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Student Society President Sean Balderstone

 

General Strike

Supports the aimsand objectives of the

 

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photos by Sean Valent.

‘“‘As far as administration
is concerned the college is
open tor business.’’

These words from Doug-
las College Student Society
president Sean Balderstone

by Dan Hilborn

State administration’s posi-
tion on the possibility of a
general strike.

The BCGEU pickets ex-
pected on Tuesday Novem-
ber 8 have forced the DCSS
offices to relocate temporar-
ily at #50-6 St. New West-
minster for the duration of a
general strike.

Paula Gledhill, a social
sciences rep for the society
said that students would still
be able to get their educa-
tion and that the decision for
faculty members to, cross a
picket line will be left up to

he individual.
: ‘On Nov. 3 the Douglas

Kwantlen Faculty Associa-
tion voted 65 per cent in
favor of picketing the col-
lege’s campuses.

Ralph Stanton, president
of the assocaition, said the
instructors will set up pic-
kets only if the provincial
government goes ahead with
plans to lay off up to 1,700
civil servants.

‘‘The voting went the way

 

I expected,’’ said Stanton.
‘Half of the members have
already lost 11 days because
of the dispute at Kwantlen
in late August and early
September.

The association is in a
legal position to strike be-
cause they have been with-
out a contract since — last
spring.

Stanton said the associa-
tion decided not to vote on
the contract while talks were
still in progress but the vote
‘would have been at least in
the 80s if we did,’’ he
added.

An informal poll of 120
people at Douglas College
found a small majority in
agreement with the princi-
ples of the strike but most
wereupset with the possible
disruption of their educa-
tion.

Debra Niesson, another
rep on the student society,
said that a strike would not
affect loans and grants that
have already been processed
through’the ministry.

Niessen added that the
student society strike centre
will do negotiations for stu-
dents, information on food
banks and shelter as well as
emergency financial aid for
students whose papers
yet to be processed by the

DOUGLAS COLLEGE’S AUTONOMOUS NEWSPAPER

bureaucracy.

Students asked Balder-
stone if the society would be
able to provide information
on what teachers will cross
the picket lines. Balderstone
reminded students that the
society passed a motion to
‘“‘support the aims and
objectives of the general
strike’’ and such informa-
tion would be against the
motions principles.

A poll taken by The Other
Press showed 45.7 per cent
of the students, faculty, and
staff would cross picket lines
at the college. 41 per cent
said they would not cross
and 13.3 per cent were still
undecided.

“IT hope that 45 per cent
never have to rent an apart-
ment, have children, be-
come a member of a min-
ority group, join a union, try
to get a decent education,
get sick, or become poor,
because by crossing picket
lines they give support to
legislation that give people
protection in these areas,’’

said Balderstone.
Balderstone also said that

students don’t have to ‘‘for-
go their convictions’ and
cross picket lines because
faculty would be ‘‘out of
bounds’’ to penalize any

  

  

student that refuses to cross
pickets.

Already the college has
plans to delay Exam Week
in the event of a strike,
however, if a disruption
lasts over two weeks a more
comprehensive plan would
have to be drawn up, said
Balderstone.

Will George, a student at
the college, said, ‘‘I don’t
know the reasons for the
strike, but I come from
Kelowna and don’t think
that Bill Bennett should
back down, right now I’m
living on scraps to go to
school.’’

Other students said, ‘‘It’s
a deliberate attempt to crack

the unions’, “I. ‘respect
both sides, they’re both
wrong’, ‘‘I feel it’s good for

the council to support the
BCGEU”’, “‘I just want to go
to school’’, and ‘“‘I support
the general strike for a lot of
reasons, not just for teach-
ers but welfore too, did. you
know the counselling service
for abused children has been
cut?”’

One staunch Socred sup-
porter, who wished to re-
main anonomous - said,
‘This is going against the
democratic principles of our
society. I’m in a union and

OTHER PRESS

VOLUME 15 NUMBER 5 NOV. 9TH TILL AFTER STRIKE 1983 (or 84)

 
 
 
   
    

Strike? What Strike?

I'm going to walk across the
picket lines.”’

The society also told stu-
dents of a joint Canadian

Federation of Students,
Kwantlen College, SFU,
Capilano College student

society office to be operating
out of 1011 Commercial Dr.
during the strike with a 12
hou/day phone number,
215-5195.

Gerry Della Matia, the
dean of student services,
said that the college is in hte
process of.developing a con-
tingency plan in the event of
a strike but such plans may
not be known for a while yet.

‘INSIDE’

Colleges:
_ The
uture

SEE PAGE 3
E ay