Beyond the Picket Lines

"To whom much is given, much is required."

How disappointing it is, as a student, to find that the leaders within the education system that have been thought of respectfully, can be found setting an embarrassing example to their students and the entire city of Hamilton.  I'm referring to the present conflict between the food service workers on campus (members of the SEIU Local 2) and the university administration.
When I first heard that these workers were picketing, I thought I would hear both sides of the story before having any personal convictions about it.  Unfortunately, after contacting both the food service employees and the administration personnel, I have only received responses from the picketers.   Borrowing lyrics from Alison Krauss, "You say it best, when you say nothing at all."  Thus, I am regretfully only capable of telling one side of the story at this present time.
As I understand it, the university administration is responsible for attempting to change the job security language within the worker's contract which will ultimately allow for their position to be replaced by 'casual employees.'  This means that the many single mothers who depend on these jobs to support their families, could look much like the rest of Hamilton - living below the poverty line, scraping by on social assistance with no way out.  I cannot comprehend how in such financially insecure and jobless times, the administration could conceive of adding to the enormous demand already faced by Hamilton, which includes creating jobs that pay a proper living wage.  This is detrimental to our local economic climate as it creates a larger gap between the have's and the have-not's.  I am ashamed that the university I belong to would succumb to old-school greed, instead of setting a new standard that the city desperately needs.

Photo by Diego Mendez, taken from Rabble.ca

I hope my next blog post will be celebrating the wise and appropriate decisions made by my university administration to reconsider the rotten bologna they are trying to feed all of us, (which our beloved food service workers would never do.)