The Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE) is pushing for more consistent rules on discipline, scheduling, and paid hours, saying casual employees face varying practices across McGill departments. These concerns form part of its ongoing negotiations with the university, which most recently met with the union on October 5 to discuss disciplinary procedures, probation, and hiring practices, with several issues remaining unresolved. According to its bargaining team, AMUSE represents approximately 1,300 to 1,600 casual employees, employees hired on a temporary or occasional basis, at McGill. Its collective agreement expired on May 31, 2025. The union developed its bargaining strategy through member surveys conducted in 2024 and 2025, as well as a special general meeting in September 2025. A subsequent meeting scheduled for October 27 was cancelled because of unforeseen circumstances on AMUSE’s side. October 5 therefore remained the most recent session at the time of its responses. With a new agreement in sight, wages that keep pace with inflation and stable employment are AMUSE’s main priorities, the bargaining team told the Daily. The team also stressed that the university should recognize and respect AMUSE’s role in representing workers and their rights. “We’re not a student group; we’re a certified union of workers recognized by the province of Quebec,” the team wrote. The team said negotiations are still focused on non-monetary provisions, including job security and workplace procedures, with monetary discussions yet to come. In written responses to the Daily, Neha Jhaj, AMUSE’s Grievance Officer and a bargaining team member, emphasized the union’s demand for protections comparable to those available to other workers on campus. “Casual workers shouldn’t be treated so differently than any other worker,” Jhaj wrote.
Seeking consistency across departments
Much of the disagreement concerns Articles 14 and 15 of the collective agreement between AMUSE and McGill, which cover disciplinary actions, administrative measures, and dismissals. In its published bargaining update, AMUSE reported that discussions were set aside on October 5 after the parties were unable to resolve several points of disagreement. McGill’s account also confirms that these discussions were deferred to a later date. According to AMUSE, employees’ experiences can differ depending on their department or supervisor, even though they work for the same employer with the same collective agreement. Josef Jakubec, AMUSE’s Labour Relations Officer and a bargaining team member, identified disciplinary procedures, shift scheduling, breaks, and paid hours as areas where inconsistent practices arise. He attributed these differences to McGill’s decentralized administrative structure and varying interpretations of the agreement. Jhaj explained that setting aside an issue allows bargaining teams to work through other articles before returning to unresolved proposals. She stressed that the precarious nature of contract work does not remove an employer’s responsibilities toward its workers. “However, this does not mean that a worker is disposable, or that an employer has no responsibility to provide not just stability and transition, but communication as to what’s going on,” she wrote.The union is seeking clearer contractual language and greater access to workplace information to help identify inconsistencies. Jakubec argued that reducing ambiguity would benefit both employees and the university by limiting disputes over interpretation. Jhaj linked these demands to the financial uncertainty facing casual workers. She said reductions in working hours or the elimination of positions can directly affect members’ ability to cover basic expenses, which is especially pertinent given the rising cost of living. “We, the members of AMUSE, use this income to pay our rent, our food, our bills,” she wrote. “This is not novelty pocket change. It’s our livelihood.”
Probation and hiring procedures
Discussions about probation, the initial trial period of employment, have been more collaborative, according to Jhaj. She continued to explain that the current system can be difficult for both employees and McGill to track, as casual workers have irregular schedules and hours. According to AMUSE’s published update, members may be unaware that they have completed their probationary period.“At the moment, we’re collaborating on something new that gives more members access to successfully passing probation,” she wrote. McGill’s October 5 update describes the discussion as exploratory and states that the parties exchanged ideas and agreed to continue discussions. However, the university reported that no full articles were agreed upon during the session. The parties also addressed the posting and granting of assignments. McGill’s bargaining update records AMUSE’s presentation of its proposal, with discussions to follow. AMUSE’s published account identifies clearer job postings, timelines, and hiring procedures as its priorities. For Jhaj, clearer employment information would help members understand their rights and recognize potential violations before disputes develop. “This proactively prevents labour disputes rather than creating more of them,” she wrote.McGill did not respond to the Daily’s request for comment by the time of publication.
Solidarity with MUNACA
AMUSE has expressed solidarity with the McGill University Non- Academic Certified Association (MUNACA), whose “Facts are Facts, McGill” campaign challenges McGill’s compensation and spending priorities. The Daily previously covered the campaign in its October 5 editorial. Jakubec noted that members of both unions often share workplaces. He said McGill’s spending decisions have affected both groups through changes to workloads, justified by the hiring freeze. “To AMUSE, solidarity means supporting workers’ rights across all bargaining units at McGill, because our struggles are intertwined,” he wrote. The bargaining team said agreement on improving job security and consistent workplace practices would help move negotiations toward monetary discussions. For Jhaj, the goal is to give employees greater clarity before decisions affect their livelihoods. “We deserve to understand how decisions affecting our livelihoods are made, what rights and protections we have, and what to expect from our employer before we find ourselves dealing with the consequences of those decisions.” Readers can follow the negotiations through AMUSE’s bargaining updates and learn more about MUNACA’s demands through its “Facts are Facts, McGill” campaign.
Between Tim Curry’s theatrical defiance to Dolly Parton’s enduring compassion, these two cultural icons have helped generations of LGBTQ+ people embrace their identities, find community, and live unapologetically Read More
