In the current college support workers' strike, Mohawk College is demonstrating its willingness to take on the role of scab encourager, as the following memo from Karen Pashleigh, Mohawk's Chief Human Resources & Organizational Development Officer, makes clear. The discerning reader will undoubtedly note the manipulative nature of the letter as the writer disguises her true purpose by feigning interest in the well-being of the worker:
Memorandum
To: All Full-time Support Staff Employees
From: Karen Pashleigh
Date: September 6, 2011
Re: Your right to work during a strike
During a work stoppage you are faced with choices. Whatever decision you make, whether it is to serve on the picket line, come into work or just stay at home, as your employer we fully respect that choice. You have the right to continue to work during a strike, provided the College has work available for you. The law specifically gives you that right.
Should you return to work, the wages and benefits applicable to such work will be as set out in the Collective Agreement which expired on August 31, 2011. When a new collective agreement is entered into, its terms will then begin to apply to the work being done by you at that time.
We have been informed that the Union has been threatening employees with fines and penalties if they choose to exercise their legal right to work. This is wrong. We have consulted our legal advisors and have been informed that such fines would be unenforceable. Threatening employees in an effort to prevent them from exercising their legal rights also amounts to an unfair labour practice under the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act.
In the event you choose to exercise your right to work and OPSEU attempts to impose a fine on you, the College will refuse to implement such a fine. If OPSEU attempts to recover this money from you through the Court system we will provide you with legal counsel for your defense at our expense. In the unlikely event that the Courts uphold these “fines” we will pay them. You have the right to continue to work and we are disappointed that OPSEU would try to impede these rights.
If you wish to exercise your right to return to work at any time during the strike, please contact the Human Resources Hotline at 905-575-2354. Please leave your name, position held, department worked, manager’s name and a telephone number where you can be reached. A representative from the Human Resources department will be in contact with you.
Again, whatever your choice, we will fully respect that decision.
Sincerely,
Karen Pashleigh
Chief Human Resources &
Organizational Development
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