KevinHutchings.ca

UNBC FA Strike Diary March 13th, 2015

Yesterday a group of UNBC students joined my faculty picket crew at 3rd Avenue and Quebec Streets in downtown Prince George, where they carried colourful signs, waved enthusiastically at passing cars, and cheered exuberantly every time someone waved back or honked their horn.  It was fun to watch them strut their stuff.  What a morale booster!  Meanwhile, other students posted a petition in support of UNBC faculty online at Change.org, which has attracted nearly 100 signatures in less than 24 hours. We’re lucky to have such wonderfully supportive students.  Since the sun was shining and the day was warm yesterday (10 degrees C), I couldn’t resist getting out my uke and making some music on the street.  During the shift numerous folks–including a rep from our local firefighters–came bearing heart-warming gifts of coffee, donuts, soup, and other good stuff.  Since yesterday, too, we’ve received more messages and monetary support from fellow Canadian faculty associations, including those at Carleton, Winnipeg, and Grant MacEwan, who have added their voice to the great chorus of FA supporters from whom we’ve already heard.  Today we’ll be joined on the line by “flying pickets” from across Canada, and this evening we’ll express our appreciation for their support by throwing them a party at strike headquarters, where I’ll play some more music and emcee a talent show.  But first, I’m off to the picket line for another day of determined strike action.