The Criminalization of Poverty – Race, Poverty, and Policing in Hamilton
Wednesday March 9th1:30-3:00pm | ITB 139Recent debates in Hamilton around police carding and the ongoing ticketing and removal of people in the downtown core have drawn new focus to the long-standing criminalization of poverty. This event aims to bring these debates to McMaster, touching on issues such as carding (or street checks), gentrification, and police targeting of sex workers, low income residents, and aboriginal people. Through a panel discussion with academics and activists, we hope to raise awareness of the ways poverty and race become criminalized in everyday practice. Speakers will discuss both the broad issues at stake and the specific community campaigns under way challenging the status quo.
Speakers includeDr. Ameil Joseph, professor in the Social Work department at McMaster and co-founder of the new anti-racism centre in Hamilton.Kayonne Christy, member of McMaster Womanists and has led efforts against carding in Hamilton.Yvonne Maracle, Speak Now and De dwa da dehs nye Aboriginal Health Centreand more…This event is co-sponsored by the McMaster Community Poverty Initiative, OPIRG McMaster, and the President’s Advisory Committee on Building and Inclusive Community (PACBIC)
2016 TA/RA Awards form CUPE 3906
Are you a great TA/RA? Of course you are! Do you know someone else who is a great one as well? Of course you do!
the 2016 CUEP 3906 TA/RA award is open to all CUPE 3906 Unit 1 members (Graduate and Undergraduate TAs and RAs in lieu). Members may be nominated by their students, employment supervisors (supervising Professor) or other
TAs.
Successful candidates will receive a certificate recognizing their excellence, a letter of acknowledgement from the CUPE 3906 Executive Committee, a copy of this form as well as $200.00.
There will be a total of six awards given, one for each faculty listed below. Please fill out all applicable fields and deliver this form in person to the CUPE 3906 office (B111 Kenneth Taylor Hall) or via email to chiefsteward_tas@cupe3906.org before March 18th, 2016. Awards will be given out during our April GMM (date TBA)!
The nomination form is available here: http://cupe3906.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/501/2016/02/TAAward.NominationForm.pdf
International Craft Night
CUPE 3906 International Committee and the iGSA (International Graduate Student Association) are happy to invite you to join us in “Crafting Night for International Students”. We will provide crafting materials (it will be a surprise), food and soft drinks and YOU WILL PROVIDE ideas, hands, fingers, eyes, fun, patience, etc. to make some awesome paintings, origami, puzzles, key tag ornaments, Vitrage and many more. You can also present traditional clothing from your country or even traditional dance. The idea is to discover our skills or to show the existing ones and to represent your culture. Be ready to teach some of them. We believe that this is a unique opportunity to learn about other cultures, make new friends and make something by yourself. Number of attendees is limited. Please use the link below to register for the event in order to attend:
If you have any other ideas or you want to bring some personal crafting material please specify in the column in registration sheet and you are more than welcome to do so.
We hope to see you on March 10th (Thursday) at 5 pm in ABB-273.
General Membership Meeting- Feb 23rd
We hope to see you on Tuesday February 23rd at 1 p.m. in KTH B135 for our monthly GMM. We’ll have a free pizza lunch, and will be presenting changes to the by-laws. We can also talk mental health fees, bargaining, and whatever else is on your mind.
2016 Mike Skinner Activist Award
CUPE 3906 ANNOUNCES THE TENTH ANNUAL MIKE SKINNER ACTIVIST AWARD!
The Mike Skinner Activist Award is a member-mandated award offered by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 3906 on an annual basis. Its title honours long-time labour activist and former CUPE 3906 Staff Member Mike Skinner.
CUPE 3906 represents roughly 3 000 Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants (in lieu), Sessional Faculty, Hourly Rated Sessional Music Faculty and Postdoctoral Fellows at McMaster University each academic year.
The value of this year’s award is $500 to one person (or committee), an award certificate and an inscription on the Mike Skinner Activist Award plaque. This award is open to all current members of CUPE 3906 (this includes all Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants in lieu, Sessional Faculty, Hourly Rated Sessional Music Faculty and Postdoctoral Fellows), and anyone who has been a member of the local within the past 12 months.
The nomination period for this award is from February 1st, 2016 to March 18th, 2016.
If a suitable candidate has been active in your organization or department, or if you have seen a suitable candidate around campus or the in community, we invite you to nominate them for this award.
Specifically, the recipient of the Mike Skinner Activist Award may have been involved in the following possible issues over the course of his or her stay at McMaster University:
- Fighting for social justice issues (these issues are diverse and can include environmental justice, labour solidarity, gender equality, equity issues, and the advancement of peace);
- Promoting the welfare of humanity and the environment and the elimination of pain and suffering through acts of community organizing, education and/or solidarity.
This is not an exhaustive list, but includes a few common examples of the things that past award winners have been involved in and that the selection committee considers.
Award Criteria:
Please review the award criteria, and, when writing your letter of nomination and seeking supporting letters from others, include the nominee’s specific contributions. The main criterions are:
- Impact of their service to the community;
- Length and level of involvement or commitment of the nominee to their act of community service;
- The dedication and courage of the nominee’s activism.
The selection committee is comprised of members of the CUPE 3906 executive and members-at-large. Members of the selection committee cannot nominate a candidate. Members of the selection committee cannot nominate a candidate. Members of the selection committee who have personal ties with the nominees must yield their place to another member of the Executive or a CUPE member-at-large nominated by the members of the selection committee.
This year’s Activist Awards will be presented at the Annual General Meeting in late March or early April, 2016.
We look forward to receiving your nomination of an amazing CUPE 3906 member activist.
The nomination for is available here: http://cupe3906.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/501/2016/02/mike-skinner-activist-award-call-out-2016.docx
For further information please contact president@cupe3906.org or staff@cupe3906.org
Bargaining Survey in Mills Library- February 10th
Just a heads up, we’ll be in the Mills library entrance from 10:30 to 3:30 with bargaining surveys for TAs/RAs in lieu and post-docs for our upcoming negotiations. We hope to see you there. This is an important way to make sure that your voice and priorities and reflected in the bargaining process.
T4 Updates
The electronic slips for anyone who opted in to receive the electronic format before February 17th should have their slips available by February 19th. The printed slips, for those who have not opted in, will be mailed out by the last day of the month. Employees who are no longer active will receive their T4s in the same delivery method mentioned above. Employees still have the ability to opt in on the Mosaic portal to receive their T4s electronically.
CUPE Bargaining Survey Launch
Dear TAs and RAs (in lieu),
We just wanted to remind you about our bargaining survey launch, happening today, between 10:30 and 4:30. It is a drop-in event, so swing by at a time that is convenient for you. We’ll have pizza over the lunch hour, and a fruit tray, veggie trey, and timbits throughout. The event is taking place in MUSC 301 (the Student Centre).
At the event, you can meet members of your elected bargaining teams, enjoy some food, and fill out your Bargaining Survey for your chance to win a prize (a $200 pre-loaded MasterCard) that is exclusive to those who fill the survey out at our launch party!
If you can’t make it to the event, you can also fill out the survey at your leisure online. A link will be sent to your inbox.
The survey is crucial to ensure that we have your input and support to make this round of negotiations a success!
Unit 1 (TAs/RAs in lieu) and Unit 3 (Post Docs) Bargaining Survey Launch
Dear TAs, RAs (in lieu) and Postdoctoral Fellows,
WHAT: Bargaining Survey Launch Party
WHEN: Wednesday, February 3, 2016, any time between 10:30 and 4:30
WHERE: MUSC (the Student Centre) Room 301
TAKE A LOOK: Survey Launch Party invitation flyer
Did you know that your Collective Agreement expires on August 31st, 2016?
The Collective Agreement is the contract that governs your working conditions, wages and salaries, benefits and protections as workers at McMaster University. Every few years, your Union (as your legal bargaining agent) negotiates our contracts with the McMaster Administration.
We need your input and support to make this round of negotiations a success! Please join us on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 in MUSC 301 any time between 10:30 and 4:30 for a bargaining survey drop-in launch party! At the party, you can meet members of your elected bargaining teams, enjoy some light refreshments, and fill out your Bargaining Survey for your exclusive chance to win a prize (valued up to $200) that is exclusive to our launch party!
If you can’t make it to the event, you can also fill out the survey at your leisure by following the instructions that we will send out on February 3rd.
As fellow academic workers at McMaster, I would like to thank you for your participation. We hope to see you on the 3rd!
In solidarity,
Your CUPE 3906 Bargaining Teams and Executive Committee
Join Hamilton’s Steelworkers at City Hall Rally- Sat Jan 30th
We need good jobs. Our communities need a reliable tax base to fund schools and parks. And our seniors need to know that their pensions and benefits are secure.On January 30, please join the United Steel Workers in Hamilton for a rally to demand justice for workers and pensioners and to call for immediate government support for a domestic steel industry.
WHEN: Saturday, January 30, 2016 from 1 – 4pm
WHERE: Hamilton City Hall
Details on buses and transportation from the following areas to the rally and back can be found on the Facebook event page:
- Downtown Toronto
- Peel / Halton
- Windsor / Chatham / London & South Western Ontario
- Sudbury & North Eastern Region
- Cambridge / Kitchener / Waterloo / Guelph /Fergus
Steelworkers helped build the amazing communities we live in and love today. Come out Saturday and stand with steel!