Fumble: York U closes the door on students

Veritas Team Huddle Compiled By Jason MacDonald

Experience tells us that management is almost always perceived as the bad guy in a labour dispute. That said, media coverage of the dispute between York University and one of its unions reminds us that sometimes small gestures can go a long way toward earning management some good will. This week, the Toronto Star reported that some York students held a press conference to present both sides in the dispute with a petition signed by more than 4,000 students. A union representative picked up a copy but the university declined to receive it. The Star also reports that a group of about 20 students have camped out in front of the university president’s office in the hope that he’ll meet with them to discuss the strike. Again, he’s declined their request. The message this lack of communication sends students is the university doesn’t care about how the strike has disrupted their lives. We understand that communicating during a labour dispute can be tricky. But that shouldn’t prevent you from talking with the people who are, ultimately, your customers. We counsel our clients to remember that effective communications requires that you understand your audience and their needs. The Veritas Team felt that, in this case, that means demonstrating that the university management is accessible and that they empathize with the plight of the students. They could do that by welcoming them in and listening, lest their actions to date continue to reinforce what are already negative optics.