January 24th’s planned bargaining session was canceled by the Employer as their outsourced spokesperson’s flight from Victoria to Vancouver was delayed due to weather. This is not the first time that bargaining has been delayed or canceled due the Employer’s travel woes. To try and make up for the lost time, TSSU suggested that bargaining…
Author: TSSU Spokesperson
1155: the number of days without a contract since the Employer agreed to recognize TSSU as the Union for RAs On the 1155th day without a contract, the Employer finally returned to the bargaining table with some counterproposals: minor changes to the language. At the same time, their bargaining team clarified that they no longer…
Since the last update, TSSU has had three bargaining sessions with the Employer. These sessions have demonstrated the Employer’s refusal to understand teaching and working conditions at SFU and reticence to address them. The Employer’s spokesperson suggested that TSSU “is a union that by the nature of the work you do is at risk from…
After months of waiting, yesterday TSSU finally received a counter proposal from SFU, but it was lacklustre and disappointing. SFU said it is difficult to bargain after the arbitrator’s decision on who is and isn’t an RA had resulted in an “elephant in the room” because, despite the clear and forceful language of the Sept…
After two years of delays intended to block a fair contract, SFU Admin finally presented their proposal on Research Assistant (RA) wages and benefits: A minimum wage of $17 / hr with no increases for the life of the contract when the Metro Vancouver living wage is currently $20.52 / hour. No benefits for RAs…
It has been 684 days that Research Assistants and Grant Employees (RAs) have been without a Contract. SFU Administration continues to delay by cancelling bargaining sessions and showing up unprepared to meaningfully negotiate. Shamefully, they have needed to be reminded several times about what they had already agreed to and be led by the hand…
The virtual bargaining room is sitting empty again. Date after date has been set and cancelled by SFU Administration. This has been extremely disappointing, especially since they delayed the commencement of bargaining for almost 11 months from the agreed May 1st, 2020 start date. In our voluntary recognition. It took public pressure to get SFU…
Today we met with SFU Administration for our second session of negotiations for the first Collective Agreement for Research Assistants and Grant Employees (RAs). At the last session, we gave them comprehensive proposals, so today the Employer gave initial reactions to our proposals and asked questions. A key impression we were left with is that…
We met with the SFU Administration today for the first session of negotiations for the first Collective Agreement for Research Assistants and Grant Employees (RAs). Our Contract Committee delivered a comprehensive eleven page proposal written from the direction of extensive consultation sessions and surveys with RAs at SFU. Our proposal presented today focuses on the…
After several more bargaining sessions, TSSU and SFU reached a tentative agreement to settle bargaining for Graduate Facilitators who work in the Student Learning Commons. The membership sent the agreement for a vote among members in the department, who ratified it with a 78% vote in favour. Graduate Facilitators are now protected with a substantial…