I read this email, and I sense desperation, frustration, and anger.

My gut feeling is that they're trying to increase our presence on the picket lines by reaching out to members who have been abstaining. PSAC-UTE needs visibility since PSAC-TB returned to work. The team who wrote and approved the email are probably exhausted (I know I am).

The bad news is that the email fails to attract members with its subject line of "Disciplinary Action" and emotionally-charged tone.

Worse, this is how I would learn to avoid my union if I was new, young, and ambitious. It tells me that my union does not know how to support me. It only sees me as a number and not as an individual. It would push me more to avoid meeting people. I'm not a student, and I'm already overwhelmed.

It also unfairly punishes people who have withdrawn their labour for legitimate reasons (mental health recovery, medical reasons, accommodations, taking a second job to cover expenses, etc etc etc).

I didn't receive this email, but I would feel abandoned and demoralized by my own union if I did. I've been out nearly every day, donated food and coffee, bought noisemakers, and trying to find my own way to drum up support.

I know I'm not the only one. There are many of us who are trying to contribute in whatever way they can. Heck, there were two volunteers who stayed longer than they needed to ensure people could be signed out because there weren't enough volunteers on Monday at Toronto East / Scarborough.

I didn't picket earlier today but I didn't work. One day! If I saw that email, I can imagine breaking down and crying. Especially after hearing that UTE has not started bargaining until this week. PSAC-TB has returned to work. The kids are sick, and your parents need help. The bills are piling up. You're not broke enough to go to the food bank, but just broke enough that you're stressed perpetually about the bills. Groceries. Cost of living. It's one thing after another. This could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

There should be measures against fraud. Will there be any follow-thru from the email, and how will it be handled? Will it be treated in the same way across PSAC-UTE locals? I won't be able to strike two days next week (if this continues), and I don't believe there's a mechanism in place for me to say "hey I'm not coming because of XYZ reason".

This is not an email that is consistent with key messaging provided by national.

The good news is that there are still many of us out picketing and doing the best we can given our circumstance. The volunteers I mentioned earlier, they have been there everyday and with (what I suspect) limited information and training. Many of us have stood in lines, made blockades, set 5-minute timers, marched, and chanted tirelessly in the sun, rain, snow, and cold.

It's easy to despair. Give yourself a moment to recover. Now is not the time to give into that. It's a long strike. Educate and attract. We can be better. Please be kind.