June 17, 2024
USW Local 1998 Motion for Support of the St. George Campus Encampment Protesters
At the June 2024 general membership meeting of Local 1998, a motion was raised from the floor that would see the Local adopt and release a statement regarding the protest encampment located at King’s College Circle on the University of Toronto’s St. George campus. The motion was passed by a majority vote. Its text is as follows:
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Local 1998 adopt and release the following statement:
USW Local 1998 condemns the University of Toronto administration’s unprecedented threats of termination and arrest of staff, the threats of academic discipline against and the arrest of students, and the threats of discipline against and the arrest of faculty participating in and supporting the peaceful encampment protest currently located at King’s College Circle on the St. George campus. USW Local 1998 calls on the University to refrain from implementing any form of discipline against staff, students and faculty who are engaged in peaceful protest through their participation in and/or support of the encampment.
USW Local 1998 calls on the University to withdraw its notice of trespass and its application for an injunction against the encampment participants and supporters. USW Local 1998 also calls on the University to end its threat of the use of police force against the encampment participants and supporters who are peacefully exercising their rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. The use of police force would be counter to University’s Statement of Institutional Purpose. We urge the Administration to abandon its punitive approach to peaceful protest and to recommit instead to a good faith negotiated resolution with the staff, students and faculty participating in the protest.