Those darn 'union busters'.

One of the more fascinating accusations made against Artspace members and SAIL is that we are anti-union, and that we are trying to "break the union."

They come to our homes, prohibit us from moving about freely, verbally abuse, intimidate, threaten, provoke and harass us, and when we object, they brand us union busters and claim that WE are bullying THEM?  They invade our neighbourhood, bothering even our neighbours in Inner City Housing, and then claim they are victims? Our kids can't go outside to play because of them, they hassle people looking out their windows or going onto their balconies, and then complain because we are looking at them?

These are the people who's homes they have invaded.

These are some of the people AUPE claims are bullying their picketers.  These are the people AUPE claims are trying to break them.

No.

These are the people AUPE has been terrorising.

These are the people AUPE are causing to have medical episodes requiring increased medication.

These are the people that AUPE is hurting by triggering their PTSD, causing anxiety attacks, preventing medically required rest and more.

These are the people who have been stalked while trying to get to work or walk their dogs.

These are the people who can't even go out onto their balconies to enjoy a nice day without being harassed.

AUPE can run on about how nasty SAIL supposedly is, oppressing those poor, immigrant care staff.  They can try and play the race card, the victim card, the gender card.

The reality is, it is not SAIL or Artspace that are the problem.

AUPE 's siege of our homes is the problem.

AUPE invading our private spaces is the problem.

AUPE targeting individuals, many of whom have NOTHING to do with the labour dispute is the problem.

Objecting to this is not "anit-union."

Objecting to this is not trying to "break the union."

Objecting to this is Artspace members trying to get their lives back.  Their homes back.  Their feeling of peace and safety back.

That is the problem.

This is not about a labour dispute anymore.  I'm not sure it ever has been.  The labour dispute is just an excuse.  A justification.

Sorry, AUPE, but you cannot pretend to be a victim when you've moved into our community, invaded our neighbourhood, disrupted our lives.

This is our home.

If this had truly been about the labour dispute, AUPE could have obeyed the labour regulations; they could have asked permission to picket on private property in front of the SAIL office, and they probably would have gotten it.  This is a community that supports unions.  People here have fought for their own human rights to live independently for so long, they would not have turned around and tried to deny someone else the hard-won civil right to go on strike and picket their employers.

Instead, AUPE chose to invade.

And now they are trying to portray us as the bad guys.  The union busters.  The bullies.

Sorry, AUPE.  You're the ones that blew it.