Video of targeted abuse, with transcript

In the past while, the picketers seem to have become increasingly frustrated by their inability to engage in the behaviours they had been given free reign to do, early in the strike.  In seeing security footage, they appear to have increasingly focused their anger and abuse at one of our members in particular; the person they believe owns this blog.

It seems that, no matter how many different people post, or how many disclaimers are made, they refuse to accept that this blog has no owner.  This blog is not any one person.

But then, they still refuse to accept that Artspace and SAIL are two different entities.

There was one incident of note on October 16; the first day of AUPE's conference, a few blocks away.  The member has submitted an incident report, and the video was sent to the police.  The member describes coming home early in the morning to find access to her parking spot blocked by Deb Arcand, with a frequent picketer, Rachel Shepherd, standing nearby. Now we have a transcript as well.

It didn't end there, however, as there was another incident on the 22nd.  The police were again contacted, and another incident report submitted.

Here are both videos, with transcripts.




DA = Deb Arcand
RS = Rachel Shepherd

DA: Yeah, you having a good morning? Are you having a good morning? Do you have your video camera on? I hope so.

Driver: Its 6:50 by my console

DA: [unintelligible] Remember me? I'm the one you called a bigot. Because I asked you what kind of a Christian you are that you think it’s nice that a hundred and fifty nine people got laid off of work.

I can't believe that somebody would say something like that.

Y’want to talk about Christians. Do you want me to cite some Matthews for you?

I can't believe that somebody who lives in a country like this gets joy out of other peoples hardship. That you think that these women aren't worth a decent wage. That you’re better than them.

And you make sure you put it on your blog.

Have your cameras ready because you know, yes, convention is on.

Be prepared. You don't know when, but be prepared. So don't go too far away from home today, Anna.

Its people like you that have made this strike go on and on and on.

Instead of looking at the facts and saying, yes these girls are worth some benefits. And that these girls are worth some sick time and these girls do deserve the contract. Because I bet you and your husband had good jobs. And I bet your husband is entitled to a pension. But you don't think these girls are entitled to anything.

[A picketer across the street whoops]

You think we live in a third world country? This is Canada.

And they deserve what everybody else gets.

Bye have a good day you make me ill. You know that, you make me ill. Disgusts me that there’s people like you that live in this province.

RS: Put it on your blog.

DA: Disgusts me

[Car noise]

RS: … park in your stall.

[engine shut off; key noises]

DA: You’re crooked.

[car noises]

RS: [unintelligible] …people that don't know the facts seem to have a voice on so much.

DA: You think you're better than these people, hey Anna. You think you're better than them.

[sounds of driver exiting vehicle and walking]

Driver: I have nothing to say to you

DA: [unintelligible] …you think you can intimidate people, yet you have nothing to say.

RS: No… this… hide behind the blog.

[picketers across the street begin to shout and call “shame” and “shame on you.”]

DA: Because you can’t speak to somebody to their face. Instead you go on a blog and you…

[shouted from across the street: “chicken”]

DA: …spiel out garbage.

[From across the street: “shame”]

DA: And you run down people. And you dissociate yourself from people who stand up for other people’s rights …

RS: It’s nice to be anonymous, isn’t it?

DA: …and you think you’re better than others? You're not. You're worse. You don't deserve what you have.

RS: Loser

[unintelligible]

DA: Ah… that’s not a confession.

In this next video, Deb Arcand is waiting alone for the Artscape member.  In the incident report, the driver describes seeing 4 picketers, three on the sidewalk in front of the high rise parking driveways, and Judy, the current acting strike captain, standing in the street in front of them.  Deb Arcand was blocked from view by parked vehicles until after the driver had passed the picketers.  Details from the incident report are included in the transcript.

Driver, to recording: Oh, look at that.  Deb Arcand is waiting for me again.  

DA: Good morning, Anna!  How you doing? 

Good?

[Driver begins backing up and re-positioning the vehicle.]

Don't want to talk to me today, Anna.

Huh?

Don't want to talk... Oh you figured it out, did you? [Deb moves out of the way, allowing the driver through.] Telling everybody I was blocking you. Shining a flashlight in your eyes. No, I’m videoing you, like you video us. Remember? 

Huh? 

Remember, Anna.

[driver parks and exits vehicle]

You having a good day, Anna? 

I hope so. I’m having a really wonderful day. 

[Deb Arcand moves behind the vehicle, on the sidewalk.  Driver briefly holds phone up towards Deb while walking to her unit.]

That’s nice. Good for you, Anna. You should turn it on, though and take your GPS off. I at least am recording. 

I have to record my good Christian lady who thinks that it’s good that a hundred and fifty nine [unintelligible] lose their jobs. 

 ‘cause I certainly don’t think that’s a good [fades out]. 

 Have a good day, Anna. 

 See you the next time I come out. 

 You’re the reason I get up at five o’clock in the morning. 

 So I can see you.

In talking to the police, the driver has learned that, when the police spoke to Arcand after the first incident, she claimed that she did not block the vehicle, and that she had video to prove it. 

She claimed the driver came to her.

This has flabbergasted all who have heard it.

Just to make it clear.

Driver is on the street and needs to turn into their parking spot.

One the sidewalk, in front of the parking spot, is a person.  The driver begins turning into their parking spot.

The person does not move out of the way, preventing the driver from entering the parking spot.

According to Arcand's logic, because the driver turned towards her own parking spot, then waited for Arcand to move, she was not blocking that person.

Of course, the video shows she is quite clearly blocking the way, and the police agree with that.

For some reason, that resulted in only a warning.

In the second incident, because Arcand moved after the driver re-positioned her vehicle,  she was not considered to be blocking the way.

The harassment, of course, is obvious, as was the threat to continue to target this person.

There are also several other points that stand out.

This person used to have a parking spot next to the entry of the above ground high rise parking.  This put the family's vehicle in the middle of a lot of picketer activity, and the driver was targeted for harassment early on, as can be seen by other dashboard videos the driver submitted for this blog.

It was because of this harassment that they were assigned a new parking spot on the townhouse side, where they live.  

The townhouse parking is almost half way up the block from the high rise, and across the street from Inner City Housing townhouses.

AUPE has designated the address of the high rise (the main building, not the unit the place of employment is) as the picket site, however, they have also picketed around the back, and have camped out on the townhouse side, across from the high rise, or would camp out in the shade under a tree near the townhouse parking, something they haven't done since the weather cooled down.

In order to block this person's parking spot, they have to go out of their way, and away from the address AUPE has stated is the picket address.

Under normal circumstances, this would be criminal harassment.

Media Coverage: The Examiner

In another example of the Streisand Effect, here is some more media coverage.

The Examiner did two stories on the situation.  Here is the first one.

Best of Luck, AUPE: I think you're going to need it.

For several months now, the Alberta Union of Public Employees (AUPE) has been involved in a labour dispute with the Support for Artspace Independent Living housing coop (SAIL).

Basically, AUPE has made demands of SAIL that the SAIL board says would bankrupt the coop within a year. So SAIL locked out the AUPE-organized healthcare workers. Then things got ugly. At which point AUPE's tactic should have been to keep the matter as quiet as possible.

Instead, they've elected to do the opposite. AUPE has filed a $500,000 defamation lawsuit against Edmonton-area blogger Kathleen Smith -- otherwise known as Kikki of KikkiPlanet. The union declares that allegations made by Smith, Ontario conservative politician Jason Tucker, and Jane Doe (a blogger believed to be living at Artspace whose identity is as yet unknown) are defamatory. The three allege numerous onerous acts by AUPE protesters, many of which seem to be strongly supported by the evidence currently available to the general public.

This piece includes the extended video taken the morning Malka (with a k, not a t) used the air raid siren.

There are some errors in the piece, aside from the spelling of Malka's name.  It's that same topic that so many have troubles with.

SAIL is not a housing co-op.  It is a company.  A subsidiary.

It is SAIL that would be rendered insolvent by AUPE's demands, not the co-op.  The co-op's finances are completely separate from SAIL.  SAIL's only source of revenue is AHS.  SAIL pays rent to Artspace for office space; a converted 2 bedroom unit. That's the only financial connection between the two.

I rather like the author's closing statement.

While none of the defendants have filed their defense yet, one thing seems clear, at least to this author: if justice is done in this case AUPE will lose, and lose big. Unless the descriptions of the incidents in the video evidence significantly differs from actual events, AUPE deserves to lose.

There is still an attempt to give AUPE the benefit of the doubt.  A potential out.

The video evidence is what it is, though.

Then they did a second piece, this time coming at the story from a different angle.

How Does Anything Go Back to Normal at Artspace?

The video with this story features someone we at Artspace have come to know very well through her antics on the picket line.  She features in many videos.

It's the closing statements that cut to the heart of the issue.

How does that person go back to work at Artspace and expect everything to go back to normal? She is an able-bodied woman who has just used violent language in the course of a verbal confrontation with a disabled person. There are issues of vulnerability at play which make it impossible for this to go away with a simple apology. Whoever this AUPE picketer is, saying "sorry" is not going to make that go away.

In AUPE's defense -- however meagre it may be -- a stop was eventually put to these verbal confrontations. But not until many complaints were lodged by Artspace residents and staff.

The question -- discouraged by lawsuits as it may be -- seems obvious: with all the things that have transpired between AUPE picketers, with AUPE brass present, and Artspace residents, how do any of these people go back to work? This isn't a question that only applies to the subject of this YouTube video. It applies to every single AUPE member who stood by and watched as these things took place. How is this a situation that ever goes back to normal?

The answer seems obvious: it doesn't. Not ever. Not so long as AUPE and its members are involved.

No wonder AUPE has moved to silence such questions.

This video goes back to July 8, but the behaviour of the picketing SAIL staff had raised those questions right from day one.

It was these actions that lead to SAIL user members to lose all trust they may have had with the picketing SAIL staff.

It's why, when they decided to "suspend" the strike and come back to work on short notice, user members objected.

It's why they got locked out, so there would be no chance of them trying to do this again.

There is simply no way for this sort of damage to be repaired.

User members must feel safe around the people who care for them.

It is their basic human right to feel safe in their homes, and decide who can or can't come in to provide care.

This piece would get a media win for one thing alone: the author is the first person in the media to tackle that obvious problem.

Video of the Day: such caring people...

Still slowly catching up on videos.

It's a curious thing, looking at them.  Many times - especially when there was media attention due to their illegal Canada Day block party at our home - AUPE would be asked about the verbal harassment and abuse Artspace members said they were suffering.  The typical response would be something along the lines of, "no, we're peaceful, it's Artspace members who have been abusive," and "prove it."

Meanwhile, for months, there were video cameras everywhere, and signs all around the high rise stating that their activities were being recorded and that said recordings could end up on Youtube.

Which means that they behaved the way they did, knowing their actions were being recorded (and often doing their own recording), knowing these would eventually go public, and then did stuff like this, anyway...




This video, taken on July 8, shows how even when the picketers were being relatively "peaceful," they still engaged in verbal harassment.  In this case, we have one of SAIL's striking "care" givers (later joined by another) verbally attacking a SAIL user-member.

What is bizarre is hearing such anger and hatred aimed at someone she would have provided SAIL services to.

Publicly, the picketing SAIL staff mouth platitudes about how much the care for "our residents" and how they just want things to be back the way there were.

Really?

How?

How can these "care" givers act like this towards someone they used to provide services to, then think that they'd be able to come back to work at some point and everything would be hunky dory, as if none of this ever happened?

This particular user member endured such verbal harassment, sometimes much worse than this, for months.  More so than others.  Why they targeted her for extra abuse, I have no idea.

Of course, there is also the fact that user members wouldn't want things to be back the way there were.  Quality of care had been deteriorating for some time, and once the replacement workers came in, our user members started seeing what good quality care was actually like.

"The way it was," would be a significant step downwards for our user members.

Can you imagine having these "care" givers taking care of you?

After seeing such visceral hatred from a "care" giver outside your home for months, would you be willing to allow that person into your home?  Imagine they were the person who had to help you take a shower?  Or even just put on a pair of pressure socks?  Would you trust someone like that to give you your medications?

I know I sure wouldn't!

The key thing about the SAIL model of care is that it is consumer driven and self-directed.  SAIL user members are living independently in their own homes.  They have control over who can come into those homes.  While SAIL hires the staff that provides the care, the user member tells those providers how their care needs are to be met.

That's all part of independent living.

With institutionalised care, people who need care are not living in their own homes, but are in assigned units, sometimes shared with others.  They have no control over who comes and goes out of their units or when.  They have no say in who provides their care, or how that care is given.

AUPE still refuses to acknowledge that SAIL Inc and Artspace Inc are separate entities - otherwise, they can't justify their picketing of private homes.  Even the striking SAIL staff, judging by the Newspeak interviews they've done for AUPE, seem to have no clue.  How can someone say they've worked for SAIL for years, and still not understand what a co-op is, or the difference between the co-op and their employer, SAIL?

AUPE would have Artspace user members lose their autonomy; lose their ability to determine who enters their private home, who provides their care and how.

Strangest of all, somehow the striking SAIL staff can verbally abuse a user member, and still think that they are somehow the victims of injustice; still think that they can just come back to work some day, and everyone will forget that not too long ago, they stood on the street outside our homes, swearing and verbally abusing the very people they claim to care so much about.

A true example of Doublethink, if ever there was one.

A message to Deb Arcand; Matthew 7:1

Imagine my horror and disbelief as I witnessed the harassment of an ARTSPACE Member (Not a SAIL User, nor Board Member).  I heard AUPE Picketer, Deb Arcand (as many have come to know her name) shouting out at one of my neighbor's/friends/fellow members "You are not a good Christian!"

How dare AUPE let religion be involved in this dispute and question someone's faith! It made me question, what was the reasoning for this?  I can only conclude Ms. Arcand is a hateful, bigoted, close- minded, damaged individual.

As a young man, I attended church regularly and even studied religions in University (not my major, mind you) and throughout my travels, having lived in several countries and seen my neighbor's of many different faiths, live side by side in peace, this comment made me so shocked I am still confused.

I ask you, Ms. Arcand; how did religion become involved in a labor dispute, and if you are calling someone, in your words "not a good Christian", are you assuming that you are?

My Lord, I believe, helped - not hurt - people. I have witnessed you torment vulnerable individuals verbally, seen you taunt others, while racist comments from your fellow picketers are being spewed. By saying to an individual "You are not a good Christian" are you validating that you are?

I cannot believe, in 2014, that an individual would use hate speech such as this, and am appalled!

I am uncertain of the faith of the member she was verbally abusing, as I do not judge, but know this member to be a very kind, intelligent, helpful human being.  The only behavior I've witnessed from Ms. Arcand is torment and verbal abuse on those she feels power over.  Over what?  Money?

Everyday the hypocrisy of AUPE gets more defined.  As a past union member I am thoroughly disgusted by this, as should the AUPE organization.

As other members have told me, many of the picketers and AUPE members are reading this blog and many Artspace members are contributing, so let me leave you with another quote from the Bible.
Matthew 7:1-5  

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. " 

And in the words Ms. Arcand so often uses; SHAME ON YOU!

Familiar Faces: Desiree Schell

There is one face that has been here from the beginning.

She was along side Grace, as she threatened a self-managed care worker for something she was not responsible for, and rather than put a stop to the threatening behaviour, Desiree manipulated blame to someone who was not involved at all.

When an AUPE Soprano's wannabe was being aggressive and intimidating towards one of the security people, she stepped in to lay blame on the person who was the target, rather than the instigator.

She was among those having a grand old time harassing one of our members for the crime of being a union member (not AUPE) and living in Artspace at the same time - and for daring to stand up for neighbours after they were physically assaulted.









Of course, she was right there with The Urinator himself, including when he was using the bull horn.

When Malka finally got thrown off the picket line for his Bad Cop routine (though that hasn't stopped him from coming back, despite repeated assurances to us that he wouldn't), she got put into the role of Good Cop.  In this role, she actually had the temerity to tell one of our members that she didn't know what Malka was doing (re: the use of the air raid siren and bull horn, etc.), but that when she found out about it, she put a stop to it right away.  This despite the fact that we have video of her standing next to him while he was using the bull horn.

So who is this person that is now apparently in charge of the picket line?

Her name is Desiree Schell and, unlike other picketers, she's rather more "famous", if that's the word that can be used.  She's the host of a radio call in show and podcast called Skeptically Speaking and, like Malka, is an AUPE organizer.

There's a youtube video of her speaking at an anti-religion event.  I tried watching it, but I couldn't make it past the boring and self-aggrandizing intro.

I found this little bit from the above linked interview telling;

Kylie Sturgess: How do you define the term skeptic? Do you consider yourself a skeptic?
Desiree Schell: To me, skepticism means basing decisions on evidence rather than emotion whenever possible. It means being aware of and trying to compensate for my own cognitive biases. It means trying to think critically, even after I’ve made my mind up on a particular topic. And it absolutely means being willing to listen if someone disagrees with me and [being willing] to change my position if their evidence is sound. 

Just so you know, this is what the term "skeptic" means.

skep·tic noun \ˈskep-tik\
: a person who questions or doubts something (such as a claim or statement) : a person who often questions or doubts things

Full Definition of SKEPTIC
1: an adherent or advocate of skepticism 2: a person disposed to skepticism especially regarding religion or religious principles

And skepticism means;

skep·ti·cism noun \ˈskep-tə-ˌsi-zəm\
: an attitude of doubting the truth of something (such as a claim or statement)

Full Definition of SKEPTICISM
1: an attitude of doubt or a disposition to incredulity either in general or toward a particular object
2 a : the doctrine that true knowledge or knowledge in a particular area is uncertain
   b : the method of suspended judgment, systematic doubt, or criticism characteristic of skeptics 3: doubt concerning basic religious principles (as immortality, providence, and revelation)

It takes a special kind of arrogance to redefine a word, then use that definition to define oneself and somehow expect the rest of the world to go along with it.  Especially when one's own definition contradicts the true definition.  If you've made up your mind about something, you cannot, by definition, be skeptical about it.

In my personal experience, people who insist on defining themselves as "skeptics" do so for two reasons; 1) they consider themselves intellectually and morally superior to the hoi polloi and 2) as a way to cast others as being closed minded or bigoted, when they are the closed minded bigots, themselves.

I have yet to find someone who defines themselves as a skeptic that is truly skeptical.

As an aside, I am curious to know how someone who claims to make decisions based on evidence and lack of emotion can be a smoker.

As for lack of emotion or trying to keep emotions out of things, I will quote one of our members who, I think, said it better than I would have;

...emotions are the key to empathy, and empathy is the key to getting shit done.  Telling people to keep emotion out of it is the defence of people who don't know what they are talking about.  The only reason people say that is to undermine others, to "feminise" them, and to imply that they are weaker for caring.

So how does the skeptical speaker handle things on the picket line?

Well, aside from being a really obvious manipulator who has been caught in many falsehoods, she has also revealed herself to be a truly disgusting human being.

Yesterday, this incident was witnessed and reported.

One of our members; a SAIL user member in a wheelchair who has difficulties speaking, was coming off of DATS. The creepers had their kids out again today, but instead of using them as human shields in the driveways, they were using them as human shields in front of the loading zone at the front entrance of the high rise.

This member went to Desiree to talk to her about the mess they were making.

Desiree responded by talking to her as if she were retarded (that word was used very specifically in describing Desiree's manner).  Then, as this member crossed the street, Desiree laughed and made fun of her.

The irony of this is that the woman Desiree was talking to as if she were mentally challenged is, in fact, quite brilliant.  However, like so many bigots, because of her disability, Desiree seemed to assume that being slow of speech means being slow of mind.

She's not the first to do this, of course, but that, too, is irrelevant.  She is the organizer of this group of "care" workers who treat the disabled with contempt, including those who claim to just "love our residents."

Several of our members with speech challenges have been targeted for this sort of discriminatory and bigoted behaviour, from taunting and harassment, to mockery and crude imitations of their speech mannerisms.

Every single one of the members they have mocked are exceptionally intelligent and accomplished people.  Not a single picketer that has ever shown up as part of AUPE's siege of Artspace can hold a candle to any one of these members, never mind all of them together.

This particular member's towering intellect is, however, irrelevant to the fact that Desiree treated her with such a level of contempt.  It wouldn't matter if she really were mentally disabled.  She should not have been treated this way.

The former organiser, David Malka, may be reviled for his abusive, threatening, aggressive, harassing and intimidating behaviour, but not even he stooped as low as Desiree Schell.

Just to make it clear

I wanted to take a moment to address this flier thingy AUPE picketers had a few days back.

The last time this was posted, we addressed the fact that two of the people they've targeted here weren't replacement workers.

This time, let's address what AUPE is saying.

Crossing the SAIL picket line ...

First problem: they have never picketed SAIL.  They are picketing our private homes in Artspace.  So, as they admit on the supposedly-SAIL staff's twitter, it's Artspace they are targeting, not the employer.  There has never been a "SAIL" picket line, because AUPE chose to picket the community of Artspace, instead.

...doesn't just take away from someone else's job, 

Second problem; misleading statement.  As long as they are on strike or lockout, they are still employed.  As AUPE made clear to the SAIL staff before the strike started, an prolonged strike could result result in job loss.  This is a page from the package the staff were given on Jan. 22, 2014, in preparation to vote on whether or not to go on strike.

So... yeah. They still have jobs until either SAIL goes under or SAIL loses the contract to AHS.

Tell me again, who is it that's been bargaining in bad faith?  AUPE accuses SAIL, but it looks to me like it's the other way around.

... it delays resolution of the employer's lockout.

... please ask them to take work with another employer.

Third problem.  As has been pointed out previously, these are not factory workers making widgets and thingamajigs.

The replacement workers go from the SAIL office to provide care for people in their private homes.

Without replacement workers, depending on the type of care user members need, it means:

• not being able to transfer between bed and wheelchair
• not being able to shower 
• not being able to use the toilet
• not being able to get dressed
• not getting medications on schedule
• not being able to eat
• not getting meal preparation
• not getting help with housekeeping or laundry
• not getting to medical appointments
• not getting to DATS pick-ups on time

It means denying all the things that allow user members to live independent lives, rather than being forced to live in institutions.

The SAIL staff may have been willing to turn their backs on user members in their demand for more money and benefits SAIL can't afford - with a mediator's recommendation of more than even LPNs are getting in comparative jobs; thankfully, the replacement workers are not.

AUPE would have user members denied the basic necessities of life, in order to force SAIL to accept a recommendation that would result in ending everything they fought to have; a model of care that gives them autonomy and independence.  A model of care that has resulted in user members needing less medication, fewer hospitalisations, plus all the psychological benefits having control over their own lives gives.

AUPE has no problem holding Artspace members hostage, and their ransom is not only SAIL itself, but the independent care model user members fought so hard for; a model that gives them control over their very lives.

Thankfully, the replacement workers are willing to provide what the striking SAIL staff walked away from; care.

It could be your job next."

Unlike the placid tones of this pamphlet, where picketers are supposed to "ask" the replacement workers not to come in, they have threatened and harassed.  The picketers have hurled verbal abuse at the replacement workers and told them that they will never work in health care again; a punishment for crossing what should really be an illegal picket line.

If anyone should be worried about their jobs, it should be the "care" workers on the picket line, who have shown themselves to be anything but caring.

Because this sort of abusive behaviour does not happen in a vacuum.  People who behave this way rarely isolate their behaviour into compartments of their lives.

As anyone familiar with psychology - or anyone who is a survivor of abuse - recognises, if someone is abusive in one area of their lives, chances are they are also abusive in other areas of their lives.

That is incredibly concerning.

To them, it's about money, which they seem to believe will purchase them "dignity" and "respect."

To Artspace user members, it's about their lives.

Video of the Day: that's what's called "extortion"

Word through the grapevine is that AUPE intends to "turn up the heat" if things don't go their way by the end of September.

What does that mean?

Well, the last time they promised that, it was before the SAIL board had a chance to look at the mediator's recommendation.

Which is when they started going this.




For this entire labour dispute, AUPE has targeted the entire Artspace community, and even included some of our neighbours.  They have openly demanded that Artspace members turn on their board members - both the Artspace board and the SAIL board, even to the point of saying we should evict them. Which does more to show how ignorant they are of how co-ops work than make their point, but they've never been particularly interested in educating themselves.  Much easier to just make things up as they go along, I suppose.

The above video was taken on July 23.  That same day, AUPE's "Avocatzo" left this comment here on the blog.

Well, as expected, your SAIL board produced bogus, imaginary financial numbers today in order to "justify" an egregiously bad faith bargaining position. Maybe even to justify some form of fraud that has been masked by seven years of Mickey Mouse unaudited statements. An independent, objective mediator will soon issue a report agreeing with the Union position. And SAIL will reject it because they are in bad faith. And so, if you think that the Sunday Tea Party that you have been enduring over the last few weeks has been annoying, wait till you experience the full wrath of the working class. Karma is a bitch, baby. By the way, why don't you ask Chris and Roxanne why none of their numbers make any sense? 

Aside from the tiresome false and defamatory accusations against SAIL, whose board members have always been very open to questions from all Artspace members, we got threatened with "the full wrath of the working class..."  

How Marxist of him.  A rather petulant and ignorant threat to make against a community that completely overturns notions of class distinction; where all membership is equal, regardless of age, ability, income, race, gender, and so on.  It took AUPE to introduce classicism, racism and sexism into our community.

Then they did this.

Funny.  Avocatzo has stopped trying to post comments on the blog.  I wonder it's because his comments demonstrate that it is AUPE that is operating on bad faith, and not SAIL?  

So, according to AUPE's "avocat" (French for lawyer - and avocado - in case you're wondering), what AUPE has done to the Artspace community, to punish us all for SAIL not capitulating to their demands, is just a "Sunday Tea Party."  That we have yet to "experience the full wrath of the working class."

Which is, of course, extortion.

An Aggressive Photo Opp

Since we no longer have security guards, the AUPE picketers have stepped up their aggressive actions, as well as using our home for convenient photo opps.

They have been showing up at earlier hours, coming and going, to the point that we have no idea when or where to expect them.  At times, they appeared to be gone, only to show up to disrupt mail delivery or garbage pick up.

Today (Sept. 10), Artspace members were awakened by their noise as early as 6:30am, they were seen trespassing both at the front lobby entrance of the high rise, and at the rear, where they followed a care worker (not a replacement workers) through the rear parking lot to the back door of the high rise, harassing her, then grabbed the door as she went in, and they have been stalking replacement workers off site.

A large and loud crowed showed up and they set up at both sides of the high rise, with groups of people continually moving from front to back.  There were perhaps 30 people in total, though only 3 could be identified as striking SAIL staff.

As many as 16 people at once, possibly more, were seen staking out the back area, at the end of 94th St.

And oh, look...

There's Deb Arcand, going at it with an Artspace member.

This woman needs help with anger management.

Meanwhile, more were at the parking lot entrance, and still others were in front of the high rise, including Guy Smith, who would sometimes join this group here.




They did their photo opp before they left.

Check out the comment from a picketer at about the 2 minute mark.

The picketers had these pamphlets, one of which was found on a person's car - again, on private property, so someone had to trespass to put it there.

So they are putting out photos of the replacement workers as targets.

There's only one problem.

They have photos of people on here that are NOT replacement workers.

It should be noted, however, that the replacement workers aren't taking away anyone's job.  The striking staff are the only ones responsible for any consequences to their jobs, no one else.

The replacement workers are being targeted with increasing levels of aggression and intimidation, now that security isn't around to hold the picketers back.

And AUPE doesn't seem to mind that laws are being broken to do it.

As for the replacement workers, they are absolutely awesome.  They are fantastic people, with great attitudes, and they are doing a great job, even after putting up with months of abuse.

These people truly are the "care" workers, not the ones outside.

Video of the Day: the level of harassment

This video was particularly difficult to process.

Taken in the morning of June 13, it starts with AUPE organiser, David Malka, talking to an as-yet unidentified man about their plans for Artspace on Father's Day, including bringing out bagpipes, setting up a stage, and plans to vandalise our garden bed and turn it into a sort of fishing pond for kids.

Because that's the sort of thing they think is okay to teach kids, I guess.

It's later on, however, that things start getting stomach churning.



One of our members, who is both on the SAIL board and a SAIL user member, is spotted on her balcony.  David Malka, the man beside him, then later joined by Deb Arcand, verbally harass her.  They call her heartless, insult her looks, and even accuse her of physically abusing care workers.

These are the people who are saying all they want for the SAIL staff that walked off the job is "dignity" and "respect" (which, apparently, can only be shown through money).

They're so casual about it, too.

For them to be able to do this, they are the ones who have to be both heartless and soulless.

Normal, sane people don't do crap like this.

Video of the Day: dangerous actions

One of the things AUPE and their picketers do a lot is accuse Artspace members of abusing the picketers and trying to harm them.  Typically, someone in Artspace would describe how the picketers have been harassing, intimidating, threatening, etc. our members, and some spokesperson from AUPE would go, "oh, no, no, no!  We're just the most peaceful people ever!  It's the people in Artspace that have been [fill in the blank] our poor, hapless picketers!  We're not bullies, Artspace members are!"

And the drones would diligently nod their heads, repeat the lies, but make no effort to verify the truth.

Yeah.

Here we have more proof to the contrary.



This video was taken early on June 12, 2014.  The location is at the Northeast side of the high rise.  As described in this post, this is on Artspace private property.  The property line extends into the paved lane.

The video is just over 14 minutes long, but I do not know when they actually started to block the car, so we don't currently know just how much longer the person had been blocked.

The man in the car is an Artspace board member.  He's also the Artspace board representative to the SAIL board, so while he's not on the SAIL board, he's had the misfortune of having to attend the farcical negotiation process with AUPE.

The three women in front are among the few SAIL staff that bother to show up on the picket line, and one of them - the one on the far left - is not one of the regulars. She has another job elsewhere.

The man at the driver's side window is someone we've seen pretty consistently out here, and he is pretty much universally held in disgust for his actions on the picket line, but we had no idea who he was or what connection he had to anything.

Thanks to David Eggen, now we know his name is Jaime Urbina, and what he is.

Young Activist Committee?

So, this guy is some sort of mentor for youth?

Wow.

[Update: Oct. 25 - according to AUPE's documents for their annual convention, this committee is aimed at members aged 30 and under.]

Watch the video right to the end, where you can see him deliberately running in front of a moving vehicle, going out of his way to try and get himself hit.  The picketers, of course, blame the driver, not the idiot jumping in front of a moving vehicle.

He's also with David Eggen and Deb Arcand, posing for a photo on David Malka's Facebook page.

After the fiasco last month, David Eggen apparently went into damage control and tried to claim various things to excuse what he did, but the reality is (as can be seen on his endorsement page), he's quite thoroughly in bed with several people who have been key players in the siege against Artspace members.

Which brings me to the other guy at the car, David Malka.  He was the picket line captain for almost 2 months, and one of the most aggressive and abusive people there.  This is the guy who earned the nicknames Captain McCreepypants, Creeper and The Urinator.  Though no longer on the picket line, he continues to harass Artspace members and creep on them, including while volunteering at the Folk Festival, movie theatres and his personal Facebook page, along with AUPE's fake lawyer, William Rigutto, aka Avocatzo.

What's particularly of note is the guy in the blue shirt who wanders in and out of the video and takes part in the verbal abuse of our board member, which explains why I used the term "farcical" to describe the negotiation process.

That's Kevin Davediuk, the AUPE negotiator, oft quoted by the media.

Let that sink in for a moment.

The AUPE negotiator - the guy SAIL is supposed to be able to work out a collective agreement with - is here at Artspace, taking part in trespassing, excessive blocking and verbal harassment of an Artspace board member and board representative to SAIL.

Let's try and put this into a  first person perspective.

Imagine you have to privately talk to some people to work out a deal of some kind.

The other side is demanding things you can't give them, refuses to compromise, and no deal is reached.

So one of the people you've been talking to shows up at your home, in your driveway, along with a bunch of other aggressive people, traps you in your vehicle, watches while you are verbally harassed and abused for more than 15 minutes, and even takes part in the abuse.

Question:

Do you think this is someone you can go back to the table with and have a civil discussion?

Do you think you'd be able to work out any kind of deal with this person?

Do you think this is a person who could ever negotiate in good faith?

Yet this is the person that SAIL is supposed to negotiate a collective agreement with.




Updated with more video, Oct. 25.

Video of the Day: the Air Raid Siren

Clips of the air raid siren being used were seen in the security video montage, previously.

Here is the extended version.





This took place in the morning of June 11, after the strike/lockout had been going on for more than a month, with the full approval of AUPE.

Aside from the use of the siren, the secondary argument involving the woman with the long red hair is quite the thing.  Towards the end, she even suggests that, to get rid of AUPE picketing our home and doing stuff like this, we should evict the SAIL board.

Wow.

There has been confusion about just how often the air raid siren had been used.  Still working on that.  Part of the problem is that people seem to have mistaken one of the sound effects on the bull horn for the air raid siren.

Which goes to show how disruptive the use of the bull horn was, too.

Video of the Day: AUPE picketers harassing Artspace members

Another one from May, this time the 14th.

This video was started just before 7:30am, while people were trying to get to work.

Imagine having this going on first thing in the morning?  Or happening to you, as you try and get to work.



One of the members they are verbally abusing is an Artspace board member, and someone I, personally, am honoured to consider a friend.  He's a man of integrity and kindness, who has dedicated incredible amounts of talent, time and energy to Artspace.

In AUPE's convoluted world, where they apparently get to define reality however they wish, this somehow makes him "management" of SAIL.  Of course, Artspace is a completely separate entity from SAIL and the Artspace board does not - cannot - have anything to do directly with SAIL's operations, and they certainly have nothing to do with funding or contract negotiations.

The other person they are abusing is an Artspace member who is not on any boards and nothing to do with SAIL.  She just lives here.

Somehow, because she is a member of another union through her job (how they know this would be an interesting thing to know, since "infiltration" is one of the things considered misconduct in labour regulations), they somehow think... what?  That she can't cross the picket line (which would mean not going to and from her own home)?  That she should put up with their abuse?  It's not like she can do anything about the labour dispute.

So why target her so aggressively? Or so often? (This happened to her a lot.)

What could they possibly have hoped to accomplish by doing this?

Videos from May 11 Racism, trespassing, harassment and using children on the picket line

This post was made on Oct. 8, 2014 and back dated to when the events in the videos took place.

This series of videos, now 4 days into the strike, shows more of the disruption Artspace members had to endure for about 12 hours of the day.


This first video starts at 6:35am.  The replacement worker vehicle has already been blocked for an unknown length of time.

Clips are from two different security cameras, and much of the commentary is directed at the security guards themselves.

How strange that a group that demands "dignity" and "respect" displays such a visceral level of disgust and hatred towards others.





The next video is from several cameras, beginning with security video taken at 9:20am, from inside the meeting room security was using for their headquarters.

In the first clip, AUPE staffers David Malka, Deb Arcand and Jaime Urbina-Maclean can be seen. Later, a picketer identified as Rachel Shepherd (she can be heard spelling her own name) joins them.  She is seen slapping the bottoms of two different picketers, including a striking SAIL employee and Jaime Urbina-Maclean, and heard making racist comments directed at the security guard.  An old AUPE video from another labour dispute identifies her as co-chair of Local 47.

Also present is AUPE VP, Karen Weier.

The final clip was submitted by the driver of the red van the picketers also blocked.  Though several Artspace members were targeted for extra blocking and verbal abuse, this member is one of the few who was able to record any of it.





The misconduct continues, this time in video beginning at 10am.  The verbal harassment and racist comments become increasingly shocking.  The picketer calling replacement workers n***** has since been identified as striking SAIL employee, Lorna Hunt.






Moving on to videos starting shortly after 4:30pm, they are events that all took place at about the same time.

The video shows the replacement workers first being blocked (in the Artspace private parking lot driveway) from leaving their shift, then others being blocked on the street from starting their shift.

In these videos, you can see children with picketers in the pee patch - built for Artspace members to take their dogs - and actively encouraged to take part in the verbal abuse of replacement workers.





While this was going on, an Artspace member took video from their townhouse window, some distance away.

In this, not only can you hear how disruptive the noise levels were for the entire block, but you can also see the children that are taking part in verbally abusing the replacement workers.  They are children of striking SAIL staff.

After the replacement worker vehicle leaves, the picketers continue to engage in a verbal altercation with people living in the Inner City townhouses.  Like most Artspace members, they have no involvement in the labour dispute.




While all that was going on in the front, AUPE organizer, David Malka, went to the back of the high rise where he trespassed on private property belonging to a third party.

While Artspace members on the South side of the high rise were able to escape the bulk of the disruption, they still had to put up with finding AUPE picketers in the back lot, watching their homes and taking photo and video into Artspace private property.




Numerous complaints had already been submitted about picketer misconduct, and police were visiting daily.

Videos from May 10

This post was written Oct. 8, 2014 and back dated to the date of the events recorded.

Beginning shortly before 8am.

Picketers block an Artspace member as punishment for recording their activities.

In the video is Local 47 Chair, Deb Arcand (aka Turn Off the Camera Lady) and AUPE VP, Karen Weiers (brown coat, giant black cowl).  About 2 minutes in, organizer Desiree Schell (black coat with hood, white cowl) can be seen.

As of this writing, it is not known who the man with the stick is.




Shortly after 3pm

The video below was taken by the same Artspace member, who is not involved with the labour dispute, the SAIL board, nor the Artspace board.  This member has submitted all dashboard video of the picketers taken since the start of the strike.

Among the names now known of people seen in the video are labour and NDP organizer, Trevor Zimmerman (pacing with phone camera, black hooded coat, red and black scarf), Local 47 Chair, Deb Arcand (pacing, union vest, navy hood, sunglasses) and picket captain, Jaime Urbina-Maclean (briefly seen at the beginning, hood over baseball cap).

The child seen in the video is the son of a picketer.




Shortly after 5pm.

The picketers have blocked the replacement worker vehicle on the street.  Along with the people seen in the above video, AUPE organizer, David Malka is also seen (red toque at start).

Note that all this noise and disturbance is happening in front of our private homes, and is disrupting our neighbours as well.




Beginning 5:15pm, continued disruption and another camera view.

This video below is unusually long, showing how continuous the noise and disruption of our neighbourhood was.  It also shows some of the levels of harassment and verbal abuse the picketers engaged in.



As you can see through this series of videos, the disruption of our community continued from early in the morning (picketers would begin arriving around 6am) to the evening; about 12 hours altogether of noise, harassment and disruption.

If more video from this day is found, it will be added to this post.