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Bargaining Updates (2019-2020) Faculty Updates Student Updates

Update #8: Graduate Facilitators gain temporary healthcare and tuition deferment for fall semester; “flexibility” causes tension in ELC/ITP negotiations

July 26, 2019 – Harbour Centre Less than two months after joining TSSU, the Student Learning Commons Graduate Facilitators have access to temporary healthcare and tuition deferment for the fall semester! TSSU’s contract committee also presented contract language for our newest members, and discussed SFU Administration’s proposal for the English Language and Culture and Interpretation…

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Bargaining Updates (2019-2020)

Update #7 SFU Administration explains delay in negotiations:

On June 27, 2019, over thirty members of TSSU joined the Contract Committee at SFU Surrey for negotiations with SFU Administration. Responding to TSSU’s observation that negotiations have been going three months with little progress, SFU Administration argued that our proposals require extensive research and consultation. Citing their workload as cause for delay, SFU Administration…

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Bargaining Updates (2019-2020)

Update #6: Negotiations “Postponed” – Time to Mobilize!

June 18th’s bargaining session has been postponed by SFU Administration. Since bargaining was adjourned at noon on June 6th, two bargaining sessions in a row have been cancelled by SFU Administration with less than 72 hours notice. TSSU has already presented our proposals in detail, and we await responses and questions from SFU Administration; in…

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Bargaining Dates Bargaining Updates (2019-2020) Faculty Updates

Update #5: Learning Commons Facilitators to Vote whether to Join TSSU + Half-day Bargaining on Sessional Instructors

Facilitators in the Student Learning Commons have signed union cards, and will vote this Wednesday whether or not to join the TSSU! The Contract Committee looks forward to working as a united voice to advocate for better working conditions for all teaching support staff on SFU’s campuses. After this news reached SFU’s Chief Negotiators during…

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Bargaining Updates (2019-2020)

Update #4: Back to Back

On May 14 and 15th TSSU gave a more detailed overview of our proposals for TAs and ELC/ITP, which are summarized below. Our bargaining team was buoyed by over a dozen members, including nearly half of the instructors in the ELC program. We believe SFU Administration was taken aback by the member support as well…

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Bargaining Updates (2019-2020)

Update #3: 3 on 3

In today’s sunny negotiations, TSSU clarified our proposed changes to the contract’s general articles, including a new Staff and Member Development program and job posting. We also amended our TA and Sessional Instructor proposals to protect our contract from being undercut by changes to SFU’s Postdoctoral Fellows policy and secured agreement on three minor changes…

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Bargaining Updates (2019-2020)

Update #2: Questions & Cuts

    TSSU’s contract committee, members, and allies met with SFU Administration on April 11 in our second negotiation session for a new collective agreement. TSSU’s contract committee asked clarifying questions on SFU Administration’s proposals, which have the effect of: shrinking graduate student TA work and associated compensation by 20% through a modification to our…

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Bargaining Updates (2019-2020)

Update #1: Bargaining begins

TSSU’s Bargaining Committee met with SFU Administration Wednesday in the first session of negotiations for our new Collective Agreement. We began the day by stating, “We are here in solidarity as workers in different groups, united by a common thread: we all toil in precarious jobs.” As each side outlined their goals for the new…

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Bargaining Updates (2019-2020)

Notice served; it’s time to bargain

Your Contract Committee has served notice to our employer that we want to commence bargaining as soon as possible. Bargaining is our opportunity to work together to improve our wage & benefits, reduce our class sizes, secure our employment, and much more. Success at the bargaining table will come by all of us getting involved,…

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Bargaining Updates (2019-2020)

Bargaining Begins in 2019

Watch this space for updates on TSSU bargaining. Until then, check out www.tssu.ca for info on our next union meeting!