Dear members of AMUSE,

The MUNACA strike is going on its second day. Many of you have decided to exercise your rights not to cross the picket line and stand in solidarity with our MUNACA brothers and sisters. If you do make this choice, we ask that you contact our Labour Relations Officer, Dave Howden at 514-588-9442, or our President, Farid, at 514-589-6450. We have signs and buttons for you to wear during the picket. For those whom we saw at the picket line already, thanks for being there! The longer the longer the picket line, the shorter the strike.

We’d like to remind you of the protocol for AMUSE workers during the MUNACA strike. What you can and cannot do as workers at McGill.

Protocol

We have set up a definitive protocol for Casual workers during the MUNACA strike. Please read carefully the following guide. It will make sure that you abide by the existing laws and regulations (McGill and Quebec Labour Laws), and also make sure that your jobs and hours will be safe, during and after the strike.

1. AMUSE is not striking, because we are in a separate bargaining unit than MUNACA. As such, you are expected to fulfill your existing duties and assignments.
2. If you are offered to do the work of MUNACA workers, or to work extra hours during MUNACA working hours, you have every right to refuse the request. For managers to ask other workers to do this is illegal under section 109.1 of the Quebec Labour Code. If you fear that you might lose your job or hours as a result of refusing your manager’s request, comply with him/her and contact AMUSE Execs that they have made this illegal request. We will take it from there.
3. If you find a picket line blocking entrance to your work, you have two options:

a) You cannot in good conscience pass the picket line. McGill regulations allow this. In this case, call your manager and tell him that there is a picket line blocking the entrance, and that you cannot for safety reasons cross it. Your manager should know that McGill policy respects that desire. If he insists strongly, he is going against the policy.

Furthermore, section 110 of the Quebec Labour Code ensures that “no person shall cease to be an employee for the sole reason that he has ceased to work in consequence of a strike or lock-out.”

b) You desire to go work-casuals after all depend on our jobs to support ourselves. In this case, you are not required to force yourself through the picket line. You should call you manager, telling her/him that you are available for work, near your work place, but that you do not want to force yourself through the picket line as there are picketers in front of your building. McGill is obliged to make sure that you can come to work in a safe manner and will have the obligation to pay you since you are available for work, near your work place and waiting for instructions as to how to get into the premises safely.

AMUSE supports our brothers and sisters at MUNACA during this strike and will keep you updated on developments. Do what you can to respect the picket line. The more support we show to the MUNACA’s, the stronger the picket line, the quicker the strike will be. The more successful MUNACA is in getting a fair contract the easier will be for AMUSE and AMURE to get fair contracts.

We will all benefit from MUNACA’s fight for fair working conditions.

Together! Stronger!

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