Dear Mr. Kreitner,

I was disappointed to read your claim that “the new SSMU team […] would ideally have us all joining MUNACA in its strike for fairer pay, and thus would have us miss classes until whenever the disagreement is resolved” [“Crossing the line,” September 7]. The SSMU Executive is in no way encouraging students to cut class in order to support the strike, as evidenced by the following sentence, also included in our statement, which you may have overlooked: “Students interested in showing their support for McGill’s non-academic staff are welcome to participate in one of MUNACA’s many picket lines near campus entrances when they are not in class.”

We may both agree that showing up for class can be a struggle (especially the ones that start at 8:30). However, I believe it is possible for students to get an education while supporting the folks marching on the picket lines. I believe both activities do not contradict each other, and moreover, that taking part in social change is one of the best forms of education.

—Joël Pedneault (SSMU VP External Affairs)