Back in December, AUFA’s Job Action Committee (JAC) provided an overview of flying (i.e., in-person) and digital picketing. As a potential strike and/or lockout looms, this post provides additional details about flying pickets during the first few weeks of a work stoppage. Tomorrow, JAC will provide more detail about digital picketing.
Overview of Flying Pickets
If a strike or lockout occurs, AUFA will be organizing three kinds of flying pickets to start with:
traditional picketing,
leafleting post-secondary students, and
flyering neighbourhoods in Athabasca.
Flying pickets will run for 90- to 120-minutes each. The tentative schedule of events is:
Athabasca: Wednesdays (picketing, flyering)
Calgary: tentatively Wednesdays (picketing, leafletting)
Edmonton: Tuesdays and Thursdays (picketing, leafletting)
Toronto: To be determined (leafletting)
The specific events, their timing, and their locations will vary from day to day. The weekly schedule will be communicated each Friday. Before each event, members will receive details (e.g., location, parking, purpose) specific to the event.
Traditional Picketing
Picketing typically entails a group of people walking or standing in a public place (such as a sidewalk, boulevard, or greenspace) outside of an AU building or near a busy intersection holding signs. The goals of picketing are to make the public aware of the strike (i.e., apply reputational and financial pressure) and build member morale.
What to do:
Talk with your colleagues and enjoy yourself.
Engage with the public in a friendly manner (e.g., wave at cars, say hello to pedestrians).
If a member of the public wants to chat, politely explain what is happening.
If a member of the public wants to help, hand them a leaflet (supplied by AUFA) or direct them to the event organizer.
What not to do:
Do not come if you are unwell.
Do not block or impede the public’s use of sidewalks, streets, or driveways.
Do not confront or argue with members of the public (this almost never happens anyway).
Do not do interviews with the media; please direct them to the event organizer.
What to wear:
A mask, hat, and sunscreen.
Clothing appropriate for the weather; assume it will be 10 degrees colder than expected.
Good shoes—you will be standing a lot on hard surfaces.
What to bring:
A picket sign if you have one (we will have sticks and staples onsite as well as extra signs). You will also be able to borrow one on-site.
A folding chair if appropriate (yes for greenspace; no for sidewalks).
Water and a snack.
A friend or colleague.
Each event will be run by one or more organizers who will be able to answer questions and sort out unexpected events.
Leafleting Post-Secondary Students
Leafleting entails a small group of people in a public space quietly handing out leaflets, engaging in one-on-one conversations with students, and asking them to sign our online petition. This might include a food court, hallway, or transit station on or near a college, polytechnic, or university. The primary goal is to make potential AU visiting students aware of the strike, and to get them to pledge to not enroll in or recommend others attend AU until the strike is resolved.
What to do:
Work individually or in pairs; keep other AUFA members in sight.
Approach a student, explain who you are, and ask if you can talk to them for 2 minutes.
Outline the strike situation (script provided) and explain why we’re seeking their help.
Ask them if they will agree to not register at AU during the strike.
If so, ask them to sign the petition (QR code on leaflet takes their phone to it).
What not to do:
Do not come if you are unwell.
Do not wear a sign, parade in front of an entrance, or gather in large groups (that is picketing behaviour, and this is leafleting).
Do not attempt to interfere with people going about their business.
Do not confront or argue with members of the public (this almost never happens anyway).
Do not bother people who decline your initial request to chat.
Do not do interviews with the media; please direct them to the event organizer.
What to wear:
A mask and clothing appropriate for the location.
Good shoes—you will be standing a lot on hard surfaces.
What to bring:
Your phone.
A friend or colleague.
Each event will be run by one or more organizers, who will be able to answer questions and sort out unexpected events.
If you are asked to leave the premises by a representative of the post-secondary institution, please indicate you will comply and then walk the person making the request to the organizer who will address the issue.
Flyering in Athabasca
Flyering entails a small group of people placing handbills in mailboxes. The primary goal is to raise awareness of the strike with residents of Athabasca, who have a particular interest in good wages and working conditions and the future of AU, as well as to get them to sign our online petition.
What to do:
Work individually or in pairs; keep other AUFA members in sight.
Place a flyer (supplied) in a residential mailbox or tape it to their door.
If a resident asks what the flyer is about, explain we’re seeking their help.
Ask them to sign the petition (QR code on flyer takes their phone to it).
What not to do:
Do not come if you are unwell.
Do not confront or argue with members of the public (this almost ever happens anyway).
Do not do interviews with the media; please direct them to the event organizer.
What to wear:
A mask, hat, and sunscreen.
Clothing appropriate for the weather; assume it will be 10 degrees colder than expected.
Good shoes—you will be walking a lot on hard surfaces.
What to bring:
Your phone.
A friend or colleague.
Each event will be run by one or more organizers, who will be able to answer questions and sort out unexpected events.
JAC hopes this additional information is helpful in explaining what flying pickets will look like initially. As the strike and/or lockout goes on, we may change tactics. Additional information about digital picketing will be forthcoming tomorrow.
If you have questions about in-person picketing, please direct them to me at barnetso@athabascau.ca .
Bob Barnetson, Chair
Job Action Committee