The University of Ottawa (U of O) is facing a potential strike with graduation and final exams right around the corner.
CUPE 2626, the union representing U of O’s teaching and research assistants, markers, tutors, lab monitors, demonstrators, proctors, and lifeguards, passed a strike mandate March 12 and is in a position to walk off the job during exams.
Isabelle Hétu, president of the union, said the main issues brought to the university include dental and health benefits, maternity leave, and tuition fee increases.
She said over 97 per cent of the union voted in favour of the strike mandate.
Hétu said the mandate was proposed because the university was not releasing specific information regarding salaries.
“Currently, employees are responsible for paying their Manulife insurance,” she said. “We’re asking for our employer to contribute to the plan. We put forth the idea of a union stipend. Our employer put forward the idea of cutting access to this insurance.”
Hétu said working hours are an issue for members of the union.
“Since the majority of us are graduate students, we cannot work any more than 10 hours a week but we are financially capable of going on strike,” she said.
U of O administration said it would continue to negotiate with the union to avoid a strike.
“The University is disappointed to see that CUPE members have strongly voted in support of a strike,” Patrick Charette, director of corporate communications, said in a statement. “Bargaining is still ongoing. The University hopes that through this process we will reach an agreement.”
Hétu said the university has been more open to communicating recently.
On March 28, both sides “agreed upon the numbers to be used meaning that no external funds were to be implicated in the process as the employer previously wished to do,” she said.
Hétu said a strike could happen by the end of the semester or as late as August, depending upon the conciliation process.
“[The strike] could persist throughout the summer which would accord us slightly less leverage in the eyes of the university but there would still be leverage in public opinion,” she said. “If it goes through, students would not receive certain marks, discussion groups would not run, and lab research could be slowed down severely.”
Hétu said the union is fighting for quality education.
“We’re not doing this for fun,” she said. “We’re doing this for the future students and the future grad students. This strike could impact the September and January registration terms for the next set of academic terms.”
