Strike At Brock University Is Over

By Doug Draper

The strike involving close to 40 English-as-as-second-language instructors at Brock University – or the traffic mess in front of Brock’s St. Catharines, Ontario campus, if that is the way some of you looked at it – is over.

Strikers picket one of two main entrances to Brock University campus. File photo by Doug Draper

The union representing the striking instructors and the university reached a final agreement this April 5 which apparently means more job security for the instructors who work on contract for Brock and therefore collect no benefits for their work.

Niagara At Large covered this strike and posted at least two or three pieces that shows some sympathized for the  instructors, some of whom said they were making less than $20,000 a year. All NAL asked of Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4207-3, the union local representing the instructors in return, was to be kept in the loop on the outcome of the negotiations. The CUPE local chose not to do so and NAL found out about the end of this strike more than half a day later,  through other media sources.

Thanks to CUPE for using media outlets like this to publicize its grievances when it feels it is in its best interest to do so, but not having the courtesy to keep all outlets who demonstrated an interest in the issues of this strike in the loop.

In this particular case, Brock students and other members of the public were doing their best to show patience for the striking employees while some classes and other events on campus were cancelled and roads around the university were hard to navigate, costing regional taxpayers God knows how much for police traffic control.

The least CUPE could have done is issue a media release on the outcome of the strike. Apparently that is expecting too much. CUPE might want to look at itself if and when it wonders why unions are losing the respect of the general public.

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