Apr 08, 2008
By Jennifer Markowitz
McGill's 2,000 teaching assistants (TAs) began striking today following the breakdown of negotiations at two final meetings during which the University continued to resist a compromise.
"We didn't want this to happen, but we were pushed to make this decision," said Nasser Al-Jundi, Information Research Officer for the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM).
"McGill closed all of the doors. They're not serious in their negotiations, and it's time to send the message that we are serious," Al-Jundi added.
TAs are protesting the University's failure to accommodate the union's demands for a new collective agreement, which expired in June. Negotiations have been ongoing since October.
Taxi cabs, bikers, and mail trucks passing the 30 TAs congregated at the Roddick Gates Tuesday afternoon honked and cheered in support of the workers' strike. The TAs – who are planning a day of action for Thursday – carried posters that read "McGill works because we do" and "McGill TAs on strike."
"There is a great spirit," said AGSEM president Salim Ali, noting the abundance of emails AGSEM has received from undergraduates and professors.
AGSEM's last formal agreement with the University took over two years to negotiate, and was highlighted by a strike in 2003
AGSEM and the University met for over six hours on Saturday and five on Monday, during which the union unsuccessfully revisited their demands for changes in the contract regarding wages, class sizes, and training. According to Ali, AGSEM approached the meetings in good faith and attempted to explore different options, but the University refused to meet proposals in terms of their monetary demands.
"The University says AGSEM needs another proposal for money. We've explored options and we thought they'd consider our demands," he said.
McGill's TAs currently earn $22.24 per hour, but are requesting an increase that would make their wages on par with the average anglophone G-13 schools.
The administration is offering a two per cent raise per year, asserting that McGill's TAs receive the highest wages in the province, according to Deputy Provost (Student Life & Learning) Morton Mendelson.
Despite the presence of a conciliator at negotiations, AGSEM accuses the administration of refusing to compromise. They argued that the University does not recognize the importance of TAs at McGill and neglected to prevent a strike.
"The University is trying to avert a strike. They're busy trying to reduce the effect and make people scared of a strike," Ali said.
Hours after AGSEM's announcement, Mendelson distributed an email to undergraduates clarifying that the University will remain open and will function according to regular procedures despite the strike.
Yet confusion persists. Today, one department head told TAs they had one week to complete their outstanding work, and students still do not understand if they must complete assignments.
All TAs are prohibited from working during a strike.
The two parties are not scheduled to meet until next week, but Al-Jundi said that AGSEM is more open to negotiations than ever.
The administration mirrored their sentiments. "We still hope that negotiations will prove fruitful.... We want to resolve the dispute as amicably as possible," Mendelson said. "TAs are employees, but TAs are also students. We are fully cognizant of that."