CUPE 391 Library Workers back to negotiations with a facilitator/mediator
On Friday afternoon, the bargaining talks between CUPE 391 Vancouver City Library Workers and the City of Vancouver broke down. They have called on facilitator to mediate between the two groups.
Latest information about the library strike situation on www.cupe391.ca
My back is better, and I have brought my accordion back to the picket line on Saturday. I found my book with the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” otherwise known as “John Brown's Body” or the music to the union song “Solidarity Forever.”
Friday was also a busy busy day, as the CUPE 391 “strike theatre troupe” came to visit Library Square, following our weekly Friday bbq. It is a form of interactive street theatre used to present ideas in an entertaining way. The organizer (?) asked members of the library workers to participate. It was fun!
At our 3:30 crew talk, it was learned that the media blackout had been lifted, and that the city was now calling for mediators for CUPE 15 and CUPE 1004 talks, while a facilitator would be appointed for CUPE 391 talks.
The theatre troupe then changed plans. A previous plan to go perform at the Art Gallery, was exchanged to go perform at the CBC. I checked with them, to find out who they would approach at CBC, and volunteered to introduce them to some of my CBC contacts. The group stood outside the CBC entrance on Cambie St, while I contacted the Newsroom. Nervous security guards were wary of the picket signs (turned over blank), and reporters were anxious for information as they had just heard that talks had broken down and that mediators were being called in.
A CBC cameraman came down and met us, then filmed the theatre troupe at Library Square.
Sep 14 CUPE 15 Strike Theatre comes to…
Tuesday, Sep 11th was Haiku Day on the picket line. Library workers wrote Haiku such as:
of the darkened library,
sad”
are not as meek as you think
Strike!”
“Neglecting issues
Sam perched on city hall
Spin Dobrovolny”
