1600 McGill TAs on strike this Monday

MONTREAL, March 23, 2024 /CNW/ - Having still not received a satisfactory offer from McGill University, the 1600 teaching assistants will begin their eight-week strike this Monday, putting the end-of-term in peril.

"We did everything we could to negotiate in good faith, but it appears that McGill isn't willing to make a deal happen. They have left us no option but to carry out our strike mandate," explains Fanny Teissandier, a teaching assistant who hopes the University won't drag the labor dispute until the end of term. "McGill works because we do!" she adds. 

Last week, the teaching assistants voted 87.5% in favor of the strike mandate, amid negotiations underway since September for the renewal of their collective agreement. The union is demanding a substantial pay raise to offset the rising cost of living and catch up with the average salary of teaching assistants at other major Canadian universities such as the University of Toronto, Queen's University, McMaster University, and the University of British Columbia.

The workers are also calling for the hours of teaching assistant contracts to be indexed to the number of students. The union is concerned that the decline in hours seen in recent years will affect the quality of training at the University. 

"TAs provide an essential part of McGill's quality of education, but that input is currently jeopardized by the attitude of the McGill administration. Are they really willing to let students finish the term without the TAs? At this point, it's up to them to resolve this matter quickly with a proposition that values TAs work," says Caroline Senneville, President of the Confédération des syndicats nationaux?CSN.

"The bargaining has been disappointing for the union as we have shown flexibility and received very little in exchange from the University. The strike mandate is strong, and our members won't back down," says Christine Gauthier, Vice-President of the Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec?CSN (FNEEQ?CSN). 

"In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, the fight of McGill TAs is a fight for respect and decent work conditions. The TAs can count on the CSN to be by their side all the way," adds Chantal Ide, Vice-President of the Conseil central du Montréal Métropolitain?CSN. 

SOURCE CSN