(no subject)

[arisha]

This is all SO confusing and SO frustrating! So the teachers are striking, right, and it's not a surprise because it has happens pretty well every other year since I moved here, but I don't believe it's ever affected anything as much as it's affected things now. Elementary school, middle school, and secondary school students have had a week off as their teachers have been striking. The issues as I understand them are forced contracts, unlimited class sizes, lack of needed assistants, and salary. As far as I can tell, the same things they have been striking about at least since I was in grade ten. On Friday, people sympathetic to the teachers' cause were handing out information pamphlets at the entrances to UVic. They even stopped buses and climbed aboard in order to pass these things out! (I amused myself before Japanese class started by watching to see how many of my classmates came in holding a green sheet of paper in their hand.) And now various unions are planning on striking as well, in support of the teachers, including unions that work at UVic. The first news I heard about this was that campus was going to be completely closed on Monday, which I think would be frustrating for all students but even moreso for those who live on campus. But as I understand it now, if there are strikes going on, there will be picketing around the entrances, TAs might not be able to make it to class, the SUB will not be open, and buses may not be running (but they won't know until tomorrow!?). I e-mailed my Japanese history prof and he said he'll be holding class tomorrow (and he added an anime happy face, all ^_^ , hahaha~!), so I know I'll have to get to school somehow, but this whole thing is so crazy and nobody knows what's going on and oh my goodness.

So yeah. Athena, that's why I called you to ask if anything was going on at UBC. I feel like all of this craziness is just happening in Victoria but I think that's just because I don't really watch the news ... :P

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, I totally haven't heard anything at all about it here. There's not been any stuff going on around campus, or maybe they're just not advertising it at all. I dunno, when I go to class tomorrow we'll see if anything's not running, but I would be surprised. Maybe it's 'cause UBC's got more international students, so there's less identification with the teachers, or maybe just 'cause it's bigger and shutting it down would be harder. I don't know. I did get an email from one of the girls I tutored about standing on the picket line to support your teachers. But, you know, I'm not in the same city as them anymore...

When you phoned me, I was on the bus going to IKEA to buy a duvet (I didn't get one with my room. I got a blanket, which is small and irritating and not really warm). Anyway, we went to a mall and bought a used Play Station for $20.00, but didn't get any games, and then we went to IKEA on the bus but missed the stop. Then we went to another mall, and it was already 7:00 so it was mostly closed. So, I wasted the whole afternoon and didn't get a duvet and had to go back again today in the rain(spending 3 and a half hours on the quest, 20 minutes of which were spend in IKA). Yeah. I'm tired.

[arisha.livejournal.com]

There was a post in the UBC community (http://www.livejournal.com/community/ubc) but not a ton of info. It seems like the strike is affecting almost everything here though. Because it's the capital? I don't know. I think Vancouver shutting down for a day would have more impact.

S and I were going to visit the C teachers but now without the buses and with the way our schedules don't match I don't think it's going to happen. :(

Dude, I so would not take a Playstation on the bus, but I'm paranoid like that I guess. Why is IKEA so far away????? Are there no other places to get duvets?????????

[(Anonymous)]

The playstation was in a box. Also, $20... Also, IKEA is far away because it HATES ME. Also, yes, you can get duvets other places, like the Bay or whatever, but they are (literally) a hundred dollars more expensive. Also, I think that it probably is because Victoria's the capital. ALSO, you should go visit the C. teachers anyway, on your own! (just think how irrate Mr. M must be, missing a week of history). And that's the end. A.

[niche.livejournal.com]

i'm glad i live in a country where strikes are uh, banned.

[arisha.livejournal.com]

This teachers' strike has actually been declared illegal and their strike pay has been cut off ... it's a very messy situation. x_x