University workers walk out

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Strikes for social justice have taken hold of Canada’s two largest univer­ sities. Some 6000 members of Local 3902 (unit 1) of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are on legal strike against their employer, the Uni­ versity of Toronto (U of T). “We are poor, precarious, and need improvement in our standard of liv­ ing,” union chair Erin Black said after her members overwhelmingly rejected U of T management’s terms at the end of February.

The 3700 members of CUPE Local 3903 hit the bricks on March 3, taking on their bosses at York University. At a special membership meeting held a day earlier, members voted 71 per cent to reject the university’s last offer and to commence strike action. They want protection against tuition hikes and an end to precarious, one year at a time, teaching contracts. “Now that the two largest universi­ ties in Canada are on strike, the fund­ ing crisis of post-secondary education can be better identified and addressed,” said Yasin Kaya, Secretary of CUPE Local 3903 and a leading member of Socialist Action. “The government at Queens Park believes that education is a privilege that only the rich can enjoy, not a right for all. Ontario should im­ mediately increase funding for educa­ tion rather than subsidize big business and the super-wealthy.”

University workers face dire circum­ stances. Thirty years ago, about 80 per cent of university operating budgets were covered by government funding. Today, government spending com­ prises only about 50 per cent of costs. To make up the difference, universities have forced students to pay higher and higher tuition fees—creating massive debt for students, at the same time as undermining the quality of education. Management chooses to employ pre­ carious academic labour to reduce la­ bour costs. For example, contract fac­ ulty do over half the teaching at York University, but enjoy almost no job se­ curity. Contract faculty must apply for their jobs every 12 months, regardless their length of service to York U. These strikes show the way forward— that workers need no longer accept subpoverty line income and disrespect. n

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... Euro-banks bully Greece (continued from page 12: “Euro-banks bully Greece Will SYRIZA fight back?”) meet all obligations to its creditors “ful­ ly and timely.”

The deal outraged some 10 members of SYRIZA’s Left Platform, who voted against it in a Central Committee meeting. A World War II national hero of the Greek Resis­ tance against the Nazis, Manolis Glezos, now a SYRIZA parliamentarian, wrote in his blog, “I apologize to the Greek people because I took part in this illusion.” There will be a vote in par­ liament sometime soon.

Socialists say, “cancel the debt” as the only method to get out from under the boot of the Troika! And nationalize the banks in order to stem the flight of capital funds from the country. What does SYRIZA promise?

SYRIZA’s current platform does not advocate socialism, contrary to what some may believe. Moreover, it is a considerable come-down even from its 2014 “Thessaloniki Program,” which vaguely looked to the possibility of nationaliz­ ing the banks and ����������������������������� ties in strategic sectors such as railroads, air­ ports, mail, and water. The program also called for restoration of the minimum wage (up to 751 euros, a 30% raise); the restoration of all labor laws and of collective bargaining; a 12,000 euro tax-free threshold; free health care for the un­ insured; abolition of socially unjust taxing; free electricity for 300,000 households; and a program for (Above) Greek premier Alexis Tsipras leading a