Media coverage - Edmonton Woman's "Freedom to Tweet" article

An excellent article from Edmonton Woman about AUPE's attempt to silence Kathleen Smith for supporting us.

The article starts on page 10.

In a recent tweet Kathleen explained what makes Artspace special: "I walked into #Artspace and was immediately surrounded with warmth & love.  They shared their homes and their lives with me."

Artspace is a housing cooperative that is open to everybody.  However, it has a unique feature: 29 units have been adapted to meet the needs of residents with physical disabilities.  The dispute at Artspace is about the wages workers receive for the assisted living program.

The videos that Kathleen saw show AUPE members on the picket line using air horns, loud speakers and abusive language to the residents of Artspace.

Kathleen says that the residents have "fought their entire lives to live independently.  To not be institutionalized.  And in some cases, they have fought just to be permitted to live.  They have spent their entire lives fighting.  And no one was listening to their stories in all of this."

But Kathleen was listening.

Thank you, Kathleen, for listening.  There is no doubt that the relative peace we are "enjoying" right now is directly because of exposure in social media to what AUPE has been doing to our community.  No amount of calls to the police did it, and what little exposure there was in television or print media had little effect.  It took this blog, and social media attention, to finally get things to tone down, even if they aren't really all that much better; just less blatant.

It's a shame that, rather than admit their errors and take corrective action, AUPE has instead chosen file their SLAPP suit against you.

This is a powerful quote.

"One of the things I discuss online a lot," she says, "is freedom of expression in this country and how important it is.  And how much of an issue I have with those that think that freedom of expression or any charter rights only applies to people we approve of because that's not the way it works.  We all think we're fighting the great evil, but when we're actively seeking to deny others their rights, we're hurting ourselves.  And people need to wake up and start getting that message."

How very true.

Thank you, Kathleen, for standing up for Artspace, and thank you, Edmonton Woman, for such a well written piece.  You even got the description of Artspace right!

For those new to this page, here is the security montage video Kathleen is referring to in her interview.





This video was given to the media, months ago.  AUPE dismissed it, partially because, as they claimed, the footage was old, and did not reflect the reality of the picket line.

In response to that claim, here is a playlist of videos from August 2nd.

[update: AUPE videos are no longer available: as part of the agreement at the end of the labour dispute, AUPE removed videos and other online content related to the dispute.]





This next playlist of videos are from August 6; you can read more about it here.

Then there's this post, about events on the mornings of Oct. 16 and Oct. 22nd.

While this post includes video that shows some of what goes on in the wee hours of the morning.

AUPE cannot deny the reality these videos show.

You can still fix this, AUPE.

You can still save at least a few shreds of dignity.

Just walk away.

Mobbed

It look a long time to get the following videos.  The phone the original file was on disappeared, as did the clips that were shared on Facebook.

The original long file was split into 5 shorter clips for upload to Facebook.  These shorter clips were finally found, just a few days ago.  There is a bit of time overlap in some of them.

First, some context.

This took place on August 6, 2014.

The person in the vehicle used to be a SAIL employee.  After the strike started, she quit working for SAIL and left the union.

She still comes to provide Self Managed Care for non-SAIL users in Artspace.  This is a program where individuals can independently hire caregivers to provide the care they need.  Typically, it's because they need more care than SAIL is able to support, or simply by personal choice.  This is all part of AHS's different home care services that help people maintain independence and not be forced to live in institutions.

Which means that she is not a replacement worker, nor is she a union member.  There is no valid reason for her to be targeted by her former co-workers.

That hasn't stopped them from targeting her repeatedly.





Not only is there no valid reason for them to be blocking her, this is happening completely off site.

Here's an image from Google maps to show where things are.

Artspace Co-op consists of the high rise, where the SAIL office is, and the townhouses across the street.

The cluster of arrows shows where AUPE usually "pickets".  Not a very accurate word for what they are doing.  It's more like "hang out," or "sit around", "wander", "loiter" or "trespass" - again and again and again.

Those aren't the only areas they hang out.  Sometimes, they'll sit on the guardrail on the outer edge of the curve to the side lane.  Other times, they'll wander farther down the street on the townhouse side.  Especially when they want to scope out some of the units and watch people's windows. Or, when it suites their fancy, they target people.  Other times, they'll wander around to the end of 94th St.  





Along with her former co-workers, we have the picket captain, Jaime Urbina, and the familiar face of Deb Arcand.





After months of harassment, when the picketers were finally approached to lay off of her, they apparently offered a "compromise."  They'd leave her alone, so long as she stayed inside and didn't go out on her employer's balcony.

And then they question why people in Artspace say they feel like hostages?

To this day, if she is seen on her employers balcony, they target her, either by calling out or whipping out the recording devices.



Part 4 is notable, because this is when AUPE VP, Karen Weier is first seen.

Yes, an AUPE VP took part in the mobbing of a person no longer connect to the labour dispute, on an off-site location.




An amazing amount of abusive behaviour has been allowed at Artspace, all because it was somehow justified and excused as being part of a "labour dispute."

This event, however, blows all those excuses away.

The person being targeted is no longer involved in the labour dispute, and hadn't been for some months.

The person targeted is not a union member, and again, had not been for some months.

The person is not a replacement worker with SAIL, but someone who is working for an independent employer who is an Artspace member, therefore her job has no connection to the labour dispute.

All of this takes place well off-site, on a public street.

Oh, and if you've watched all the videos, you'll have caught the part where she mentions how long she's been mobbed.

They did this for almost 1 1/2 hours.

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.

The Blog – Our Pro-active Defence

I have been reminded recently that the blog does not reflect the opinions or feelings of all of the members of Artspace. And it's good to be reminded of that. The blog exists so that those members and non-members who wish to express themselves may do so. The AUPE has made itself known in our neighborhood in some very abusive ways. I, for one, am glad to have this blog to use as a vehicle to express my thoughts.

For some time, many Artspace members tried to get people to see what the AUPE was doing in our neighborhood, but no one, it seemed, would listen.  In some ways I guess I can't really blame them for not believing what I was saying. Indeed, just hearing myself describe the activities around here sounded absurd. I mean, here I am living in a civilized world and yet my little neighborhood was being picketed by SAIL staff and paid AUPE picketers. They were yelling obscenities at people who live here, and people who visit. They were blocking vehicles coming and going into and out of the parkade and upper parking lot. They brought in an air raid siren and yelled at us through bullhorns. They carried cameras and took pictures of us; for what reason we're not sure. They invaded our neighborhood a couple of times, with loud music and many people, for unwanted and uninvited block parties. From the beginning, their behavior was so abusive that many of us felt like our summer was ruined. Many people who live here where fearful to leave their own homes. No one knew when or if they would be stopped and abused by the picketers. 

Yes, it all sounded so very absurd. Yet this is exactly what was happening, and no one would listen. So the blog was created. This was the only way that we could get our side of the story told. 

Yet, it still took about another month before anybody really believed us. It took someone from social media to bring our situation to light. Somehow, Kathleen Smith discovered our situation and our blog. She began looking into it. As she learned the truth about what was going on and how wrong it is, she began to advocate for us on Twitter and Facebook. Through her efforts, many in the general public were finally beginning to see that the situation I described earlier really was happening. She gave us some much-needed exposure. With this exposure, the AUPE ended up easing up on us quite a bit. I believe it was their attempt at damage control. After all, they couldn't have the public believing that the AUPE could be so bad. So they set up cameras and videotaped the “new quiet picket line”, and invited the public to come and see for themselves how peaceful it was.

I am thankful that it is much more peaceful outside. However, the damage has been done. I still feel stuck in my own home because of the picketers outside of it. 

Not everyone feels the same as I do, however. Some people think that since the picketers have been so quiet that we should take down our signs and stop writing on the blog. I think that would be a mistake. As long as the AUPE is picketing outside of our home, we should remain vigilant and diligent. Just because they are quiet now, does not erase the wrong they have done in the past. As I've said already, some of the damage that was done is having a lasting effect on many of us. 

Just because it is quiet does not mean we are not suffering. I believe that as long as there are picketers outside, we need to be expressing it on the blog. This seems to be our main defense. The AUPE knows that any behavior it shows on the picket line will eventually end up online. 

Perhaps this knowledge is one way to help keep the peace here at Artspace. 

I want to end this post by saying that I'm thankful to the picketers for being relatively quiet the last month or so. I do appreciate it…but I wish you weren't here at all.

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!

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: an inside view

We've had people ask about what it's like for the replacement workers, inside the security vehicle while being yelled at and taunted by the picketers outside.

Turns out we have some footage.

Here's one of them.

This is another video from May 9, the third day of the strike.  It was actually a bit calmer on this day than on the first day of the strike, and they had not yet taken to holding up the replacement vehicle for ridiculous lengths of time (we've got at least one example of the security vehicle being blocked for about an hour and twenty minutes).

Video of the Day: Going back in time

Here's some video going to the third day of the strike.

There's a tremendous amount of trespassing in this video, as well as aggressive and threatening behaviour.

The trespassing was justified because a new Artspace member invited them onto Artspace property; AUPE had taken advantage of this member, since doing what he did was an infraction of membership.  He ended up leaving Artspace soon after, but not before things went pretty sour between him and AUPE.

AUPE seems to be very good at taking advantage of people - including their own supporters - then throwing them under the bus.



One of the remarkable things to watch is David Malka, Jaime Urbina (aka Urbina-Maclean, who was identified in security video as the picket captain) and some other guy engage in behaviour they then accuse security of engaging in.  Just as remarkable is seeing Desiree Schell accuse the security guy of taunting the man who is behaving in a threatening and intimidating manner.

This is the sort of behaviour that has had many of us seriously question the psychological state of some AUPE picketers.  I've said it before, and I suspect, I'll be saying it many times more;

Normal people don't behave this way.

Answering Questions

The following is from a Facebook conversation. The questions asked are too much to address on someones wall, but they are legitimate questions, and ones we have asked ourselves.

Here they are, divided into three topics.

Jason wrote: "So I'm curious there have been accusation bandied about about "abuse". So if people were "held hostage in their homes" or "abused" or "tormented" then why have no charges been laid? Why are there no convictions?? Where is law enforcement on all this?? 

Jason, we've been asking ourselves that, too!  EPS has liaison officers who come here regularly.  They've had meetings with us.  Members have phoned the police, either 911 or the non-emergency number, as warranted.

The result?

Pretty much nothing. 

Many members have complained that, on calling the non-emergency number, their complaints were treated dismissively.  Several of our admins have personally called the police with complaints.  For my own experience, when talking on the phone, I've had several officers express shock over what I was describing going on, and telling me that, even as part of a labour dispute, the picketers were not allowed to disrupt the neighbourhood like that.

Eventually, someone from EPS would show up and...

Nothing.

Sometimes, it took so long for them to show up, what was going on was either over, or the activities we'd called about were done.  Other times, such as when the picketers showed up on a Sunday evening and blared loud music, screamed and yelled, a squad car showed up, the music was turned down... 

... then the music got turned back up again, the noise continued, and the squad car left.

In other infractions, they fall under by-law enforcement.  Things like trespassing, illegal parking and the like.  Again, by the time the by-law enforcement shows up, it's usually over.

Sometimes, the liaison officer would talk to the picket captain and things would change, a bit.  But the harassment, abuse, intimidation and people feeling trapped in their homes as a hostile crowd hovered near the doors, would continue.

Why?

I'll address that next.

I mean one would have to imagine that if these individuals were suffering at the hands of striking workers that somehow there would be lawsuits, somehow there would be criminal charges, ongoing investigations of criminal activity wouldn't there?? 

In one of the meetings with the liaison officers, they were asked bluntly; are there two sets of laws; one for picketers, one for everyone else?

The answer was "yes."

The reason for this is that this all falls under the umbrella of "labour dispute."  Because of case law, what it basically comes down to is that activities that would get anyone else arrested, fined, or made to stop in some way, are allowed during strikes.  

Even when activities constituted criminal harassment, nothing was done by the police, because picketers in a labour dispute are allowed to criminally harass people, and their victims are supposed to just ignore it and not let it bother them.

We've also been told that, unless there's blood, they won't bother showing up.  

When there was a physical assault, two officers came by and saw the video.  They laughed it off and nothing was done.  

For other things, such as the video showing a striking SAIL employing threatening someone on a balcony, nothing was done because, even though the threat was obvious, the actual words used fell into a grey area.  That was another example where an officer, on seeing the video, laughed it off, adding in a tasteless and inappropriate joke.

Artspace members have lost a lot of faith in EPS and the justice system.

There should not be two laws, one for union picketers and one for their victims.

A lot of what's going on here is very much like domestic abuse.  I do not use that as an example lightly; many people living here know domestic abuse first hand.  We recognise it for what it is.

Abuse, intimidation and harassment can come in many forms, and I can speak from personal experience when I say that psychological abuse can be far more damaging than physical abuse.  I have experienced both.  Canadian criminal law recognises that, when it comes to abusive behaviour and criminal harassment, actions that would normally be legal and acceptable can be contributing factors of abuse.  For example, saying hi to someone by name would not normally be abusive.  Having a group of people who should know nothing about you, who behave in physically aggressive manners, shouting hi at you every time you leave your home, becomes abuse and harassment.  Especially when they have been told explicitly not to communicate with you in any way.  These are not friendly or polite greetings.  These are abusers demonstrating that they know things about you that they should not know; it's a form of intimidation and it is harassment.  Depending on how far it goes, it crosses over to psychological abuse and can be threatening, such as when they know personal details about your own life, the names of family members and where they live, birthdays or, most disturbing, the scheduled activities of your children.

A thing to keep in mind; while only a few of our members use the services of SAIL, there are other members who have disabilities, but either get self-managed care, or do not need outside care.  

Not all disabilities are visible.  Not all disabilities are physical in nature.  Not all who have health problems are disabled.  Our members fall all over the spectrum, from able bodied without any health problems, to having invisible disabilities, to having obvious physical disabilities, to everything in between.  Even among this blog's admins, we fall all over the spectrum.

Each of us are affected by AUPE's actions differently.  For many, the noise levels cause physical pain and mental anguish.  For others, it prevents them from medically required rest, which causes their condition to deteriorate.  Some have had to increase their pain medications, due to the stress.  Others have anxiety attacks, panic attacks or their PTSD is triggered.  

These are medically verifiable harms caused by the actions of AUPE picketers.  Worse, they are caused by the striking "care" staff, who have personal knowledge of the circumstances of user members - the people they, on the one hand, claim to care so much about, but on the other, say do not deserve their care, and complain about how terrible it is to care for the "fat, ugly cripples" - and AUPE imports who claim to be health care workers elsewhere.  

They should know exactly the effects their actions can potentially cause people who have vulnerable health.  They should know exactly the sort of psychological damage their actions are doing.

Yet they do it, anyways.  Gleefully, even.

In any other circumstance, there would be cause for police action.

But because its done by union members on a picket line - a picket line that itself should be illegal - the police look the other way.  Apparently, so does the labour board.  So do politicians (those that aren't actively condoning the actions).  

The police openly admit that they have never encountered a situation like ours, where a labour dispute has taken on an entire community and neighbourhood, who have nothing to do with the dispute.  

As for law suits, we are a community filled with people who are low income, living on AISH, retired and living on pensions, disabled, are single parents, etc.  Lawyers cost money that we don't have.  Legal action costs money that we don't have.  

On top of that, what lawyer is willing to take on the biggest and most powerful union in the province, which has a bottomless pit of union dues financing them, etc.?

We are a bunch of individuals affected by a huge organisation with significant resources, can act with apparent impunity, and all the money they need to fight any attempts to hold them accountable for the damage they are doing.

As for the arbitrator looking at larger institutional models, again not once in my 16yrs have I witnessed an arbitrator completely ignore local circumstances and finances in favor of a Union, I'm sorry but I'm finding that line very difficult to believe because I've never met an arbitrator that irresponsible in the entire time I've been involved in Labour Relations, full stop."

You know what?  We pretty much agree with you.  It makes no sense, and yes, it's difficult to believe.

Yet that's what's happened.

Why?  How?

We'd like to know that, too.

There are a lot of things we'd like to know.  After all, even though we have nothing to do with the labour dispute, the negotiations, etc. we, as a community, are targeted by AUPE's actions.

Jason has also asked;

"On top of that who are you speaking on behalf of?? Every resident of Artspace?? The majority of Artspace residents?? Like who??"

With over 100 adults living here, plus our neighbours who have been affected, it's impossible to speak for everyone.

Who are we speaking for?

Individual Artspace members who have no other voice.  We speak for the victims of AUPE's abuse.  We speak for ourselves, our friends, our families, our neighbours who have been harmed by AUPE's actions against our community.

How many?  I couldn't even give a number.  It keeps changing, as more and more grow frustrated over what is happening to us; many of whom fear for their own safety if they speak out.

This blog was created out of that frustration; because every place we turned to for help just turned their backs on us.

This blog was created to expose what AUPE has been doing to our community, the damage they are causing, and how they are allowed to act with apparent impunity.

This blog is our voice.

Video of the Day: extended views

AUPE had long denied there was ever anything untoward going on here at Artspace and demanded proof to the contrary.

When a montage of security footage was shown to them by a City TV reporter, they said nothing.  Officially, they later took the attitude of some moral high ground, refusing to stoop to the level of responding.  In other areas, however, they dismissed the footage because it was "old."  As if that changed anything?

Part of that footage involved a striking SAIL employee yelling up at one of her former co-workers, blaming her for identifying her by name, then threatening her over it.

That was only a small amount of footage of this event.

The originally released footage was from a camera on a tripod inside the high rise, so things were not heard very clearly.

It turns out there was another camera, outside, and while it faced in another direction, everything is heard clearly.

Both views are included in this extended footage, with details added.

Four Hours (updated with corrections)

You know, just when we were starting to kinda appreciate that the picketers have at least made some sort of attempt to behave, they go and show us, once again, just how much of an act it is.

Four hours.

That's how long someone was blocked trapped on Tuesday, April 26.

Four hours.

No, not the replacement workers.  Not even an Artspace member.

A care worker.

Not a replacement worker.

The same person they are heard taunting and harassing here, and in other videos.

The same person they are heard harassing here.

This is someone they have been on the hunt for.  Someone they have a personal vendetta against.

It started when she worked with SAIL and was the only person to vote against joining AUPE.  When the strike vote happened, she didn't bother voting against it, since she knew she would be the only one and saw no point.

She has not been on the picket line, nor has she worked with SAIL, since the strike started.

She does, however, do Self Managed Care with individuals in Artspace who are not SAIL user members.

On Tuesday Monday, she came in to do 1 hour of work for a non-SAIL using member.

They caught her as she was trying to leave, and blocked her.
(update: working on getting the exact times)
(update: details now added below)

After working her 1 hour shift, she couldn't leave, because the picketers were at her car.

Waiting for her.

They stayed there from about 9am to 1pm.

Four hours.

She spent FOUR HOURS trapped at Artspace, unable to go home, by picketers.

Like these "ladies."  These are screen caps from video taken the day she was blocked on the 94th St. for almost 1 1/2 hours.

Recognize her?  You can see her here, misrepresenting her job.  

And the woman in the foreground, here?  Yeah, she's the same one you see here.  In the video, she is threatening the same person.

These are the "care" workers (who were also joined by paid AUPE paid picketers).

This isn't about the labour dispute.  The woman being targeted is not there to do work for SAIL.  She is working in people's private homes, that's it.  They are, however, her former co-workers.

They have a special hatred of her.

They hunt her.

They stalk her.

They hang around in wait for her.

They stand on the street and shout verbal abuse at her - in multiple languages, even.

They have been targeting her for ridiculous amounts of harassment and abuse for months.

And they are taking that hatred to new levels.

Levels that now include holding her hostage, unable to leave

for

FOUR

HOURS.

Update Nov. 6:  Here is the video the above screen caps were taken from.

What it feels like, part 2

Today - Canada Day - our quiet neighbourhood was invaded.

AUPE advertised on their website and facebook page that they were hosting a Canada Day BBQ, giving out the address to the high rise of our co-op as the location, saying "all are welcome" to OUR HOME for free Fat Franks hot dogs.

More about the actual event will be posted later, as members submit their thoughts, photos and video for sharing.

There is one thing that needs to be addressed first.

Right up front, I want to state that this blog is not one person, despite my sometimes talking in the first person.  It is a collaborative effort of people in Artspace who have been negatively affected by the strike, who have been trying to get their voices heard for almost 2 months, but have been ignored and dismissed.  AUPE members have even gone so far as to state that no one has been complaining about their actions, despite piles of incident reports, calls to the police, letters/emails to AUPE and Labour Relations, letters to editors, calls to the media and reaching out to politicians, on top of physical evidence such as photos and video.

There was some conversation about an earlier post, describing What it feels like, to be living in Artspace right now.  In it, we state that we feel like we are being raped.  One person, who agrees that the sentiment reflected their personal feelings, suggested that the language might be too strong, and that AUPE might resort to what seems to be their favourite objection whenever we try to speak out; that we are being "offensive."   Perhaps we should take it down?

When this was brought up for discussion with other members, however, there was an overwhelming chorus of NO!  This post described exactly how they felt, and they did not what it changed or toned down.

Because it's the truth.

We feel raped.

We feel violated.

Today was a perfect example.  With neither our permission, nor our consent, AUPE saw fit to host an event AT OUR HOME, with an open invitation to any and all, using free Fat Franks hot dogs as a lure.

They didn't even have the City's permission, with no permits issued.  The City of Edmonton informed Edmonton Police about what AUPE was planning, stating that the union did not have our permission for this event.

They knew we did not want them there.

They knew that the noise and disruption would cause both physical and emotional harm to our most vulnerable members.

Most aggravating of all was their apparent belief that we should have somehow felt grateful for what they were doing; that they were somehow doing us a favour.

They have also used the very few Artspace members who do support them to justify their abusive behaviour.  Which means that, on top of feeling violated, we feel, to use just some of the emotions expressed by members, "shocked", "betrayed" and "like being stabbed in the back."

Betrayal was the sentiment most often expressed.

One of the observations expressed in some member's documentation of AUPE's behaviour was that it was classic psychological abuse (emotional and mental manipulation).  With that in mind, let us look at a list of 23 Covert Emotional Manipulation Tactics, and see how many we can check off.  (Note that this list is geared towards individual relationships, but they are the same tactics being used by one group - AUPE - against Artspace members.)

1. Positive Reinforcement (praise, flattery, superficial charm) - this seems to be the tactic they are trying with their new "leader"
2. Intermittent positive reinforcement (includes random praise, declarations of live, etc.) - demonstrated when picketers go from saying how much they love user members, to saying these members don't deserve their care
3. Negative reinforcements (the manipulator stops performing a negative behaviour on compliance) - this has been demonstrated by picketers telling us all this would stop and they would go away, if only we would give in to their demands, or by telling members they would be allowed to pass/etc. if only they would take a flier, sign a petition, stop recording, etc.
4. Not allowing negative emotion (the victim is chastised for emotional behaviour) - exemplified by doing such things as claiming offence whenever Artspace members express their feelings about what the picketers are doing.
5. Indirect aggressive abuse (drop the angry tone, disguising insult as helping, giving advice, etc., but in actually is an attempt to control, belittle and demean) - a lot of people have commented on this one, as picketers go from yelling and insults etc., to calling out "have a nice day" in mocking tones.
6. Triangulation (introduces others into the relationship to hurt the victim, etc.) - using the very few Artspace members who support them to justify their behaviour falls firmly into this category.  Also used when trying to convince Artspace members that SAIL is responsible for their actions.
7. Blaming the victim (putting the victim on the defencive, etc.) - used frequently, in conjunction with Triangulation, as exemplified by the guy with the megaphone claiming that it is SAIL, not themselves, that are "holding Artspace hostage", or that, because we haven't given in to their demands, we must like them being here.  Also exemplified when denying their own behaviour and publicly portraying the SAIL board as being dishonest, etc.
8. Insinuating comments (chosen to evoke an uncomfortable emotional response, using weaknesses and hot buttons) - examples of that were used today, when someone shouted in the street, demanding to know if SAIL has somehow proven to members that they are at risk of going bankrupt if they give in to AUPE demands.  It's another common one.
9. Empty words (turn on the charm, saying what you want to hear) - expressed when picketers are sometimes heard to call out "we love you!" so some of our members, or their public claims to only want to come back to work because they supposedly care so much for our user members.
10. Denying/invalidating reality (distorts or undermines the victims perceptions of the world, denying actions when confronted by their victim) - this one is often tied in with Blaming the victim, as mentioned above.  Other examples include denial that their actions, calling our claims are "hyperbole" or trying to re-write history and take credit for the efforts of others.
11. Minimising (claims the victim is making a big deal out of nothing or exaggerating) - this one is frequently used when AUPE is questioned by the media, by using such words as "hyperbole" to dismiss our complaints.
12. Withholding (refusing to communicate) - this one is exemplified more by union members, such as the new leader, talking at us about how we apparently should be feeling about their holding an event at our private homes, rather than listening to us when we tell her how we really feel.  
13. Lying (will say anything to get what they want; reverting to denial) - this one is more difficult to pin down, since it's hard to know when someone is lying when you don't have enough information.  A more concrete example is in the link in Denying/invalidating reality.
14. Gaslighting (when someone is witnessed as they say or do something, only to deny it when confronted) - connected to Denying/invalidating reality, but also exemplified by repeated claims that they are not actually engaging in the activities they have been doing for weeks; mostly used when talking to the media.
15. Projecting the blame (scapegoating) - frequently heard shouted through a megaphone, usually directed at the SAIL board members and members of the Artspace board.
16. Diversion and Evasion (steering conversation away, vague or rambling responses) - we put up with many days of rambling and babbling through a megaphone
17. Refusing to take responsibility (for behaviour or reactions to it) - connected to Denying/invalidating reality, Minimising, and Blaming the Victim behaviour.
18. Attempts to turn the tables to make you look like the abuser (pushing buttons, forcing suppressed emotions, instigating loss of control) - this was seen right from the first day of the strike, when picketers were seen trying to get hit by cars, but also when children were involved, etc.  The picketers have been working very hard to get Artspace members to break and have a reaction.
19. Diminishing and belittling your opinions and ideas (includes non-verbal expressions such as eye rolls, scoffs, etc.)  - this one is better exemplified by actions such as when their new leader was suggesting that our signs might hurt the feelings of the picketers and their friends as they violated our homes today.  Our expressions were completely dismissed as invalid.

So here we have 19 of the 23 manipulation tactics listed, and of the remaining four, at least two of them may actually need to be on the list, as well.

This is what Artspace members are living with.

This is why we say, we feel like we are being held hostage in our own homes.

Why we feel violated.

Why we feel like we are being raped.

This is what we are feeling.

To be forced to pretend otherwise, for fear we might somehow offend the picketers, is to just add to the abuse.

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.