Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 13:31:06 -0500
From: Gerard Naddaf
To: message@esmartstudent.com
Subject: concerning class action suit


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Dear All,

Since I have publicly and clearly taken the student side in this
unfortunate mess, I thought that I would say a few words with respect to
the class action suit. In certain departments almost all faculty and
teaching assistants continued to work. This is the case, for example,
with economics. My understanding is that even in this case, only 50% or
so of the students were present for classes. Is this the fault of the
administration? In the case of my own class in philosophy, I continued
to lecture to the end (and this was also the case with my colleagues in
philosophy). I clearly informed my students before the strike that I
would continue to lecture. The number of students that continued to
attend my lectures varied from 15% to 50%. Again, the fact that the
other students did not attend the lectures, is this the fault of the
administration? A number of students did not attend because they did not
want to wait in line, at least initially, for two hours or more. Others
were misinformed and told by the strikers that classes were canceled.
Others again simply felt intimidated. These are some of the reasons that
were conveyed to me. In all of these cases the onus is on the Union and
not, strictly speaking, on the administration. Of course, this was/is a
legal strike despite the low voter turnout (25% or so)on the part of
union members. I'm not convinced that the administration could have done
otherwise in this strike, but this is perhaps another question.

In the meantime, I understand your anger and frustration.

Your respectfully,

--
Gerard Naddaf
Chair, Department of Philosophy
York University,
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
tel. 416 736-2100 ex 77575



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