From:
CUPE Women's Caucus discussion list [CUPE-W@YorkU.CA] on behalf of
Trish
Salah [salahp@YorkU.CA]
Sent:
November 25, 2000 1:40 PM
To:
CUPE-W@YORKU.CA
Subject:
WORDS ON FIRE: POETS SPEAK OUT/SIDE THE GATES (fwd)
Hey
folks!
Please
do post, promote and come out!
thanks
muchly, trish salah
************
WORDS
ON FIRE: POETS SPEAK OUT/SIDE THE GATES
Wednesday,
Nov. 29th
11
am
"Phyllis,
when you sit down and explain the revolution, it did sound sweet
and
it did sound possible."
--Dionne
Brand to Phyllis Coard
(Minister
of Women's Affairs, in People's Revolutionary Government of
Grenada,
1979-1983, imprisoned for her role in the coup)
SPOKEN
WORD AND POLITICS ON THE CUPE 3903 LINE AT YORK UNIVERSITY
George
Eliot Clarke
Susan
Swan
Christian
Bok
Steve
Hayward
Trish
Salah
Zoe
Whittal
Leah
Piepzna-Samarasinh
TJ
Bryan (aka Tenacious)
Natalee
Caple
Steve
Cain
Alexis
Lachaine
Ever
since Plato advocated the exile of unruly poets from his "Republic,"
poets
have gathered outside the walls of institutions to taunt the lies of
the
reigning technocrats and their lackeys within.
Founder's Gate at York
University,
at the interface of Northern-Toronto-tundra and the 6-lane
highway
of Steeles Ave, is just a such a place of contest and creativity.
CUPE
3903 Teaching Assistants, Graduate Assistants and Contract Faculty at
York
have been on strike for 4 weeks now. CUPE 3903 is challenging the
ongoing
tuition hikes at York (320% over the past 8 years), is insisting
York
honour its commitment to job security measures for part-time
faculty,
and is demanding that newly-unionized Graduate and Research
Assistants
receive adequate pay for their work.
York Administration has
responded
with stonewalling at the bargaining table, by spreading lies in
the
media, by threatening to drive CUPE picketers from University grounds,
and,
most recently, by falsely accusing CUPE 3903 members of "illegal and
dangerous
activity" on the picket lines.
On
Wednesday, November 29, at 11 am, poets and writers will launch their
most
fiery poesy across the campus from
Founder's Gate. Join English,
History
and Art History TAs, GAs, Faculty and Staff for a mid-day diet
of
the tough language of struggle.
Founder's
Road Gate is located on the north face of the York Campus at
Steeles
between Keele and Jane. It is most easily reached via TTC Buses
60
B and D Steeles West from Finch Station, 107 from Downsview, or the
41B
Keele north from Keele Station. (If you take the 107 or the 41, budget
time
for a short but chilly walk along Steeles from Keele.)
"When
I tell any truth it is not for the sake of convincing those who do
not
know it, but for the sake of defending those who do."
--William
Blake
(From
"Public Address" c. 1811)
STRIKE
TO WIN!