On November 7, the new collective agreement between U of T Press (UTP) and its employees went into effect after the U of T Press workers, represented by Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 3261, unanimously voted to ratify the agreement. 

All three bargaining units of the U of T Press workers — full-time, part-time retail, and part-time warehouse workers — ratified their respective agreements, averting the strike set to begin this week. U of T Press operates the U of T Bookstore and is Canada’s oldest university publisher, distributor, and retailer. 

In the three months leading up to the agreement, UTP and the press workers met at the bargaining table around a dozen times to negotiate the union’s demands for fair wages, improved benefits, and a path to full-time work, among other issues.

“We’re incredibly proud of the agreements reached with the University of Toronto Press,” wrote CUPE 3261 President Luke Daccord in an email to The Varsity. “These agreements are the culmination of months of organizing and the efforts of over 100 workers across the University of Toronto Press’ Bookstores and the Distribution Warehouse to come together to demand better from their employer to address longstanding and systemic issues.”

New collective agreement

The new collective agreement reflects many changes that align with the key issues brought to the bargaining table by the union. 

“Fair wage increases and scheduling language, improvements to employer-paid sick leave, and pathways to Full Time work were also achieved,” Daccord wrote. 

For all three bargaining units, wages increased by around $2, with yearly increases of around 50 cents to take effect every year on November 1 until 2028. The Memorandum of Agreement for a Renewal Collective Agreement for the Part-Time Warehouse and Part-Time Retail bargaining units notes, “Effective November 1, 2028, no employee shall make less than sixty cents ($0.60) above the Ontario minimum wage.”

Part-time warehouse and retail workers who have been employed for at least one year, previously entitled to two paid sick days per year, are now entitled to three. Part-time warehouse and retail workers six months out from their hiring date, unmentioned in previous agreements, are now entitled to two days of paid sick leave.

Under the new agreement, the “ ‘part-time’ employees at the warehouse who work full-time hours will have a pathway to the pension, benefits, and job security they deserve,” Daccord added.

Starting October 1, 2026, part-time warehouse workers will be offered full-time employment if they have been a union member for at least a year, have worked at least 1,850 hours as a part-time employee, and give signed and written notice to UTP stating that they want to change to a full-time position. According to the new agreement, this notice must be provided to the employer within one month of the employee reaching the 1,850-hour requirement. 

One change in the new agreement will significantly shape how the union negotiates with UTP in the future. The collective agreements for all three bargaining units are now set to expire on the same day: October 31, 2029. 

“For over 20 years these groups have been divided, and made to bargain separately – and that ended with this round,” Daccord wrote. This provision allows the three bargaining units to form a united front when bargaining, rather than each bargaining unit individually negotiating for similar change. 

Road to victory

For months prior to ratification, negotiations between UTP and the press workers had made little progress on the key union issues of fair wages, full-time work, and improved employee benefits.

On October 17, 96 per cent of the Full Time bargaining unit, 98 per cent of the Part-Time Warehouse bargaining unit, and 93 per cent of the Part-Time Retail voted to authorize strike action. “Management needs to do better and respond to our demands to deliver a fair agreement, otherwise we will be willing to escalate,” the union wrote in an update on its website.

On October 28, following this landslide vote, UTP workers held a day of action: all employees working at UTP’s North York Distribution Warehouse wore “Strike Ready” stickers during their shift, while an “Information & Solidarity” practice picket was held outside of the U of T Bookstore at UTSG. 

“After weeks of negotiations which had failed to move the employer on some of these key issues, the difference maker was members’ demonstrating their willingness to take action to support the demands at the bargaining table,” wrote Daccord. 

The day of action, Daccord wrote, showed “the Press that members are organized, serious and willing to strike if necessary to reach a fair agreement. Actions like this are what made a deal possible the following day.”

In a statement to The Varsity, a spokesperson from U of T Press wrote, “We’re pleased that UTP employees ratified the new collective agreement effective Nov. 7, 2025. We extend our sincere appreciation to all employees and to both bargaining teams for their collaboration, commitment, and support throughout the negotiation process.”

U of T Press workers are not employees of the University of Toronto, and the university’s administration had no role in these labour negotiations.