Contract Faculty at Canada's York University Still Off the Job
After two days of negotiations, a deal between York University and striking workers has not been reached.
According to a media release from the university, the mediator suspended talks on Saturday evening.
“The university entered the negotiations to reach a settlement and get our students back to class,” Alex Bilyk, media director at York University, said in a media release. “But with the union’s monetary demands still at the 28 percent mark over two years, the union is clearly not ready to settle at this time. It’s so disappointing and frustrating for our 50,000 students.”
CUPE 3903 chair Christina Rousseau said the union had hoped that the new offer they presented to the university would have made some leeway, and that it is disappointed that it did not.
“We’re going into our fourth week this week, so we’re hoping this can get settled soon, but right now it’s not looking like that.”
CUPE 3903, the union representing teaching assistants, graduate assistants and contract faculty walked off the job on Nov. 6. The union is looking for a wage increase and better job security for contract faculty. The university has maintained that binding arbitration is the only way to reach a deal as soon as possible.
“The union either brings some realistic and affordable proposals back to the table, or they agree to independent binding arbitration. One way or the other, the primary goal must be to get our 50,000 students back to the classroom, as soon as possible,” Bilyk said.
Students at York University have been out of classes since the strike began, with students at the Schulich School of Business and Osgoode Hall law school returning to classes in the last week. Due to the length of the strike, students will now have to make up the time either over the Christmas break or next summer. Exams were supposed to start for the students next week.
“It’s very inconvenient for them, we’re really working hard to reach a settlement,” Rousseau said about the students who are out of classes right now. “We’re just hoping that once classes are resumed that senate will make the transition back as seamless as possible.”
