Sessional Faculty at York U in Toronto Hit the Picket Lines Over Job Security
by Jayme Poisson
A strike affecting 3,000 contract staff working at York University kicked off Monday March 5 with a massive rally on the campus of York University in Toronto.
Affected faculty members, teaching assistants, graduate assistants, research assistants and part-time librarians and archivists gathered in numbers at 11:30 a.m. with supporters to march, display signs and speak about the decision to strike.
The strike officially began at one minute past midnight, following the union’s decision to reject what the university had said was its “best” offer. The contract staff affected by the strike are responsible for handling 60 percent of the course work at York, the union said. In a press release Friday, they called the positions advanced by the university at the bargaining table “unacceptable.”
The bargaining team for CUPE 3903 and the school said they remained far apart on key issues, and no talks were held over the weekend to try to break the impasse before the strike deadline.
“Despite CUPE 3903’s willingness to bargain, the York Administration has made it clear that they are not interested in improving the working conditions of its workers, or the learning conditions of its students,” the union posted on its Facebook page, adding they received a “NO” from the school on issues such as guaranteed funding for teaching assistants, job security for contract faculty, restoring 800 eliminated graduate assistant jobs, and prioritizing equity, anti-racism and anti-sexual violence on campus.
“York is trying to tell us that times are tough, while hiding that they made $37 million in profits last year alone — a number that has been steadily increasing since 2013. York tells us we make enough money as it is, while ignoring the fact that TA wages after tuition are under the poverty line and contract faculty work is underpaid and often unpredictable.”
“York University is a great university,” said York University President Rhonda Lenton in a statement this morning. “I am disappointed that we found ourselves in a labour disruption. I know it’s going to be so upsetting to our colleagues, our students (and) their parents, and therefore I remain very committed to get back to the bargaining table to settle this at the table as soon as possible, so that all of us as a community can continue to advance the academic excellence, student success, community engagement—what this institution is known for.”
“My message to our students is this: we’re sorry that this is happening,” said CUPE 3903 chair Devin Lefebvre. “We had hoped to reach a settlement, but York had other plans. Our working conditions are your learning conditions. We want a York University that provides you with the best possible learning environment.”
It’s not clear when negotiations might resume, however, the union said on its website that picket lines would be set up at entrances around the campus beginning Tuesday at 7:30 a.m.
The university has said it will remain open during the strike and that classes not impacted by the job action will go on as scheduled.
The school’s libraries, restaurants, administrative offices and other services will also remain open.
Originally published in The Toronto Star. Reprinted here with permission.
