Perhaps people could arrange carpools in this thread, should the strike be on for sure?

Originally Posted by ingénieur.xo

Personally, I don't think it's up to McMaster to find alternate modes of transportation for students. At least they're informing students that there may be a strike on Monday. A lot of people probably didn't realize that there was even a possibility of a strike right now.

I agree its impossible for them to provide transportation for students. But they need to do SOMETHING. Otherwise you'l have a lot of students having to drop out or at least drop significant number of courses. Three things I can think of is opening a temporary shelter on campus, using MacLive to broadcast lectures to people registered in each course and also removing any mandatory attendance enforcement tools (iClickers and surprise quizes etc.). It's a lot easier to arrange to get here for just midterms (even if it means paying 60 bucks for cabs) than it is to make it down every day.

Originally Posted by ingénieur.xo

Personally, I don't think it's up to McMaster to find alternate modes of transportation for students. At least they're informing students that there may be a strike on Monday. A lot of people probably didn't realize that there was even a possibility of a strike right now.

I agree. I go to school in Brampton (HSR -> GO -> MiWay) and no accommodations will be made for me either. It sucks, but it's not McMaster's job to make sure we can get to school. That's our job.

I honestly have no clue what I'll do, I don't live close enough to the GO station to walk, and I don't have anyone who can drive me. When the GO strike was threatened last term, I considered dropping out. But with only 2 months left, I have to find a way to stick it out.

There's still lots of possibilities left. They might not strike at all. They might strike, but still run "quarter load" buses (meaning if a bus came four times an hour on a specific route, it will only come once an hour). They might strike but be forced back to work by the government.

We just have to wait and see. The GO strike seemed pretty imminent but that didn't end up happening, so stay hopeful!

My main problem with them is that they seem to be taking on the role of passive observers instead of taking an active role in encouraging both sides to come to an agreement so that the students won't be affected.
And yeah, in the case of a strike, the least they can do is come up with some kind of system to provide extensions/leniancy on participation marks for those of us who can't make it every day.

if strike goes, does that mean no buses at all or just slower/less

"if strike goes, does that mean no buses at all or just slower/less"

Most likely no buses at all. The only reason I mentioned quarter load buses is because I heard they did that a looooong time ago when the HSR was on strike (like early 90's or something). I don't know if it even actually happened in Hamilton, but it is possible.

Originally Posted by Faer

If there's a strike I'm DONE FOR. I don't even know how long it takes to walk to Mac from my place, and I'm not the fastest walker. >____>

lol...according to google maps it will take 1.5 hours for me...and walking back home will suck even more (up the mountain)...

Why don't we, the students, go on strike and rally where the bus drivers are having their meeting?
It seems that everyone has gone on strike already. Why not join the club?

Can't we go on strike? :p

I can't see the last page so I can't quote Kathy, but the issue is quarter load buses simply wouldn't be able to handle everyone. My buses on the mountain are already 3/4 capacity during rushhour and downtown are at or more often over capacity at rush hour. Every fourth bus essentially still doesn't get anyone anywhere.

According to the Spec the union and the city are still in talks, and may go into the night

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...still-in-talks

CHCH is covering the talks, and the reporter is updating her twitter feed here: https://twitter.com/BrittanyGogo

"I can't see the last page so I can't quote Kathy, but the issue is quarter load buses simply wouldn't be able to handle everyone. My buses on the mountain are already 3/4 capacity during rushhour and downtown are at or more often over capacity at rush hour. Every fourth bus essentially still doesn't get anyone anywhere."

I agree, it doesn't. Sometimes, the buses around 8am are so full that they don't even stop at my bus stop, because there's no room.

According to CHCH, negotiations are still continuing right now and into the night
And into the weekend if no deal is reached.

Originally Posted by ooburii

According to CHCH, negotiations are still continuing right now and into the night
And into the weekend if no deal is reached.

yup, i read about the same thing on whereisthebus.ca

Originally Posted by ooburii

McMaster posted a notice:
http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca /story.cfm?id=8637

I love how they make NO mention of off-campus students and what kind of sacrifices they're willing to make for us. All they mention is to consider alternate forms of transportation, which isn't an option for a lot of people (myself included). They just care about car commuters and those who take the GO.
Shame on you, mac.
I know I'll be writing a personal email to Patrick Deane in the case that the strike does happen.

By coming to McMaster, you accept responsibility for getting yourself here Monday through Saturday. There are far too many students with such a diversity that it's really not practical to make alternative arrangements for every possibility. Increasing carpooling and making parking temporarily cheaper are alternatives that are relatively simple and straightforward to implement. What exactly is it that you would like the university to do? They're warning you there might be a strike, so it's up to individual students to make whatever alternate arrangements are most feasible for whatever their situation happens to be. Like, what, HSR strikes so they should cancel classes? How is that fair to everyone who pays their tuition and is able to get themselves to campus? I take HSR every day too, and I will be inconvenienced by a strike, but really, it's up to the student to get themselves to the university. Some things, such as emailing in assignments, could be easily done but that sort of thing is up to the instructor of a course, not a university-wide mandate. They can recommend that an instructor adjust the format of their course, but it's ultimately up to the instructor. They can't mandate that, for example, all iclicker questions aren't allowed to count for marks during a strike. That's also not fair to all students who do show up, because that weight will get put elsewhere (probably on a test/exam).

From Twitter, retweeted by the Hamilton Spectator:

"#hamont City has announced they reached tentative deal with union representing HSR drivers and employees early Saturday."

Hopefully this deal gets hammered out, and us SOCS students aren't left scrambling for ways to get ourselves to school!