CUPE 116, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, are currently on strike and have initiated their first day of job action last week. Over 500 workers from UBC ‘formed a march that snaked its way around campus at noon today, ending in a rally in the SUB north plaza’ that was to enforce their request for more benefits and higher wages (Rodgers, 2012). Barry O’Neill, president of all CUPE unions in BC says that workers are only asking for an increase in their cost of living allowance, job security and pensions. This stand for higher benefits and an increase in wages is not only happening at UBC, but it is also commencing at the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, and the University of Northern British Columbia. As we can see, this job action is seen all across BC and will have major impacts and feedback effects if this agreement does go through. From the analysis of the article, I can see that the follow through of this job action will cause an increase in costs for universities all across BC. Having universities pay for this increase of wages will ultimately be burdened upon the tuition of innocent and helpless students.
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