Strike action started at 11:21 am on Monday June 12, and is ongoing, see below for details and important updates.
Over the past 24 hours, members teaching classes used class time to explain what’s going on to their students. That simple and authorized strike action has already infuriated some high-ranking administration officials, but it is only the first step. Please continue to expect misinformation from SFU Administration. TSSU requested that SFU’s VP People Equity and Inclusion retract and correct her email from last week, but she has declined. Here’s what’s next:
- Tomorrow afternoon we will announce the next stages of strike action, members should watch their emails;
- Attend the Greater Strike Committee Meeting Wednesday June 14, 5-7pm in AQ 5004 to make important decisions about strike actions and to help with the prep work to build a successful strike; and
- If you haven’t already, please fill out our survey so we have your non-SFU contact info,
As a reminder, the current strike actions are:
- An overtime ban: ELC/ITP/ITA Instructors must refuse any overtime (any assignment beyond 17 Contact Hours per week). TAs and SIs must refuse any assignment of duties which requires work beyond 8 hours per day, or 40 hours per week.
- Classroom strike discussions (teach-ins): No later than June 20 all SIs and TAs who lead lectures, tutorials or labs must take 10 minutes of teaching time to discuss the strike and post a message to canvas (if applicable). ELC/ITP/ITA Instructors shall coordinate amongst themselves so each group of students receives a total of at least 30 minutes of class time to discuss the strike.
Please direct questions to strike@tssu.ca
For those of you who haven’t yet done the teach-in strike action, we have written up a quick intro to help get things started. For those teaching online, the intro below can also be used as the placeholder on canvas. Personalizing your message outlining your own working conditions is encouraged! As several students have asked, their right as students to refuse to cross a picket line is protected by past SFU Senate motions, including the one from 2000 to allow alternate arrangements outlined on SFU’s website here. An updated version of longer instructions are also attached based on feedback from the first two days of teach-ins.
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The TSSU is on strike and members, including TAs and Sessional Instructors, are taking a range of strike actions. Our contract expired over a year ago and our working conditions continue to deteriorate.
We’re being expected to do more work, whether it be bigger classes or blended courses, while the portion of the budget going towards us has shrunk from 5% in 2012 to 4% in 2022. SFU continues to have huge budget surpluses and will not put that to use by supporting those who do the bulk of the front-line teaching and research at SFU.
Many of us are graduate students, we are fighting for better compensation and cost of living adjustments, better health benefits and pensions for instructors. Our end goal is a more just and fair university for everyone, students and workers alike.
As students, you may already be a TSSU member, or may become one in the future. Our working conditions are ultimately your learning conditions. As students, SFU senate has previously passed motions to previously passed motions allowing you to make alternative arrangements to complete coursework if you refuse to cross a picket line. You can find out how to support the strike at support.tssu.ca.
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