On May 7, AUPE swept into our community.
Rather than picket the place of business, in unit 103 (to my knowledge, Artspace has never been asked permission to picket on the private property surrounding the unit), they invaded our home, Artspace Housing Co-op.
They screamed and yelled. They surrounded our cars. They harassed us as we walked, refusing to leave us alone when told "no". They have gone after everyone. Our children and our neighbours; the elderly and the infirm; SAIL users and people who just happen to live here. Not even our pets have escaped.
They have attacked individuals personally, from members of our boards to members who have nothing to do with any boards or SAIL, to visitors, family members and friends.
They have use air raid sirens, bull horns, clown horns and kazoos.
They have engaged in intimidation, harassment and provocation.
They have targeted individuals for verbal abuse and blockades. They have infiltrated our private lives, calling us out by name, revealing personal knowledge they have gleaned, and stalked people as they tried to go to work or just walk their dogs
One of the benefits of the SAIL home care model is that people who would otherwise be in institutions are living independent lives. This program has been running long enough for it to be determined that people using this model have better outcomes.
They require less medication, less treatment, less hospitalizations. Their mental states also improve, with less depression and anxiety.
AUPE's actions are slowly destroying all of those gains.
At the time of this writing, we have one member who cannot come home at all and is undergoing treatment for PTSD. We have members who are once again battling depression, are suffering anxiety attacks and nightmares. They are experiencing increased pain and have had to increase medications. Even members who do not have compromised health are suffering from the effects of AUPE picketer actions.
Today is the 100th day that Artspace has been under siege.
100 days.
2,400 hours.
144,000 minutes.
Artspace members remain strong.
Our members have fought for their human rights so hard, for so long. AUPE's actions have denied us those rights.
The right to live in peace.
The right to live independently.
The right to control our care.
The right to control who comes in and out of our homes.
The right to enjoy those homes, without fear or intimidation. Without noise and harassment.
The right to move in and out of our homes.
The right to live freely.
AUPE claims that this dispute is about rights. Their actions prove this a lie.
They seem to believe that they have the power to deny us our human rights. They have the gall to say that " "human rights" are because of unions."
They seem to believe that we at Artspace, our friends, our families and our visitors, should just accept what they are doing, never push back, and capitulate, even if what they demand or do causes us harm.
They seem to believe that their actions are sanctioned, protected under the umbrella of "labour dispute," but if we voice our objections or push back in any way, they claim we are the "bullies" and they are the victims.
They seem to believe that they can act with impunity, surrounding our private homes, engaging in misconduct and unlawful acts, all forbidden by the labour regulations, and never suffer the consequences of their actions.
100 days.
Ending this is not in the hands of SAIL. SAIL has already offered everything they can and have been rejected.
This is not about a labour dispute. AUPE has not targeted the place of employment.
They have targeted our homes.
Our community.
Our neighbourhood.
And we have now been under siege for 100 days.
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