UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO EDUCATION WORKERS

803-180 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2V6

tel: 416.593.7057; fax: 416.593.9866
info@cupe3902.org/www.cupe3902.org

STRIKE FAQ FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Why are my TAs and Course Instructors considering going on strike?
Members of CUPE 3902 - which represents over 7000 of your TAs, lab demonstrators, sessional
instructors, exam invigilators, and writing instructors - have been negotiating with the university
administration (our employer) since mid-2014, trying to agree on the terms of new Collective
Agreements (our employment contracts).
As of now, negotiations have moved to the conciliation stage of bargaining. Conciliation happens when
the parties fail to agree on a contract and a government-appointed mediator attempts to bring the
parties to an agreement. However, the administration has been reluctant to meet with us, and fears are
growing that they are stonewalling us. A strike seems increasingly imminent.
What are the main issues in this round of negotiations?
The main issues facing our members are insufficient funding and wages, inadequate healthcare benefits,
unclear hiring practices and a lack of job security for sessional professors.
Why wages? Ive heard my TAs make $42 / hour; isnt that a lot?
Taken out of context this seems like a lot of money. What is left out of the discussion is the fact we
have about 205 hours of work per year; sometimes much less. After the university skims $8,500 for
tuition, our take-home pay (when added to our stipends) is roughly $15,000: nearly $10,000 under the
official poverty line. Once we are past our 5th year we are out of the funded cohort. This means we pay
full tuition for a few meetings with our committees and a library card. In effect, were paying tuition for
the right to work as TAs.
Sessional course instructors make approximately a third of what permanent faculty make despite holding
the same credentials and teaching the same courses as tenured professors.
Why job security?
Not all professors are professors. While some professors enjoy job security and are tenured,
sessional course instructors who are your professors have no job security and have to apply to the
same course they have taught every year, despite holding the same qualifications as tenured or
permanent faculty.
We are also seeking a fairer hiring process for TAs and Course Instructors and to ensure they have
access to jobs and tuition relief as they finish their degrees.
Why healthcare benefits?
Despite working for many years at UofT, many of the sessional course instructors lack adequate
healthcare to even meet their basic needs and have very low benefits compared to every other group
on campus. Even the meagre healthcare benefit funds we have now are overburdened, and if the
administration refuses to increase the amount of the funds substantially, we will all suffer real cuts to
our healthcare.

Will I still go to classes?

A strike means that all members of CUPE 3902 will be expected to withdraw their labour. This means
no class, tutorials, labs, emails, meetings, or grading. This is the first time the sessional course
instructors and TAs are bargaining at the same time. This means that roughly 65% of course lectures or
seminars will not take place in the event of a strike.
The causalization of labour at U of T means that about 65% of your courses are taught by people in
precarious labour positions. You should ask why your tuition cant afford to pay for more tenured
positions.
What about my assignments and exams?
We ask that course instructors dont change their syllabi and assignment due dates. Doing so would
essentially mean undermining our legal rights and the effectiveness of labour action. You should still
work on your assignments, go to the library, and do what youd normally do as students (your TAs will
still work on their projects).
Can I talk to my instructor or TA during a strike?
Of course you can speak to your TA or course instructor, just not about course work. Please
understand that correspondence with students regarding course work is paid time for us, and it
constitutes part of our jobs. If we are on strike, we can't do that or any other part of our jobs. It
doesn't mean we don't still care about you as students (we do).
How long will the strike last?
The last time TAs and Course Instructors went on strike was in 2000. The strike lasted three and a half
weeks, and resulted in legal guarantees to our funding. The duration of a strike will depend on the
university administrations response. A CUPE 3902 strike at St. Michael's in 2013 lasted only four days.
Im supposed to graduate this year, what will happen if the strike goes on too long?
Its difficult to say what will happen, but the Union is always ready and willing to negotiate in good faith
to reach a fair agreement. In the history of strikes and labour disputes in English Canada, no university
has ever cancelled a term for students. We don't want to be on a picket line in the cold. We want to be
in the classroom, succeeding as teachers and helping you succeed as students. We hope the
administration will do what it needs to do to respect both students' and employees' basic needs and
prevent a strike.

What can I do about it?

The best way to ensure that the strike does not happen or does not last is to make the university
understand that youre aware of the situation and want it resolved. In the coming weeks, you can
get involved in a number of ways. Write a letter to the provost, wear an "I heart my TA button,"
get involved with the numerous student groups which support CUPE3902.
You can read the specifics of our proposals, and the latest status of our negotiations, on our web
site: www.cupe3902.org; follow us on Twitter @cupe3902 ; our Facebook page is: CUPE Local
3902.
You can reach our Outreach Coordinator, at outreach@cupe3902.org for questions, clarification,
or advice.
Our working conditions are your learning conditions.