Sam Reynolds

The MUNACA strike continues without advances at the bargaining table. Outside the negotiating room, however, relations between the two parties have taken a sour turn.

The last few weeks have seen the confrontation of alumni by picketers over homecoming weekend, the picketing of several administrators private homes, the occupation of members of McGill’s board of governors’ workplaces, and deliberate construction delays at a new hospital. Both parties maintain that negotiations have not been affected by demonstrations of bad faith.

Homecoming disruptions

Over homecoming weekend, tensions flared between MUNACA picketers and returning alumni. In a letter to the student body, Principal Heather Monroe-Blum described the interaction between MUNACA and returning McGillians in hostile terms.

“Picketers tried to disrupt our Homecoming events by defacing Martlet House, hurling insults, swearing and throwing objects at senior administrators, and behaving aggressively and threateningly toward guests, including elderly alumni at the Annual Red and White Dinner,” Blum’s email read.

MUNACA’s account of the weekend is of a markedly different tone. The union’s VP Finance, Dave Kalant, found MUNACA’s presence at Homecoming “effective.”

“At many events we were able to talk directly to alumni, many of whom were supportive,” Kalant said. “We were also able to raise awareness of the situation at McGill.”

In response to reports of vandalism at Martlet House, Kalant denied knowledge of who was involved.  

Big names at MUNACA rally

Local politicians and prominent workers’ rights activists, including NDP leadership hopeful Brian Topp, spoke in support of MUNACA at a rally on Friday, Oct. 21.

Topp, a McGill alumnus, called for his alma mater to negotiate fairly at the bargaining table.

“I’ve got one last word to say to my old friends at McGill University,” Topp said. “All the effort you’re putting into lawyers … telling people that they can’t peacefully protest right over there, spend it at the table and do a reasonable settlement, and do it now.”

Michel Arsenault, President of the Quebec Federation of Labour (QFL), also spoke out against the university’s use of injunctions and went on to condemn their attitude at the bargaining table.

“What a greedy attitude towards their employees. We know they are in the top five richest universities in this country, the richest university in Montreal, and they’re refusing you the same salary and same benefits in this province working in universities,” Arsenault said.

Alexandre Boulerice, NDP MP for the Montreal riding of Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, also spoke in support of the striking workers.

“McGill is not a poor university.  [I urge them to] put a little money on the table … Workers should be [their] first priority,” Boulerice said in a follow-up interview.

Hospital construction impeded

Meanwhile, construction halted for one day at McGill University Glen Yards Hospital, as MUNACA members demonstrated in front of the site, and construction workers refused to cross picket lines.

“Shutting down this project will be costly, deprive hundreds of workers of their construction jobs, and delay work that must be completed before winter sets in,” McGill VP Finance Michael Di Grappa  said in an email to students.

Kalant disagreed, claiming that the project, like other large and long-term construction projects, would not be severely affected by a delay of one day.

“Patient care in this province, as in others, is much more affected by such things as nursing shortages than by the presence of new physical facilities,” he said.

Private property picketed

Last week, relations beyond the negotiation table escalated to the invasion of private property.  On Oct. 18, a large number of  MUNACA members visited the law offices of Stikeman Elliot, the workplace of the chair of McGill’s board of governors, Stuart “Kip” Cobbett. A representative from the MUNACA executive committee spoke with him in his office.

“We are conveying our message to key members of McGill’s Board of Governors asking them to use their position to work towards a fair resolution to the strike,” MUNACA President Kevin Whittaker said in an Oct. 19 press release on the union’s website. “It is now up to them to use their position of influence to bring this dispute to a rapid conclusion.”

A court recently granted McGill an extension of the injunction originally granted on Sept. 23. The extended injunciton now includes the private offices and homes of senior administrators. This comes amidst complaints of picketing and harassment, including throwing of objects.

“We have picketed at the houses of Mr. Masi, Mr. di Grappa [sic] and Ms. Munroe-Blum,” Kalant said via email. “We distributed flyers to the neighbours explaining who we are and why we were there. At no time did we impede entry or exit to the houses, or act in an aggressive manner towards anyone.”

“The situation is going to be resolved with the parties at the negotiation table,” Di Grappa countered.  “It’s not going to be resolved with demonstrations, picketing people’s homes, or public relations tactics.”

Progress at the negotiation table

Both parties maintain contradictory stances on mutual relations. McGill claims disruptive union activities, like those seen in recent days, does little to help reaching  a settlement.

“Nothing the union does away from the table can speed the pace of negotiations, nor change the order with which the outstanding issues will be dealt,” Di Grappa said in a weekly update.

“Of course he’s going to say [that],” Kalant said in response via email. “But after 10 months of saying they will not talk about our important issues, we are finally seeing some signs of movement. We believe we are having an impact.”

Meanwhile, negotiations have made some headway; at the strike’s outset, there were over 100 issues that needed to be addressed. Now, the parties have cut this down to “dozens,” according to Di Grappa,  having come to an agreement on job rematch and union representation. Disagreements continue over staffing rights and job security.

In light of recent disintegration of good will on both sides, it remains to be seen how well striking workers will be reintregrated into the McGill community.