International Students Protest

Hi dears,

Yes its been a very long time writing. Things pile up then you just keep on procrastinating like "okay, i will post something later on today" then later on today becomes tomorrow morning then the evening comes and you are like on the weekend, then on the weekend and so on...Regardless, here i am! I said no to Procrastination lol.

So today, after my HRIR3450 class, (Yes, I still have two more classes to clear...so right now, im doing my final courses....i'm taking this course mentioned at the start of the paragraph and HRIR2440). So, as i was walking to the university center to grab something to eat, i saw a group of students standing in between the engineering faculty and University center. I was unaware of what was going on but their t-shirts and some were holding posts that read "SAY NO TO DISCRIMINATION". Okay, i was a bit puzzled like whats going on? I was able to ask one of the girl amongst the group who explained to me that "they were against the admission policies for international students who want to enter engineering  faculty. Reason being, The admission procedures were unfair in the sense that, canadian citizens and permanent residents have a way lower GPA entrance as compared to international students." It was mostly a concern of the GPA but at the same time, there are other minor concerns like for instance high tuition fees which is totally understandable in the sense that all international students across Canada and elsewhere pay way too much sometimes triple or double. UofM charges less than other unis but still its expensive. Anyways, so todays protest was mainly about the entrance policies not being fair.

I went further to investigate the claim by having a look at the UofM website which had the admission policies. This is totally true to what they were fighting for. Have a look at the link: http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/engineering/undergraduate_studies/1773.html

This is just a brief preview from the link on what it says. 

2014-2015
PROGRAM	CAPACITY	OFFERS**	AGPA (Domestic)	AGPA (International)
Biosystems	36	45	2.75	3.81
Civil	70	70	2.94	4.13
Computer	120***	33	2.81	3.88
Electrical	120***	90	2.94	3.94
Mechanical	120	120	3.06	4.13

** International students make up 13.69% of total offers for this year.

2013-2014 (no distinction between domestic and international students)

PROGRAM	CAPACITY	AGPA
Biosystems	36	2.81
Civil	60	3.44
Electrical & Computer	120***	2.88
Mechanical	120	3.25

Oh dear! I totally understand what engineering students are feeling in the sense that, these students are in the same class together, doing the same course, same professor, same exam setting etc then why not have the same outcome??? Its really painful and it hurts to see such! Why is there a difference from last year???? Why is there a distinction this year? Yet alone only 13.69%???? atleast they would have made it 20% Eh!

Well, I understand engineering faculty is sooooo hard to get in and very competitive but Mh! this I don't understand!!! Okay, lets say its based on the number of applicants(capacity) and overall performance so there is a curve and the curve changes right?. Okay, so as for this is year, it is done!It is what it is! As for the future, I really hope international students wont have to go through such policies, honestly speaking, im not saying that i want international students not to reach their high expectation and not to perform very well, but the gap in between is just too huge. I hope they will find a way to reduce it or atleast equalise it.

Furthermore, again like previously, in my post about the strike that almost happened, proper communication would have reduced this. There should be a clear explanation on why there is a distinction and how they determine it. Such openness is what would avoid future protests cause then students are aware of the policies thus no need of protests cause they either take it or leave it! Let there be an  improved communication.

Aside school affairs, news trending in our society today, Nigerian school girls are still missing, so is the Malaysian Airline, Just today, another Malaysian airline was shot down in Ukraine apparently by a missile. Yet alone,  What is happening in Gaza. God please take control. Life is unfair, yes, the world is a cold place, yes,  but this is just getting too much. The world is a brutal and mysterious place to live in. 

Aside theses major events, I am almost done with my bachelors.

 I wish my muslim friends "Ramadhan Kareem" 

Keep reading,
Zita xx

Unpaid Internship

Hey Dears,

As I mentioned briefly on my previous posts that i was doing a work placement at Canada Post. 

So I will talk about this placement today. 

Basically, I was fortunate to be part of the placement program. Usually, the Labour studies Department under the Faculty of Arts, offers an opportunity to participate in this program once in every two years. So this is what happens, the co-coordinators place you at a workplace and you have to learn from that workplace while reporting daily to your professor. I find this course a learning experiencing with real life applications. You also have to write a research paper on the project you choose to work on. The course is called LABR4510 and LABR4520. The course also includes a seminar class where you discuss all your coursework and guide you in your writing skills. You do not get paid however you do get credit hours for it.

So, I was placed in a crown corporation-Canada Post. For my fall semester, I worked with Occupational Health and Safety Department where I job shadowed the supervisors. I conducted workplace inspections, daily management meetings, observing how employees do their tasks and whether they apply safety measures and so many other duties that you could think of a safety officer would perform. I was lucky to have seen how safety officers work both outside the plant and inside the plant. At the end of the term placement,  i worked on a safety campaign project on how to deal with stress at the workplace. My project was titled "wellness from stress". In addition, I also had to come up on a safety action plan.

As for the winter semester, I am working with the Labour Relations Officers (LRO) . I worked with Anitha who introduced me to the grievance system, John Sharpe who introduced me into LRO duties, John Dawson and I went deeper into analyzing grievances and I having a review on them then Hannah and I worked mainly on the arbitration process,from the start to the end. Well, it was good and bad that an arbitration hearing was cancelled because we resolved all the files. 

Last week, I just presented my project on "Duty to accommodate on the basis of family status". I'm hoping to attend an arbitration hearing on March 14th if the hearing goes through. 

Overall, I think this work placement is what makes my program unique and special. The fact that Labour studies has this kind of program is a plus plus for a university student like me who is just at the university to get an education and enter the job market and "maybe" go further to specialize. Otherwise, I would recommend this program to anyone so long as they know what they will do with it. You can branch into Law school after or go on with the Human resource side. With me? I don't know what is laying ahead but all i know for now is that i'll be done this year and enter the world of work.

Jobs

Hey Dears,

Today's post will feature some Labour Related jobs.
I am sure most people do not know what you could do with a Labour Studies degree.Well, at the end of the day, with a LS/LR degree, your knowledge will be around these issues: (judging from the courses you take)

-The Canadian Labour movement

-Working for a Living

-Political economy of Labour

-Employees, Employers and the State

-Labour Law

-Employment Law

-Workplace Health and Safety

-Pensions & Benefits

-Worker's self management

-Globalization and Labour

-Negotiations and Bargaining

-Working class and Labour history

-The skills and knowledge from the field placement.

Here are some jobs you could utilise: Be it in a Gov't position, NGO, private businesses, Union...

-Worker Advocate

-Employment Standard Officer

-Health and Safety Officer

-Human Rights Investigator

-Human Resource Manager

-Labour Relations Board Officer

-Workers Compensation Board caseworker

-Worker Advisor

-Legislative Assistant

-Policy Researcher

-Union Representative

-Union organizer

-Labour Lawyer

PS: My University,-UofM- helps students to attend Mel Myers Labour conference each year. This is a way of networking. You never who you meet and what the person can do for you. Well, I attended last year's Mel Myers Labour conference which had over 350 people. I'm also fortunate to be attending this years conference on March 20 and 21st at Victoria Inn. I am looking forward to interact with like minded people!

Getting to zero at work

Hey Dears,

If you did not know, ILO with the UN family launched a campaign last year called "Getting to Zero at work". Simply, this campaign is trying to eliminate Aids in terms of zero discrimination, through treatment, education and many other ways. How does it relate to work? well, the "likelihood of getting treatment equals to higher chances of getting employed" :)

Enjoy the video of the week as we are getting ready to celebrate World Aids Day.

Video credits: ILOTV

International Day of the girl

Hey dears,
Happy International Day of the girl. October 11th is marked by the UN as the international day of the girl. It is a honour to have a day set to create more awareness on girl issues. Even if the day on its own does not play a huge impact as the function of the day. I take this time to share my views on this day as a contributor in social networks/bloggers.
As sexism is huge in our society and at most times, it is girls who get oppressed in so many ways. For instance at work, there is always that managerial stage where a woman stops at. You hardly find top directors leading positions held by women. Again, in schools you are more likely to find primary or nursery teachers as women than men. Thank goodness that all these differences and many other that exist in our society are now changing as time goes by. Women are now more recognised  than in the past. Certain top positions are being held by women. For instance, the Malawian president-Joyce Banda :). This is soo inspiring!
I was listening to my president's- (Mh. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete) speech for the end of October and he mentioned about gender equality in secondary schools. He said that the most part to achieve gender equality has been achieved that more girls now go to primary and secondary schools. However, what is get to be achieved is girls in upper level education which is attending university. There are only 68% of girls in higher level. He also mentioned that, in the Tanzanian parliament, the 50/50 partcipation of women is yet to be achieved. And he said that, "its a challenge to achieve this goal by 2015." Despite that, i was so impressed to listen to him talk about how girls are being more appreciated in the society nowadays by trying to ensure gender equality is being implemented in the society by all means. Well, I must say,  Im humbled to be a girl and to be able to encourage more other girls to stand up for their rights.
Dear reader, I hope you are able to join the cause in celebrating and ensuring girls get the same rights as boys, on this International Day of the girl.

Labour FactFile

Hey Dears,

"Labour FactFile" will be another category in MonLabourWorld. I will feature different facts, quotes, jokes etc from ILO and other Labour-related organisations.

According to International Labour Organisation, it is estimated "some 2 million people die every year from work-related accidents and diseases, 160 million people suffer from work-related diseases and 4% of the World's annual GDP is lost as a consequence of occupational diseases and accidents". This shows how serious Occupational Health & Safety should be taken keenly at the workplace.

Stay protected xxx

Thanks to Op-ed assignment

Who knows? I wouldn't have come across this video, but thanks to Op-ed assignment for I researched more and found a very nice video with live examples to use for my Op-ed :)

As I continue to write my op-ed on Domestic workers in Tanzania, I came across a very touching yet inspiring video "Hyena square in Dar Tanzania" a full documentary video on a girl called Elisa who started off as a domestic worker, she was mistreated even worse raped by the husband of the family and the story continues.....

watch the video for more

I was touched. I had to share the video today, I just couldn't wait for 

"Special Sunday"

An op-ed article

So, I've been busy finishing off my Op-ed article assignment which is due end of this month.
I decided to pick a topic from Tanzania on domestic workers. My viewpoint is "Domestic workers in Tanzania are often mistreated". I found some good articles to support my view. You might find them useful too, click on the links below

• http://www.ituc-csi.org/spotlight-interview-with-titus,4118.html?lang=en

• http://www.iuf.org/women/2007/05/not_just_our_traditional_thing.html

• http://in2eastafrica.net/tanzania-ilo-urges-protection-of-domestic-workers/

Plus, if you are asking yourself what an Op-ed article is all about...

Here is a video to answer your question. Its useful cos it teaches on ways to write an Op-ed. 

Just "9 mins" to increase your knowledge on writing. Enjoy xxx

By the way, Mr Paul got back to me about his book on "Labour and poverty". He will look for a copy and hopefully, he finds one and sends it. I'm waiting for his final reponse xxx

Forms of Labour

Usually, we dont exactly take notice of other forms of labour except for the paid labour. If someone says "work", all that comes first in mind is "pay=work". Definitely i had the same thing in mind not untill i walked into my Labour class and learnt about different forms of Labour.

• Unpaid Domestic work
• "free" paid labour
• "unfree" wage labour
• Volunteer labour
• Slave labour

We might be familiar to these forms, but i would like to give a very nice example which my prof used during the lecture.

For instance Child care

• Unpaid Domestic work-when mothers stay at home and take of their kids with no pay of course, nowadays, men too :) *thumbs up*
• "free" paid labour- is when a nanny or "dada" is hired to take care of the kids and paid for doing so
• "unfree" wage labour- care-giver or aupair where a nanny goes to a foreign land and takes care of the kids but she or he is only allowed to stay with that family alone. it is 'unfree" because the nanny is tied to that job and can not freely move to another job.
• Volunteer labour- offering to baby sit for a friend or relative without any form of payment
• Slave labour- when a slave is bought to look after kids ( common in the past)

Having said that, ill show you some forms of labour in picture :)

My trip with Sabrina and Saning'o to Misigiyo village was volunteer labour :)

My trip with Jessica and Diana to Kibaoni school was also volunteer labour :)

The pleasure of volunteering is self, it just feels nice to be able to share your time to those who need it most. Try volunteering as much as you can, you will be shocked how much happiness will be built within self.

"Free" paid labour, my dada Rukia can move freely move whenever and wherever she wants to leave however at the moment its been years and years with her so she is like my blood SISTER. Love her.

Unpaid Domestic work. I remember Pamcakes and I had to look after the kids in one afternoon. That was fun :)

As for slave labour, I dont have any specific picture of my own but i have one taken from Bagamoyo, last year July, as a sample of a slave.

Finally, unfree wage labour,coming soooooooooooon, im thinking of being an aupair so perhaps if all goes well, i'll update you with a picture. As for now, i have nothing to share for "unfree" wage labour.

xxx

Labour Studies?

Hey dears,

So if you are wondering what Labour Studies (L.S) is all about, i would love to share my knowledge with you.

So far im doing one major course called working for a living. I have to complete two of each level to acquire my L.S degree. This means, I have to take two courses from 1000 level, two courses from 2000 level and 2 courses from a 3000 level. This is just a General major degree in labour studies if you want to specialize, you may attempt to go further with masters. 

Anyways, As for now... If you are thinking what is L.S? why LS? where should I take a L.S degree? how? who? etc etc and etc....well, ill try answer some of your questions with what i know.

I'm doing my Labour Studies degree as a major and a minor in management from the University of Manitoba. My main prof is David Camfield. a very good prof, he is even making me like the course more and more and even moooooore....he is very interesting. Karen Naylor is also my other prof plus Julie Guard. Okay, it doesnt matter where you acquire your degree, all in all is the usage. If the opportunities are there then grab them as much as you can because a golden chance never comes twice. I thank God i got this chance to pursue a canadian Labour studies degree.

Soo, what are the elements in L.S?

Personally, I would say LS may be more  political but it has both business and Arts qualities although mostly in Arts. Initially, I wanted a HR degree under Bcomm but then since i had to take maths, which i did but it did not go well, so i had to look for a pathway that would led to the same career of dealing with employees and employers which was why i chose L.S.

With L.S, I get to learn topics like the history of work, how the workplace has changed and what could be done to improve the working conditions. Seriously, when you think about it, we spend alot of our lives working, so basically it is essential to know about the workplace, most of it may be logic but then there may be deeper meanings which is what L.S provides.

Yes, I enjoy my course soo much to an extent i decided to write on it hahaaa

We all know, studying is not easy, and we do not just want to "study to study" as my dad says. We all try to Study with a purpose and atleast say we attend a course and know by the end of the course, something will have changed in terms of expanding our knowledge.

However, sometimes we have no choice but to attend a "filler" or an "elective" course just to fulfill a specific  requirement.

Anyways, feel free to share some of your courses in brief and what you like about them. You can send me an email to zarlgal@yahoo.com and i will publish them or you might want to just mention them below as a comment.

Walk with me as i pursue my Labour degree xxx

Number 1

Together we can make the world a better place. "KARIBU"

Thank you for your time, I would love to take this opportunity to thank you again for visiting zithoinetta.blogspot.ca

To begin with,

Zithoinetta is derived from ZITA and ANTOINETTA.

Zita aka Zitty is the one typing, who made MONLABORWORLD possible. Lets see if Antoinetta will be interested to continue with blogging. But for now, I am the only one writing.

Why are you here?

Okay, this spot right here will act like a "warm bath" after a loooong tideous day.

Basically, I want to share with you my passion for studying towards a Labour degree.

Oh well! EDUCATION! EDUCATION! EDUCATION! Noooo, come down, its not just EDUCATION! EDUCATION! EDUCATION! MONLABORWORLD will consist of everything not just studies although studies will take up most space in the blog. 

The reason "Mon" is there and not just "Labor World" means there's a roller-coaster of events. In life we all have our own interests and desires. The best thing is to have that "done" feeling after accomplishing a desire that you have long craved for. As for me, interacting with people as much as possible, brings in that "done" feeling to have said "I increased my network of connections". Therefore, blogging will enhance my people skill and i hope you enjoy the daily sessions of Monlaborworld. "ASANTE"