lAboUr brieFs
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Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2015
University
of toronto
contract staff
vote to strike
TORONTO — Contract aca-
demic faculty at the University
of Toronto have voted to strike,
should they hit a wall at the
bargaining table.
For only the second time in
a decade, instructional assis-
tants from the Canadian Union
of Public Employees (CUPE)
local 3902 cast their votes 92.1
per cent in favour of a strike —
doubling previous voter turn-
out.
"This vote reflects mem-
bers' resolve that 'business as
usual' is no longer an option,"
said Erich Vogt, vice-chair
of the unit of the local CUPE
chapter. "It serves notice that
members demand the kind of
job security, compensation
and benefits that reflect their
contribution to the university's
reputation and position as one
of the world's top teaching and
research institutions."
This particular group of ses-
sional lecturers perform about
35 per cent of all undergradu-
ate teaching at the University
of Toronto, yet comprise only
one per cent of the university's
overall budget, according to
CUPE.
"The majority have the same
qualifications and experience
as permanent faculty, but lack
job security, never knowing
what work they will have from
term to term, and having to
reapply every four to eight
months for courses they have
successfully taught in the past,"
the union said.
There has been no increase
in base wages for contract ac-
ademic faculty since August
2012, and benefits have re-
mained frozen for a decade.
Also part of CUPE local 3902
are graduate student teaching
assistants and course instruc-
tors, who overwhelmingly ap-
proved a strike mandate back
in the fall. Between the two
units, almost 2,000 education
staffers at the university are
willing to strike if a deal cannot
be ratified.
nearly 3,000
community
health workers
on strike in
ontario
TORONTO — The Ontario
Nurses' Association says al-
most 3,000 community health
workers went on strike on Jan.
30.
The ONA said nine of 10
bargaining units of workers
with the province's Commu-
nity Care Access Centres have
voted to strike.
The workers include reg-
istered nurses, nurse practi-
tioners, registered practical
nurses, social workers, phys-
iotherapists, occupational and
speech therapists, among other
health professionals.
The strike affects most areas
of Ontario, except for the Ot-
tawa area, central Toronto and
communities just west of To-
ronto, including Mississauga
and Halton Region.
However, the union said
workers in the Hamilton Niag-
ara Haldimand Brant unit have
ratified a new agreement.
The union added it has been
seeking wage increases equal
to the percentages given to
the other 57,000 members of
the ONA in the hospital, pub-
lic health and long-term care
sectors.
It said CCAC members had
a two-year wage freeze in their
last contract, which expired
March 31, 2014.
Industry Canada has banned Burger King from laying off more
than 20 per cent of corporate staff at Tim Horton's. The decision
was made following a $12.5-billion merger between the two fast
food chain restaurants announced last summer.
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