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Volume 3
Issue # 4
March 28, 2003
"How's School? The Strike and Co-op"
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#1: The strike at UBC is not a good thing. When I
first heard about the prospect of the TA Union at UBC possibly taking
job action just prior to Spring Break, back in February, in what seems
like ages ago by now, . . . I didn’t think anything of it. I was
expecting a swift conclusion and everything would be, as they say, back
to normal upon my return from Spring Break. NOPE! Some students are
feeling it more than others; a number of students may just get their
midterms and assignments handed back a little later than usual. No big
deal.
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Other students,
like myself, have a vested interested in our TAs . . . I have two courses
that are taught by “Teaching Assistants,” and so I was without
lecture, without instruction for a solid three or four weeks. One side
of me was glad to have a couple things temporarily moved off my plate
(which evidently is growing in size as we speak). The other side of me
was resentful that I PAID FOR MY EDUCATION AND I’M NOT GETTING IT!
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Then along came the legislation.
The now infamous Bill 21 forced TAs (and CUPE local 2950 – library
workers and support staff) back to work for a 20 day “cooling off
period.” Although I ultimately wanted to get back to business, get
back to class, and get this term of my education completed, my resentment
now turned to the government of UBC and the government of our province.
How dare they take away our constitutional right?!
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I may not agree with the TAs views
– I think arguing for more pay with the economy the way it is among
other variables is simply ludicrous – but I do agree that they have
a right to strike should they feel the need. Well, Bill 21 expires this
Monday, and the Union is in the legal position to strike once more . .
. but in the meantime, they have set up “Democracy Village”
just outside the Student Union Building, in peaceful protest of Bill 21.
Only time will tell how my term is going to work out.
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#2: Co-op is working out, I guess. Not all rants have
to be negative, do they? Of course not. This is my website, my column,
and I will continue to ‘play what I want’ (Sorry, had to
steal that stupid line from JACK fm). As most of you are aware of by
now, my first co-op work term was this past Fall at United Way, where
I helped raise nearly $30 million for our community. A feat I am quite
proud of it, not only from a professional (and personal development)
standpoint, but just the knowledge that I helped make a difference is
rewarding in and of itself. Well, in the not too distant past, I got
hired for my second co-op term; this time with the UBC Dean of Arts
Office as a quote-unquote “Research Assistant.”
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I’ve applied for this position
three times, and this time around was my second interview. I had a few
more things going for me this time around, with the United Way experience
and my involvement with the Arts Co-op Student Association . . . not to
mention that I knew the current research assistant, Wynn Vo. She had a
very substantial influence into the hiring process, single-handedly shortlisting
applicants, participating in the interview process and making final decisions.
You can be sure I’ll have a lot to say about the job when I start
May 5th. |
