A rejected settlement has been published by the University of Toronto (U of T) concerning the strike between themselves and CUPE 3902.
The agreement outlined an increase of wages for teaching assistants 4.5 per cent across the board. However, the union released a public letter the next day, claiming this number is based on misinformation produced by the university.
Vice-president and provost of U of T Cheryl Regehr released a statement to the U of T community March 5, explaining the nature of the proposed settlement.
The tentative agreement comprised of their raising teaching assistant wages to $43.97 (a 4.5 per cent increase) as well as improved health care, and more than $2 million in financial assistance. The university also said only 800 members of a total 6,000 (13 per cent) were present in voting to reject the agreement. Regehr called this turnout regrettable.
“We continue to do everything we can to minimize the impact of the strike on our students,” she said.
CUPE 3902 said in the letter their issue with the wage increment is that the pay raise includes a decrease in the number of hours a graduate student can work. Despite the hourly raise of $1.92, the number of working hours drops from 205 to 180, a loss of $733.88 a year.
Their letter was released March 6, directly addressing Regehr and asking if she intends for the total minimum funding to ever go up. The letter claims the funding package proposed is improperly structured to provide any meaningful change, and that the numbers which have been publicly provided on average graduate student income have been distorted.
Chief negotiator of CUPE 3902 unit 1 Ryan Culpepper said students and members of the union are becoming increasingly frustrated.
“The possibility of a negotiated settlement is becoming more remote,” he said.
