From: YUFA in solidarity with CUPE 3903 [YUFA-CUPE@YorkU.CA] on behalf

of cupe3903 [cupe3903@DOJO.TAO.CA]

Sent: November 23, 2000 3:26 PM

To: YUFA-CUPE@YORKU.CA

Subject: Murray Ross (fwd)

 

[question of YUFA '97 picketers below]

 

Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2000 01:38:59 -0500

From: Nelson <feedingcows@HOME.COM>

To: York Grad P Sci Students <GRAPSCI@YorkU.CA>

Subject: Murray Ross

 

For some time now, most of us have been aware that a lot of cars have been

circumventing the picket lines at Sentinel by crossing the field to the

east of Sentinel gate, along Murray Ross Rd.  These "cross-country

drivers"  pose a recurring problem at Pond, Founders, and a couple of

other gates, but the endeavours of the drivers who are circumventing

Sentinel has been greatly facilitated by two pedestrian trails that cuts

through the field, which has-- since the second week of the strike--become

two muddy roads that converge into the 6A Sentinel East parking lot.

 

On Tuesday morning, a trio of us stood at the southern edge of the 6A

parking lot, facing Murray Ross Rd, intent on taking down the license

plate of any cars that attempted to drive through the field, mainly to get

an idea of how many cars "slipped through the crack", so we can report

back to the picket lines and collectively devise a strategy.  Between 8:20

am to 9:30 am, we wrote down a total of 133 license plates.  There were at

least 5 - 10 more vehicles that we missed simply because the cars were

streaming in faster than my hands could not move as fast in the cold

weather.

 

Ideally, on any given shift at Sentinel Gate, we may let in blocks of 8

cars every 5 minutes.  In the span of time it takes for 112 cars passes

through the Sentinel picket line, a potentially equal or greater number of

cars cross the field to the east of the picket line, into the 6A parking

lot. Clearly, the pedestrian trails leading into 6A parking lot has become

an unofficial road being used not only by cars who are circumventing

Sentinel, but traffic that may normally flow into the other gates.

 

The "Murray Ross dilemma" was brought up at the SMM on Tuesday, as well as

at the meeting on Wednsday between the Police and the Executive, where the

issue of "soft" and "hard" picketing was again discussed, and perhaps

Dennis will be able to elaborate on this in greater detail than I can.

The bottomline is, as picketers at Sentinel, we have to collectively

decide whether or not we will take action to stop the overwhelming flow of

cars through that field, and what action we will take.  The police has

effectively told us that barricades and cars are unacceptable, but a

"soft" picket would mean drawing people away from the main picket line.

 

My main question right now is how YUFA dealt with this situation during

their strike several years ago.  Did the YUFA members picketing Sentinel

forced to deal with the same difficulties during their strike?  What

actions were taken, if any, to deal with the Murray Ross problem?

 

See you on the lines tommorow.

 

Nelson