Another hospitalization

On this blog, we have written many times about the effects AUPE's actions against our members is having on people's health.

This is not about the labour dispute.

This is about the behaviour AUPE chose to encourage, condone and engage in while picketing our home.

Not the place of employment.

Our home.

Since they read this blog, we know they have read about members who've had to increase their pain medications and other prescriptions, due to the stress and anxiety they are causing.

We've talked about the damage caused by their using noise as a weapon.

They even know that a member has been hospitalized, twice, and had to leave his own home on doctor's orders, due to the disturbances the picketers are causing.

Now, they've done it again.

On Thursday the 16th; the first day of AUPE's convention, and the first day their activities here escalated, with increased noise and overall disturbances, another of our members had to go to the hospital.

This person has given permission to mention this, but out of respect for this person's privacy and medical condition, no details can be given.  The only thing that can be said is that this is the result of AUPE picketer behaviour triggering a medical event.  We have no idea how long this person will have to be hospitalized.

This sort of behaviour is disruptive enough at the best of times, but what is different here is that AUPE has chosen to target our private homes.  They have chosen to target a community.

We are not a factory or an office building.  We are not some remote place that people go to to work, then leave at the end of the day.

This is where we live.

The picketers come here, sometimes for a few hours, sometimes for most of the day, and then they get to go home.

We don't have that option, because this IS our home.

We live here.

This is our home, and what AUPE is doing is right outside our doors and windows.

There is no escaping it, because even when there are no picketers, there is still their presence, just in the constant presence of their vehicle.  Plus, we can never be sure just when they will show up, how many or how long.

Like all communities, we have people from a wide variety of backgrounds and histories.

Everyone has their story.  Everyone has their things to deal with.

We have our user-members, who need some outside help that gives them the ability to lead independent lives, on their own terms, in their own homes.

We have non-user members who also live with disabilities of varying kinds and degrees, but don't need outside help just yet, or have self-managed care instead of SAIL's services.

We have people with invisible disabilities, or no physical disabilities at all, but still have issues to
deal with.

We all have our stories.  We all have our histories.

Some of us are abuse survivors.  For some, we have lived with physical abuse.  Others, psychological abuse.  Still others have lived with both.

So when we see what is happening outside our home, we recognize it for what it is.

Abuse.

Abuse of our members and our community.

We've written about the broken plate analogy before.

Everyone has their broken plate.

For some of us, it's just a few hairline cracks.

For others, our plates have been cracked and broken, but we have managed to glue the pieces together and keep on going.

Some have had their plates shattered, and are still trying to find all the pieces, are mixing the epoxy, and slowly putting the pieces back together.

There is no shame in scars or wounds.  They are part of who we are.  They make us stronger.  They show we are survivors.

Whatever stage we are at, what AUPE has been doing is coming to our homes - what should be our places of safety; our sanctuaries - and taking a hammer to all our plates.

To those of you from the convention that are visiting this page for the first time, let me ask you;

Have the upper levels of AUPE  told you that they are picketing private homes?

Have they told you that they have targeted a community?

Have they told you that, while they mouth platitudes about "rights" and "dignity" and "respect," they are causing real, physical, medical harm to the people who live here?

That they are denying people the right to live in peace, in their own homes?

That they are engaging in harassment and misconduct against an entire neighbourhood?

That your executives have been here to not only support, but even participate in, actions that are causing harm to people?

AUPE can blather on all they want about how it's all about getting a "fair contract" and "benefits".

We who live here know better.

It's about greed.

It's about money.

It's about privileges.

It's about power and control and entitlements.

For AUPE.

Not even for the SAIL staff.  They're just pawns.  If AUPE succeeds in destroying SAIL - which increasingly seems to be their real goal - either by forcing them to accept demands they can't afford and going into bankruptcy, or through frivolous complaints to the labour board (though they did withdraw one of the complaints, it was done at the last minute, which means it still cost SAIL money in legal fees to prepare), to the point that legal fees alone will force SAIL into bankruptcy, those staff will all lose their jobs.

The powers that be in AUPE don't seem to care.  That much is obvious to everyone, except maybe the SAIL staff themselves (though they were warned the end result might be the loss of their jobs, before they voted to strike), and any other True Believers.

To those members of AUPE who are just learning about all this now; think on this.

What AUPE is doing to the Artspace community is causing real harm, and has now put another person in the hospital.

What the picketers here are doing is also causing harm to you; even if you've never been here and never heard of what's been going on.

Because what they are doing here reflects back on you, as well.

AUPE is claiming that this blog is all part of some sort of vast misinformation campaign.

See for yourself.

Decide for yourself.

Then ask yourself; is this what you are?  Is this how you want to be seen?

Because what is being done here is reflecting back on you.

This is being done in your name, too.

The only people hurting AUPE in this are the AUPE members coming here to Artspace, picketing our homes and targeting our community.

What will it take for AUPE to finally acknowledge the mistake they've made?  Will someone have to die, first?  Or would that just be twisted around and blame cast somewhere else, too?

Make no mistake about it; there is only one place responsibility for this damage can be attributed to.

AUPE.

You.

Not just the executives who made the decisions.

You.

Not just the picketers who have so gleefully engaged in this behaviour.

You.

The responsibility also lies in every AUPE member who sees what's happening here and says nothing.

Does nothing.

We know that there are AUPE members who condemn what's being done here in their name.  We also know that many of you are too afraid to speak out.

Yet, as long as you continue to be afraid and refuse to speak out against what is happening here, you too are responsible for the harm that's being caused.

Another of our members is in the hospital.  One of the strongest people I know; with the kindest heart and an amazing intellect.  Thoughtful.  Supportive.  Loyal.  Dedicated.

Because of you.

Can you live with that?