The Cadre, Sept 16, 1975, page 2 Declaration of Solidarity W Of all segments of the "University Community" (to use a pet phase of the admin- istration) none has been so :consistently given the short end of the stick as the sup— port staff. They are forced to accept orders which are all too frequently contra— dictory, whimsical, self- . defeating or just plain ar- rogant. In return they get wages which would not feed a dog living in an outhouse, let alone a familyattempting to live with some measure of repect and dignity. The pre- sent wage scale ranges from $4700 to $8300 per year with most workers making less than $6000. Not surprisingly the maintenance workers are going for an increase that even a postal worker would not have the gall to ask for. While the demand may ap— pear high in terms of what other settlements have been, it is completely justified to enable them to catch up with others. Indeed, when considered in those terms, it is actually less than needed. While it is at least un- derstandable that the admin— istration would stall in giving the wage increases (university budgets are tight this year). it is difficult to comprehend why they would not immediately aécede to the other major union demand- that increases be in dollar terms rather than percentage terms. The workers at the Enoth of "-5 Cafeteria Dear Editor, The cafeteria hours on this campus have always been reasonable until this year. means I have the choice of getting up two hours early or doing without the most important meal of the day. The football players must\ also find it exasperating to Take for example the morning discoverthat after practice meals, normally attended by very few people indeed. The breakfast hours are from 7:15 t0 8:30 (although some man- age to stretch them out an— other half—hour). I don't know about anyone else; but all my classes start at ei- ther 9"30 or 10:30. This .the doors are closed and their appetites ;satisfied.. It is a shame that we pay such ab— ominable prices in order to be forced to maintain certain hours or strave. Sausages droop, eggs run. Having never mastered the art of fishing, I'm not a- \ / ith Maintenance {Worker's -bottom of the totem pole have barely enough to survive on; those at the top make at least a tolerable wage. Any attempt to lessen the dif- ference should be applauded rather than scorned. Could it be that such a settlement would establish a dangerous precedent?! The administration generally makes the highest wages on campus. If the maintenance workers are granted increases of this nature, then it might just be that a move— ment would start to spread it campus—wide. Dangerously communistic? No, dangerous- ly just and humanistic. The Cadre further deplores the administration's action in demanding great amounts . of overtime from workers (this week amounting, for some, to three nights and both Saturday and Sunday). This action not only seri- ouslyrestrictsthe amount of time that workers may spend with their families al- so contravenes the spirit of both the present contract and the collective bargain— ing process itself. While the expired con— tract states only that,work- ers shall be expected (what does that word mean anyway— must or may?) to work over— time no union would have a— greed with it if it had even dreamed that over—time meant thirty hours per week. Further when the only pos- bout to begin. Ever try to stab a slippery egg? Oh for a perky sausage and a vari— ety in cereals! How can a normal healthy person exist on the s——— you dish out? Cherios does not have any nutritive value and certain— ly won't give you any added energy. We dream of succu— lent thighs (chicken, that is); we see textbooks thro— ugh bleary eyes. Early signs of malnutition? "Food, glor— 'ious foodIV Anything. Muted taste buds diving through strach and grease. That must be the goal — blanched taste buds. I say this with veh— emence — the hell with Bea— ver Foods! C Woodhall Thdlnks For'HeIp' At K lo‘ndike Dear Editor, V As the member of the Fresh: man Orientation Committee ' responsible for Klondike Nita, I wish to express thanks to the following de— partments for taking part: Chemistry, Economics, Eng— ‘ and administration together sible explanation for the action is to lessen the ef- fects of a strke vote then it subverts the major wea— pon which the workers have ~ refusal to work. This, practice, while common is, at the very least an indication of bad faith, at worst it is forcing the workers to campaign against their own cause. Of all or— ganizations, a university. supposedly being a rampart of the future,should not en- gae in such practices. To follow up these tac— tics by suspending a worker who refused to betrampledon is an indication of the type of arrogance which we have become used to recieving from the administration. It is certainly to be hoped that in the coming arbitration of the case that he will be re— instated with fn11 Dav. Such blatant attempts to cow wor— ,kers can only backfirerin the long run, not to mention the demoralization that they can cause the workers. ~And so we fully support the maintenance union in its attempts to win the workers a decent living standard.For too long the support staff has done without the encour— agement of their natural al— lies - the-students. Give your support to them. They do their job well. In solidarity, Dave lish, Mathematics, Athle— tics, Student Services, Ad— ministration, Philosophy, Sociology, Home Economics, and Engineering. This part- icular evening during Fresh— man Week was devoted to bringing faculty, students, on an informal basis, in an atmosphere of fun, to en- hance the communication be- tween them. Many faculty and were active in the various booths, and I'm sure they had an opportunity to talk vwith many of our Freshman students. Other booths were operated by students from the various depatments, which in one way defeated the Purpose- Should this event continue, in.future years, it will only be as good as the support given it by faculty and ad— ‘ ministration. Thanks very much to those who have been very co—operative thus far. I'm hoping other departments will see their way clear to becoming involved in the future. > I remain, Marion Morrison