CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-TORONTO:

RESISTANCE AT RYERSON RADIO:

Molly has previously blogged concerning the firing of CUPE employees at the Ryserson student radio station. But, like they say on another radio show, "there is the rest of the story". Student volunteers have also been driven out of the station, and an illegally constituted board presently holds control of the station. Here's the story, as passed on by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP).

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** please circulate widely **

INFO SESSION: Repression at CKLN 88.1FM

Find out more about what is happening at your radio station!

Info Session:

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

7:00 - 9:00 pm

Oakham House, 65 Gould Street (corner of Church and Gould)

Confirmed Speakers:

Barbara Goslowski, Don Weitz, Owen Sankara, Joeita Gupta

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WHAT'S HAPPENED:-

30 volunteers have been locked out of campus and community radio station. CKLN 88.1 FM, including the hosts of OCAP Radio, Anti-Psych Radio, and No One is Illegal Radio.

- CUPE 1281 is contesting the recent dismissals of several paid staff.

- A Special General Meeting in February overwhelmingly voted (90%) to dismiss management and impeach the Board of Directors.

- Although new Board has been elected in accordance with CKLN by-laws,the illegal board continues to occupy the station and control its funds.

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WHAT YOU CAN DO: -

Sign our online petition:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/reclaim-88-1fm/sign.html

- De-fund CKLN Fund Fest: instead donate to *"Take Back Our Radio" (Acct #4882570 at Alterna Savings branches at Bay/College or Ryerson University -Jorgensen Building)

- Join weekly pickets: Sunday at Noon at 55 Gould Ave

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Take Back Our Radio:

September 2008

Dismissed Volunteers and Supporters Call for Boycott of CKLN Fundfest

In less than a year five paid staff and over 30 volunteers have been driven out of the campus and community radio station at Ryerson University, CKLN 88.1 FM. Amongst them is news director Kristin Schwartz,who has 10 years of service in that position.

Ms. Schwartz had returned just 6 weeks earlier from maternity leave. “I was told that the current board of directors and I ‘do not see eye to eye’. For that reason I was terminated, effective immediately,” says Schwartz. She will be fighting the seemingly arbitrary dismissal with the backing of CUPE 1281, along with fired coworker Tien Providence.

In the same week, five volunteers, including Mental Chatter host Denise Benson who has volunteered at the station for almost 20 years, received letters from Mike Phillips saying their services were no longer needed.This brings the number of dismissed volunteer programmers to over 30 since the Special General Meeting in February saw the membership vote to dismiss management, including Mike Phillips, and impeach the Board of Directors by an overwhelming majority of 90 per cent. Subsequently, a new Board was elected in accordance with CKLN By-laws. The illegal board continues,however, to occupy the station and control its funds.

The Take Back Our Radio Organizing Committee are demanding:

-The newly elected legal Board of Directors be allowed to take control of policy and finances at CKLN.

-An open transparent hiring process must be established.

-Dismissed staff and volunteers must be reinstated.

With the prospect of a Fundfest being called by the illegitimate Board and management in the last week of September, we are calling on CKLN supporters to de-fund fundfest. Do not donate your funds towards those who are illegally taking control over the station. Instead, dismissed volunteers and community supporters have set up a fund which you may donate to. The Ryerson Student Union is withholding their contribution to CKLN until this crisis of governance is resolved.

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FURTHER INFO:

Blog: http://takebackourradio.blogspot.com

Email: takebackourradio@gmail.com

Phone: (416) 533-6630

**

Ontario Coalition Against Poverty

10 Britain St.

Toronto, ON M5A 1R6

416-925-6939

ocap@tao.ca

www.ocap.ca

**