Tuesday 19 August 2014

An Inside Perspective

These screen caps were sent to us, of tweets during Saturday's invasion of our neighbourhood, when AUPE decided to punish us with another illegal block party (which they call a picket line).

While AUPE proudly posts pictures of their party on our street online, complete with political rally, free Fat Franks and loud drumming, things were very, very different on the inside.

To those who participated in this event, thinking you were somehow supporting oppressed workers or some other AUPE propaganda, this is what you were really doing to people.


"Outside drumming/singing.  Inside ppl vomitting/shaking frm stress."

"Inside our home feel intimidated + hostage/restrained from leaving."

AUPE defenders can blather all they want about how picket lines are no different than walking through a crowd at a bus stop or something, but a crowd at a bus stop isn't invading your home, intimidating you and causing you to vomit and shake from the stress, or make you feel like you are being held hostage in your own home.



Here we have someone who claims to have been at the block party/political rally disguised as a picket line.

Obviously, he saw nothing wrong with an event being held on our street, without our permission (to get a permit for a street party, everyone on the block has to be asked and give their permission).   I wonder how he would feel if people showed up on his own street, complete with a Fat Franks cart and drummers, held a party and shouted out speeches on megaphones?




"Coming home - detour go elsewhere while our home is occupied."

"Perspective - to U - outside wonderful -

Perspective - inside - a living hell. intimidation. threats."

AUPE and their supporters repeatedly claim that their picketing of our homes is "peaceful."  That our claims of being terrorised and feeling like hostages in our homes are just hype.

Once again, we're looking at classic abuser tactics; blaming the victim, not allowing negative emotions, denying/invalidating reality, minimising, gaslighting, projecting blame, diminishing and belittling, turning the tables, refusing to take responsibility, etc.

The reality is that the actions of AUPE and their supporters, as they happily scarfed down free Fat Franks hot dogs, danced to loud music, chanted NDP! NDP! and probably felt all good about themselves for standing up to some vague oppressor, they where the oppressors.

They were the abusers.

They were the ones causing people to actually vomit from the stress.



 "Perspective/inside - dog has accident from loud noises."

Even our pets - many of them companion animals - were traumatised by what was going on outside.

"Perspective/inside Migraines triggered by noise ans stress

Perspective/inside - PTSD symptoms return.  Need more meds."

To those of you who were partying on out street: this is because of you.

You caused a dog to be so stressed out, it had an accident.

You caused stress and noise induced migraines.

You triggered someone's PTSD.

You.


"Perspective - inside - hold your neighbour as she cries and cries.

"Perspective - learn distress tolerance - union imposes themselves on us.

"Perspective inside - learning to deal with severe panic attacks."

To the people who came to this party. To David Eggen, who used this for political purposes.  To AUPE.
This is you.

You caused a member so much stress, she started to cry.

You caused panic attacks.

You.



"Perspective - inside - a living hell. intimidation. threats."

Please, AUPE.  Quit pretending that your picketing or our homes is "peaceful" and that the effects we're talking about on this blog is just "hype."

People are hurting.

People who have nothing to do with this "labour dispute."  People who have no control over the funding SAIL gets.

People who live here.  This is their home.

You are the invaders.

You are the abusers.

You are the ones causing real, physical pain.

And to the picketing "care" workers.  Your job is to help people are in need.  People who need only some assistance to lead independent lives in their own homes.

Your actions on the picket line has resulted in increased levels of pain, increased need for medication, and deterioration of health.

You are doing this.

You.



Here we have someone who claims to "get it."  Yet his only solution has always been "arbitration."

According to him, all of this would just go away, if only SAIL would agree to arbitration.

Classic "blame the victim" mentality.








Both sides should stop, he tells us.

Both sides.

Mr. Harrigan, only one side is out on the street, invading our neighbourhood, causing panic attacks, triggering PTSD, and even causing dogs to have accidents.

SAIL has no control over what AUPE and their picketers do outside our home. AUPE could have chosen to follow the labour regulations and actually picket the employer's place of business, rather than our homes (after getting permission from Artspace members, since the grounds in front of the office are private Artspace property).  They could have been peaceful, instead of bringing out the bull horns - knowing that there were people with vulnerable health inside - and having parties and political rallies on our street.

But Mr. Harrigan has only one answer for all of this.  Arbitration.  Arbitration.

How is arbitration going to help the people who are having panic attacks because AUPE has brought crowds of people onto our street, is using bull horns, playing loud music, drumming, shouting, singing, chanting...?

How is arbitration going to stop AUPE from picketing our homes?

This is not about the labour dispute.

This is about what AUPE is doing to our community.

Our homes.

Our families.

Our friends.

Our neighbours.

Here's something else that seems to need pointing out, though I would have thought it was obvious before.

SAIL user members looked at all the options before voting to reject the mediator's recommendation.

They did this knowing that AUPE would retaliate with increased action outside our home.

That's because the alternatives would have been worse.

Because if they had chosen the other options, either the "care" staff outside would be back inside and AUPE would be in control, or AHS would have to take over - and AHS is made up of provincial employees, so AUPE would again be in control.

Let that sink in for a moment.

What AUPE is doing outside is the lesser evil.

If user members had chosen the other options, they would not be outside.

They would be inside.



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