Five thousand teaching assistants at the University of Toronto, represented by CUPE Local 3902, began conciliation talks at the Ministry of Labour this morning.
In December, TAs voted 81.4 per cent in favour of going on strike if conciliation talks fail.
Union members invigilate exams, act as lab demonstrators, and carry 40 per cent of the teaching load. If they went on strike, the university would have to close.
The local has decided to pursue conciliation with the provincial government after talks with the administration stalled last fall. The union has concerns about salaries and other issues.
The TAs, who have been without a contract for nine months, are getting support from local politicians, including Rosario Marchese, NDP MPP for Trinity Spadina, and former councillor and NDP candidate Olivia Chow, who both spoke at a press conference with the union this morning.
Even though Varughese hopes that the dispute will be resolved now that the government is involved, he said that the union is prepared to take “job action to get a fair deal.”
