Contract negotiations have broken down between U of T and CUPE Local 3902, the union representing 6,000 academic employees known as sessionals.
The employees are non-students serving as professors and TAs at U of T, and have been without a contract since last August. Both sides have now begun a conciliation process.
“These people do a lot of the teaching, but a lot of students don’t realize that they’re not full time,” said Chantal Sundaram, CUPE spokesperson. “Year by year you get a contract, every year you’ve got to re-apply for jobs.” Sundaram said this leaves sessionals in a vulnerable labour position.
The union is seeking greater benefits and higher wages for its members. Sundaram said that U of T pays its sessionals $5,750 per half-course, while York pays $6,700.
The conciliation process will be presided over by a Ministry of Labour appointee and four separate talks have been scheduled between now and the first week of February. Should conciliation fail, the union would have to wait two weeks to be in a legal strike position. CUPE is holding a meeting next week to ask its membership for permission to call a strike vote, should the need arise.
Last year, CUPE successfully negotiated a new contract for full-time TAs at U of T. TAs last went on strike at the university since late 2000.
