Normally, if you were to click on the image above, you’d get linked where the full text was available for reading.  Not this time.  Even though this is a vitally important call-out, circulated via email by our CUPE Ad-Hoc Committee to the entire 3903 membership.

Why no link — if this is such an important call-out?  Because following the link in Firefox elicits the browser warning below.  Click to better see.

Click to better see

So, if you choose to access full text — it’s at your own risk. Probably no big deal.  Probably our Hocs got caught in a great rush.  Maybe why they issued the “Real CUPE 3903 News” from their ad-hoc gmail account — despite their more current 3903 Democratic Membership Committee identity.

But regardless where issued from, though.  Regardless how illegitimate the source.  Regardless how poorly formatted the content.  This Real 3903 News really is important.  Due to what our Ad-Hoc Democratic Membership Committee are demanding us 3903 locals do next Wednesday during a meeting intended to address most particularly unit 2 issues:

At the meeting to discuss unit 2 issues, members will have the chance to talk about all of the same issues as the other meetings, as well as contribute to the discussion on the agenda item “Composite Local Models,” which we are concerned is a first move by the administrator and a small group of unit 2 separatists to drastically alter the structure of our union and divide unit 2 from units 1 and 3. We therefore encourage all members who can to attend the unit 2 meeting on Wed Dec 9 at 10:30am in CLH 110 75.

Here we go again.  The same old intimidation tactics reprised, never rinsed — and nauseatingly repeated.  And how will these tactics get justified when so many from the majority unit 1 locust all over the unit 2 meeting?  When the unit 2s attending the meeting to discuss most particularly unit 2 issues become marginalized as a small minority?  When unit 2s get disrespected, bullied, pressured, shouted-down, harassed, intimidated and ultimately silenced?  When long-term unit 2s have already experienced these same tactics so often before — they will never show up in the first place?

No need to guess how these tactics will get justified.  Since they already have been.  Totally justified.  Right?  These tactics are against “.. the administrator and a small group of unit 2 separatists…”

Alright.  Fine.  Our Democratic Membership Committee wants to fight the administrator.  No great surprise.  They used to come right out declaring themselves against administration.  Called themselves the Ad Hoc Committee Against Administration. Same agenda — different name.  But now they want us fighting against some of our own unit 2 members.  And, yeah — maybe there even exists a small group of unit 2 separatists.  However unlikely — it’s possible.  So what?  Aren’t we all about democracy now?  Are we not a membership-driven local?  And are not unit 2 members entitled to not get interfered when discussing and democratically electing where to stand on whatever issues?

Well — no.  Apparently not.  Not since our Ad-Hoc Democratic Membership Committee have declared this following in their December 5 call-out: “.. we do not believe that there are any issues that are specific to one unit, since any issue that affects one unit affects us all.”

Here’s a real newsflash for our Ad-Hoc Democratic Membership Committee – or whatever they call themselves today.  That’s not what democracy means.  That’s not how it works.

It is up to unit 2s to determine what their issues are.  It is up to unit 2s to discuss and define what constitutes any unit 2 issue — and to elect what to do about it.  You do not get to dictate to unit 2s what qualify as unit 2 issues.  You do not get to dictate to unit 2s what doesn’t qualify among unit 2 issues.  And you most certainly don’t get to dictate these ways while — holy smoking guns! — calling yourselves democratic.  Not without making yourselves — and, by extension, the rest of us 3903 locals — seem like the most illegitimate red-headed step-kids.  Ever.

Let’s not completely forget ourselves — alright?  Let’s try remembering how democratic we’re supposed to be.  Please.  Consider attending those meetings particularly intended for your units.  If scheduling does not permit — fine.  But.  However.  If you aren’t a unit 2 member?  And unit 2 members are getting outnumbered — at their own meeting — by non-unit 2 members?  Don’t even go in.