Move-in at Western University goes smoothly as strike has little effect

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Despite picketing workers and closed roads at Western University, the beginning of move-in weekend is off to a good start, students and parents say.

Students, friends and family lined the sidewalks on campus Saturday with suitcases, boxes and luggage carts in tow, aiming to get moved into their new or familiar home in time for Orientation Week and the beginning of classes.

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Several roads were closed or tightly controlled on campus, including Huron, Oxford and Lambton drives, as well as University Drive and the Richmond Street entrance to campus, where CUPE Local 2361 members have been picketing since Friday.

Despite what sounds like a commuting headache, many move-ins took place without a hitch.

Paige Simpson, a first-year business student from Calgary, said she feels nervous to be moving in, but has had fun coming to campus and is looking forward to reuniting with her brother, who is also a student.

“Actually, no issues at all, it’s been fun,” she said, adding she doesn’t expect any issues from the strike by about 330 facilities workers that began Friday.

Rebecca Brown is a first year student from King City, north of Vaughan, who is entering the management and organizational studies program. She said she’s nervous but looking forward to meeting new people during orientation week.

Greg Brown, her father, said the trip to campus was “perfect” and much better than his own university move-in experience.

“It was easy, well organized, well communicated, (I’m) actually really impressed,” he said, adding that he sympathizes with the striking workers.

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Becca Delhorbe-Young, a second year music major, and her parents Greg and Jen, said that the process was smooth. They opted to move in on Saturday as opposed to the holiday Monday this time around, to avoid “stragglers”.

“They were very good about communicating that,” Jen Delhorbe said about emails from Western warning of the delays. “The picketers, they were quite nice. They were doing their jobs … they weren’t trying to impact the students at all.”

Chris Yates is vice-president of the union representing 330 caretakers, landscaping staff and trades workers. He told The London Free Press their outdoor rally and picketing had a good turnout and support from the community.

He also said that move-in was going well and striking workers respect the students as they look to start or continue their university experience.

“We’re here to get our message out, we’re not here to keep students from arriving,” Yates said. “Students are the reason we’re here too, we want them to enjoy their student experience.”

As students cross through the picket lines, the workers are handing out flyers detailing the work they do and how it supports students, and why the strike is happening.

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The union says it wants Western to increase staffing and pay it says lags what other employers, such as Fanshawe College, are offering.

The union had not received a response from the university “at all” to Yates’ knowledge as of Saturday, he said.

The university said its latest offer to workers in building services and facilities operations included an average annual wage increase of 5.3 per cent a year in a proposed four-year deal. Union members would earn between $52,000 and $99,000 in the first year of the deal, Western said.

Chris Alleyne, associate vice-president of housing and ancillary services at Western, said the university has plans in place to ensure that the fall term runs as smoothly as possible.  The fall term begins Sept. 5.

“This is an exciting day for students and their families as they join the Western community,” Alleyne said in a statement. “We’re well underway with move-ins taking place today, tomorrow and Monday morning, and student leaders are helping to create a welcoming environment for the 6,000 students getting settled into their new homes.”

He did not acknowledge any progress on negotiations with CUPE Local 2361, only adding that the school is committed to reaching an agreement, and values the contributions of its members.

London police said its annual liquor and noise enforcement campaign, focused downtown and near Western and Fanshawe, has begun and it is encouraging students to celebrate their return to campus responsibly.

jmoulton@postmedia.com

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