The following letter was written by individuals other than YorkNotHostage, and advocates an end to the strike and a "Yes" vote for ratification. The opinions expressed in this letter are those of the authors, not YorkNotHostage. We maintain our neutrality in regard to the bargaining issues, and we maintain our opposition to this strike. AN OPEN LETTER TO MEMBERS OF CUPE 3903 We, the undersigned retirees and full-time faculty members of York University, urge our colleagues in CUPE 3903 who have been on strike since November 6, 2008, to end their labour action by accepting the current contract offer of the York University administration. Why? The current offer of a 10.7 per cent increase to the overall cost of the contract over three years with a substantial package of wages (9.25% increase over three years) and benefits is fair and reasonable, and consistent with the most recent agreements of other unionized employees at York. The university offer appears especially positive in light of chronic government underfunding and the current economic environment. A continuation of this strike will damage the academic reputation of the university, and diminish the perceived quality of its graduate and undergraduate degrees. The potential loss of undergraduate enrolments in 2009-10 (in quality and quantity) resulting from the continuation of the strike could lead to a reduction in the number of teaching assistantships and part-time faculty positions in the future. CUPE members will best serve their own interests, and those of the university at large, by ending rather than extending the strike. CUPE’s demands include a substantial number of full-time YUFA appointments for long-serving contract faculty, a proposal that would lead to automatic full-time status for a select group of part-time faculty without requiring them to demonstrate scholarly achievement or potential. This runs counter to two fundamental principles of the university: open competitions for available positions among all qualified candidates and the cultivation of a scholarly research culture. In the past, the university has demonstrated its commitment to addressing the interests of long-serving contract faculty by establishing two programs unique in North America: the conversion program (in 1988) and the SRC program (2000). Since 1988 the university has made a total of 138 appointments through these two programs. The current offer continues that commitment by offering a reasonable number of appointments for long-serving contract faculty through 17 new teaching intensive appointments (in a new “teaching stream” appointments program), and 5 conversion appointments, providing the appointees with job security. A continuation of the strike takes the university into uncharted territory: the potential loss of at least the summer term and, conceivably, the entire academic year. The impact of the latter on the lives of tens of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students will be immeasurable. Furthermore, if the summer term is lost, there will be considerable cost to CUPE members in teaching positions and income. In their own interest and that of the entire university community, we urge CUPE members to end their labour action and help the university resume expeditiously the provision of its full academic programs. Thabit A. J. Abdullah, Department of History Mokhtar Aboelaze, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Jean Adams, Schulich School of Business Scott A. Adler, Department of Psychology Monique Adriaen, French Studies Ahmet Akyol, Department of Economics Gabriela Alboiu, DLLL Robert Allan, Department of Chemistry John Amanatides, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Aijun An, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Mahmudul Anam, Department of Economics Kristin A. Andrews, Department of Philosophy Paul Anisef, Department of Sociology Marcia Annisette, Schulich School of Business Elie Appelbaum, Department of Economics Eshrat Arjomandi, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University Professor Preet Aulakh, Schulich School of Business Gerald Audette, Department of Chemistry Paul Axelrod, Faculty of Education Kee-Hong Bae, Schulich School of Business Judith Baker, Department of Philosophy, Glendon Ian Balfour, Department of English Norbert Bartel, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Distinguished Research Professor Mark Bayfield, Department of Biology John Beare, Department of Economics Chris Bell, Schulich School of Business Samuel Benchimol, Department of Biology Markus Biehl, Schulich School of Business Ellen Bialystok, Department of Psychology, Distinguished Research Professor Diethard Bohme, Department of Chemistry, Distinguished Research Professor Sammy Bonsu, Schulich School of Business Deborah P. Britzman, Faculty of Education, Distinguished Research Professor Shirley Ann Brown, Atkinson and Fine Arts Faculties Matthew Brzozowski, Department of Economics, Atkinson Bob Burns, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Gary Butler, Division of Humanities Amila Buturovic, Division of Humanities Radu Campeanu, School of Information Technology Melanie Cao, Schulich School of Business Tuan Cao-Huu, Multidisciplinary Department, Glendon College James Carley, Department of English, Distinguished Research Professor Donald L. Carveth, Department of Sociology and Social and Political Thought Nicholas Cepeda, Department of Psychology Archishman Chakraborty, Schulich School of Business Shin-Hwan Chiang, Department of Economics Hugh Chesser, Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering Janne Chung, Schulich School of Business Avi Cohen, Department of Economics Jennifer Connolly, Department of Psychology Wesley Cragg, Schulich School of Business Julia Creet, Department of English Wade D. Cook, Schulich School of Business Robert A. Cribbie, Department of Psychology Douglas Cumming, Schulich School of Business Luiz Marcio Cysneiros, School of Information Technology Peter R. Darke, Schulich School of Business James Darroch, Schulich School of Business Abdullah Dasci, School of Administrative Studies Joseph Francis DeSouza, Department of Psychology Gwen Dobie, Theatre Department Dale Domian, School of Administrative Studies Logan Donaldson, Department of Biology Ming Dong, Schulich School of Business Gail Drory, Schulich School of Business Suzanne Dubeau, York University Libraries Claudio Duran, School of Arts and Letters, Atkinson Andrew W. Eckford, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Carl S. Ehrlich, Division of Humanities James Elder, Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Dept. of Psychology Maurice Elliott, Department of English, University Professor, emeritus Paul Emond, Osgoode Hall Law School Berta Esteve-Volart, Department of Economics David Etkin, Disaster and Emergency Management, Atkinson Raymond Fancher, Department of Psychology Ilijas Farah, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Moshe Farjoun, Schulich School of Business Elizabeth Farrell, Schulich School of Business Trevor C. W. Farrow, Osgoode Hall Law School Seth Feldman, Department of Film, University Professor Leila Fernandez, Steacie Science and Engineering Library Ida Ferrara, Department of Economics, Atkinson Eileen Fischer, Schulich School of Business David Flora, Department of Psychology Joshua Fogel, Department of History Wm (Bill) C. Found, Geography and Faculty of Environmental Studies, University Professor Emeritus Ed Furman, Department of Mathematics and Statistics William Gage, School of Kinesiology and Health Science Benjamin Geva, Osgoode Hall Law School Jacqueline A. Gibbons, Sociology and Social Science Michael Gilbert, Department of Philosophy Jerry Ginsburg, Department of History R. Darren Gobert, Department of English Vinod Goel, Department of Psychology T.J.A. Le Goff, Department of History John M. Goodings, Department of Chemistry Doba Goodman, Department of Psychology Verena Gotschling, Department of Philosophy Cameron Graham, Schulich School of Business Jorg Grigull, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Silviu Guiasu, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Geoff Harris, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry Michael C. Haslam, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Jagdish Hattiangadi, Department of Philosophy and Science and Technology Studies Walter Heinrichs, Department of Psychology Michael Herren, School of Arts and Letters, Atkinson, Distinguished Research Professor Wai-Ming Ho, Department of Economics Richard Hoffmann, Department of History Shelley Hornstein, Department of Visual Arts Sara R. Horowitz, Division of Humanities & DLLL Sylvia Hsingwen Hsu, Schulich School of Business Huaxiong Huang, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Jimmy Huang, School of Information Technology Geoffrey Huck, Department of English Katalin Hudak, Department of Biology Allan C. Hutchinson, Osgoode Hall Law School, Distinguished Research Professor Ann M. Hutchison, Department of English, Glendon Christopher Innes, Department of English, Distinguished Research Professor Richard H. Irving, Schulich School of Business Jacques Israelievitch, Department of Music Neita Israelite, Faculty of Education Henry Jackman, Philosophy Hanna Jankowski, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Gary Jarvis, Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering Joann Jasiak, Department of Economics David A. Johnston, Schulich School of Business Joanne Jones, School of Administrative Studies David Jopling, Department of Philosophy Ashwin Joshi, Schulich School of Business Hansraj Joshi, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Joan Judge, Division of Humanities and School of Women’s Studies Mark Kamstra, Schulich School of Business Mariana Kant, Computer Science and Engineering Mustafa Karakul, School of Administrative Studies Rekha Karambayya, Schulich School of Business Kerry Kawakami, Department of Psychology Muhammed Ali Khalidi, Department of Philosophy Lois King, School of Administrative Studies Ruth King, DLLL Matthias Kipping, Schulich School of Business Stanley O. Kochman, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Murat Kristal, Schulich School of Business Sergey N. Krylov, Department of Chemistry Terry Kubiseski, Department of Biology A. Kumarakrishnan, Department of Physics and Astronomy Nils-Petter Lagerlöf, Department of Economics Patricia Lakin-Thomas, Department of Biology Peter Landstreet, Department of Sociology Sam Lanfranco, Economics, Atkinson Michael Lanphier, Department of Sociology, Professor Emeritus and Senior Scholar Eric Lawee, Division of Humanities Fred Lazar, Schulich School of Business and Economics/Arts Jos Lennards, Senior Scholar of Sociology, Glendon John Lennox, Department of English, University Professor A. B. P. Lever, Department of Chemistry, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus Lee Li, School of Administrative Studies, Atkinson Sheng Li, Department of Biology Bernard Lightman, Division of Humanities Varpu Lindström, School of Arts and Letters and School of Women’s Studies, University Professor Martin Lockshin, Division of Humanities Heather Lotherington, Faculty of Education Paul Lovejoy, Department of History, Distinguished Research Professor Bernard Luk, Department of History Suzanne MacDonald, Department of Psychology Joanne Magee, School of Public Policy and Administration Maynard Maidman, Department of History Elliott Malamet, Faculty of Education Kim Maltman, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Christian Marjollet, French Studies Nadia Massoud, Schulich School of Business Colin R. McArthur, Department of Chemistry Marshall McCall, Departments of Physics and Astronomy Jack McConnell, Earth and Space Science and Engineering, Distinguished Research Professor James Mckellar, Schulich School of Business Steve McKenna, School of Administrative Studies, Atkinson Robert McLaren, Department of Chemistry Kent McNeil, Osgoode Hall Law School Ikechi Mgbeoji, Osgood Hall Law School Alan C. Middleton, Schulich School of Business Moshe A. Milevsky, Schulich School of Business Gareth Morgan, Schulich School of Business, Distinguished Research Professor Richard Murray, Department of Psychology Robert Myers, Department of Philosophy Gerard Naddaf Department of Philosophy Dorit Nevo, Schulich School of Business Janice Newton, Political Science and School of Women’s Studies Doris Olin, Department of Philosophy, Glendon Phil Olin, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Christine Oliver, Schulich School of Business Jonathan S. Ostroff, Computer Science and Engineering Ron Owston, Faculty of Education, University Professor John Parkinson, School of Administrative Studies Sarah Parsons, Department of Visual Arts Ronald Pearlman, Department of Biology, University Professor Chun Peng, Department of Biology Theo Peridis, Schulich School of Business Peter Peskun, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Lisa Philipps, Osgoode Hall Law School Bill Pietro, Department of Chemistry Marilyn L. Pilkington, Osgoode Hall Law School Andrea Podhorsky, Department of Economics Michael M. Pollard, Department of Chemistry Carol Poster, Department of English Pierre G. Potvin, Department of Chemistry Robert Prince, School of Engineering and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University Professor Emeritus Eliezer Prisman, Schulich School of Business Huw Pritchard, Chemistry Department, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus Norman Purzitsky, Department of Mathematics David W. Reid, Department of Psychology Buks van Rensburg, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Jill Rich, Department of Psychology Julia J. Richardson, School for Administrative Studies Marie Rickard, Film Department Paul Rilstone, Department of Economics Paul Ritvo, School of Kinesiology and Health Science Ian Roberge, Département de science politique Michael De Robertis, Department of Physics and Astronomy Gordon S. Roberts, Schulich School of Business Chris Robinson, School of Administrative Studies, Atkinson John Robinson, Department of Economics Hazel Rosin, Schulich School of Business Hamzeh Roumani, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Parissa Safai, School of Kinesiology and Health Science Jan Sapp, Department of Biology Candace Séguinot, School of Translation, Glendon Lauren Sergio, Kinesiology and Health Science Stuart Shanker, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy and Psychology R. Shayna Rosenbaum, Department of Psychology Jochen Rudolph, Department of Chemistry Ahouva Shulman, DLLL Pauline Shum, Schulich School of Business Phillip Silver, Department of Theatre Yvonne Singer, Department of Visual Arts K. W. Michael Siu, Department of Chemistry, Distinguished Research Professor Adriano Solis, School of Administrative Studies Minas Spetsakis, Department of Computer Science and EngineeringColin Steel, Department of Biology Martin J. Steinbach, Department of Psychology, Distinguished Research Professor Jennifer Steeves, Department of Psychology and Centre for Vision Research Andrey Stoyanov, Economics, Atkinson Bridget Stutchbury, Department of Biology Dennis Stynes, Department of Chemistry Paul Szeptycki, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Anthony Szeto, Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering Linda Thorne, Schulich School of Business Malcolm Thurlby, Department of Visual Arts Yisong S. Tian, Schulich School of Business Christine Till, Department of Psychology Andrew Toms, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Karen Valihora, Department of English Claudine Verheggen, Department of Philosophy Peter Victor, Faculty of Environmental Studies Michael Wade, Schulich School of Business James Walker, DLLL Marshall Walker, Department of Mathematics & Statistics & School of Information Technology Byron Wall, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Mary Waller, Schulich School of Business Steven Wang, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Duff R. Waring, School of Arts and Letters Carol Anne Wien, Faculty of Education Eleanor Westney, Schulich School of Business Henny Westra, Department of Psychology William Wicken, Department of History Laurie Wilcox. Department of Psychology Frances Wilkinson, Department of Psychology and Centre for Vision Research Paul Wilkinson, Faculty of Environmental Studies Deanne Williams, Department of English Barrie Wilson, Humanities and Religious Studies, Atkinson Carol Wilson, School of Kinesiology and Health Science Hugh R. Wilson, York Centre for Vision Research & Computer Science and Engineering Maxine Wintre, Department of Psychology Bernard Wolf, Schulich School of Business Stepan Wood, Osgoode Hall Law School Gillian Wu, Kinesiology and Health Science Xueqing Xu, DLLL Xiaohui Yu, School of Information Technology, Atkinson Mike Zabrocki, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Joyce Zemans, Schulich School of Business, University Professor Emerita Carol Zemel, Department of Visual Arts Brett Zimmerman, Department of English Cynthia Zimmerman, Department of English, Glendon Hongmei Zhu, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Discuss the letter here: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=44571865743&topic=7051 |