get back to work.

littlefriend

Anyone know is traffic expected to be disrupted? I have an in class exam tomorrow which is going ahead. Not sure how I feel about crossing a picket line really.

Tom65

Does going into the library to drop a two books back count as crossing picket lines?


If I didn't I'd be fined. I can't afford that. If anyone should empathise there, it'd be the Unions.

WeeBushy

I don't really understand why the library is operating with reduced hours tomorrow. If the people who work there are not part of the strike then why can't they keep the library open as normal?

mloc

Infuriating Unions, I will cross the lines regardless, I have no respect for the sheep like, naive and largely uninformed public sector staff who follow these ridiculously backwards Union leaders.

Tom65

pljudge321 wrote: »

I never remember asking/been asked to be represented by this man and his organisation.

As far as I'm aware, you don't have to be a SU member. You can get your hundred odd euro back.

WeeBushy

Tom65 wrote: »

As far as I'm aware, you don't have to be a SU member. You can get your hundred odd euro back.

Where? How? I want in. Well out, actually.

dajaffa

mloc wrote: »

Infuriating Unions, I will cross the lines regardless, I have no respect for the sheep like, naive and largely uninformed public sector staff who follow these ridiculously backwards Union leaders.

In fairness they're not following the leaders, they voted in favour of strike action, in Impact's case by 84%.

Calling about 500,000 people uninformed wouldn't be terribly accurate either imo, my sister's a nurse in a childern's hospital, my friend a radiographer, my dad an engineer and they and plenty more like them aren't uninformed, they think its the right course of action and they are entitled to go on strike. Especially post round one of pay cuts, no-one takes a days less wages to march in the wind and rain for the craic, its not a decision taken lightly. Most that I know are on the edge financially but think strike action is the right thing to do.

This strike is really a warning shot of whats to come to bring to the negotiating table, a one day stoppage is probably good for the Government financially, but the prospect of long-term general strike is not good for them politically.