CUPE came back. The inside CUPE 15 workers returned to work today at Carnegie Center in Vancouver. But they are not allowing the poor to return to work. CUPE members are blocking the poor from the public access computers inside Carnegie.
There are public access computers in Carnegie in the following locations: three in the basement Seniors Lounge, eight in the third floor computer room, 6 in the third floor Learning Center, and two in the Vancouver Public Libary branch on the first floor (although those inside the library branch are primarily for looking up titles of books and other library materials.) Of course the doors of the small Carnegie branch of the Vancouver Public Library remain locked since the VPL workers voted not to accept this week's contract offer by mediator, Brian Foley -- so nobody expected to get into the library to use those computers. But what about the computers elsewhere in the building? The poor who want to use them have been told to take a hike.
The poor have been told that the reason the computers in the building are off limits to them is that they are run by the Vancouver Public Library. Indeed, the VPL logo is on the desk tops on the screens of these computers.
Only three computers are accessible to the public in the Carnegie building. They are three of the six in the 3rd floor Learning Center. That's because those three are operated by the Vancouver Community Net, not the VPL.
So what are well-paid CUPE members who have returned to work going to be doing with their time. A primary job of Colleen Gorrie is to work to keep volunteers in the areas in the building where there are computers. The volunteers keep an eye on the computers and get people to sign-in before using them. So what is she doing now? Twiddling her thumbs?
Maybe she could use her free time to answer questions about the WCB/WorkSafe claim she made. She claimed that a blog about Carnegie was making her feel "unsafe". A man who doesn't even blog, Bill Simpson, got scapegoated and barred from the Carnegie Center as a result of this claim. (Carnegie Director Ethel Whitty revealed this reason after the barring, although the official written reason given to Simpson in a letter on City letterhead was that he "links" to the blog in question.) Now that Gorrie and some other CUPE members, like Assistant Director Dan Tetrault who delivered the barring letter to Simpson along with Whitty, will have time on their hands, it would be a perfect time to launch an investigation into the legitimacy of this WCB claim. As Carnegie Board member Grant Chancey, a pro-union guy, pointed out, there was nothing threatening whatsoever on the blog in question. "And I've looked and I've looked and I've looked." When it comes to this claim, the opinion of several bloggers is that WCB, CUPE, and a few individuals in the City legal department have some splainin' to do.
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2 comments:
It's of my opinion that this was a situation created by herself. It's like claiming to be injured after shooting yourself in the foot. Sorry, but self-inflicted wounds aren't covered and she should be held accountable for this claim and her actions along with the rest of management.
Some might recall the days when the current Carnegie Hierarchs would have been out on the streets shouting and chanting "Power to the People!" Yes, you'd have to have many miles on to recall a time back then. Today, any power the People might have is more likely gathered on your behalf by povertarians and recycled into carbon emission credits to trade for trips to Europe to study "social problems" to better understand your victimization at the hands of the evil ones who make money to pay for the things the povertarians do to you. Or the money might just get slipped to a buddy, a pal, one of "us" in the form of a WCB cheque. What a scam. And what a chance to let the world know.
Power to the People? Start with the plug-in for the computers. A bit of electricity would do wonders. But, of course, the povertarians don't want anyone having computer access if it means looking at news from those who know about the Lower Eastside. They don't want anyone having power if it means reading and writing about the Lower Eastside. No electricity to the People. No computer power to the People. How things have changed -- or not.
Simpson is still barred from entering the Carnegie Centre, even though he is an elected board member who should be representing the powers of the people. CUPE members return. But not the computers. It seems the powers that be don't like the People having any power at all.
But you do have power. You have eyes and ears and some are actually connected to brains. Some not bad. Some pretty good. A few even very good. And you are the ones who will never have power in the system as it is. Your power will be forever blocked from plugging in at the Carnegie Centre. So you'll have to find an outlet elsewhere.
Power-plugs to the People!
Some stand at the edges of Hell with eyes all around, and the barking could be known to the world. Some are astute and clever and insightful, and they can gather information and details and facts of interest to provide a powerful news service to those who write, giving voice, giving power to the People. All of those who live and are aware, which excludes some but includes more, can funnel their news into a powerhouse of wisdom and actionable information.
The pad is mightier than the swerve. You see what goes on around you. Expose the povertarians for who and what they are. Take control of your own lives and accumulate the power the People need to reclaim personal lives from the minders who leech $104.000.00 per year (that we know of) for banning people from the Internet.
Naturally, the povertarians take care of their own. They also take care of problems among their own. It means those who make their money taking power from the people turn around and say to those who fund them: "If you don't give us power over the People they will have it themselves; and they are dangerous and dirty. Only we can control the power of the People. Fund us so we can save you from them."
You, dear reader, have a chance to take power from the minders. That is democracy. Gather information and spread it till the weight of it topples the little dictators. Organize. It's a matter of power.
Power to the People.
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