CUPE Local 2278 organizes UBC Teaching Assistants (TAs), Markers and Instructors at the English Language Institute.
Media Release
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
UBC Teaching Assistants call Strike Vote
On February 7 the Teaching Assistants Union at the University of British Columbia, called for a strike vote in response to the current impasse in bargaining. The 2000 members of CUPE 2278 have been without a contract since August 31, 2005.
“Our members are really fed up with the lack of protections in our collective agreement,” stated TA Union President, Kyla Dennedy. “Every time we get a pay increase, it is clawed back through a raise in tuition – teaching assistants are students too. It is shameful that UBC, which bills itself as a world-class institution, treats world-class student employees so poorly. TAs at the University of Toronto have tuition protection and make in excess of $7 an hour more than we do. How can UBC justify that?”
The University’s bargaining committee has not had a mandate to negotiate monetary issues and teaching assistants have become frustrated with the slow rate of bargaining. The University has refused to agree to even basic proposals like paid maternity leave.
UBC administration has also angered TAs by rejecting a provision in the contract that would prevent academic penalty against student TAs who offer complaints or file grievances.
“We don’t understand why they won’t agree to this,” said Sarah Roberts, Chair of the Bargaining Committee. “Academic harm protection is important to our members, it’s in the collective agreements of four other TA unions in the country and it makes perfect sense in this employment context.”
Unless an agreement is reached with UBC, a strike vote will be held on February 27 and 28 on the UBC Point Grey Campus.
For more information please contact:
Sarah Roberts, Chair of the Bargaining Committee, CUPE 2278: 604-224-2118
Sarah Pemberton, Vice President, CUPE 2278: 604-224-2118
Follow
