CUPE 3906

As McMaster Proposes Capping Our Annual Wage Increases at 1%, Senior Administrators Vote to Give THEMSELVES “Merit-Based” Bonuses of Up to 3%

CUPE 3906 made quite the splash at McMaster’s Board of Governors’ meeting last Thursday. In the days prior we had sent the BoG this open letter, and for the first time, our demands were added to the agenda. Several 3906 members attended the open session of the meeting, and the EGS also submitted an open letter to the BoG in support of our bargaining priorities.

Our President, Nathan Todd, addressed the Board directly and demanded that they immediately mandate the University’s bargaining team to secure a contract that addresses our members’ concerns. Not long after, in what might seem like some sort of cosmic joke were it not so infuriating, the BoG approved the implementation of “merit-based” lump sum bonuses of up to 3% to some of the highest-paid members of “The Management Group” at McMaster. These TMG members, a number of whom also sit on the BoG, fall into pay bands ranging from $98,581 to $201,075 – more than most 3906 members could hope to take home over several years.

When our VP External, James Watson, stood up to challenge the Board on how these bonuses would comply with the 1% wage cap in Doug Ford’s Bill 124 should it pass, we got crickets in return. 🦗🦗🦗

This 1% cap amounts to about half the rate of inflation in Hamilton. As the cost of living continues to rise, we know that our members cannot afford further de facto pay cuts. And while we have pushed the Employer to quit negotiating within the parameters of this bill that is not yet law, they continue to act as though their hands are tied. But we’re onto them!

We read the the agenda/minutes from Thursday’s full meeting to find that the BoG decided to give themselves recourse to these 3% pay bonuses because *gasp* Bill 124 is not a law: “Please note that [the bill] is currently before the Ontario legislature, and is being closely monitored. To the extent that Bill 124 or other compensation restraint legislation gives rise to new regulatory requirements that impact this document, it will be amended to ensure compliance” (pg. 348).

Basically, while the BoG acknowledges Bill 124 as a possibility, they are willing to change things retroactively for themselves to be compliant with the law. For 3906 members, though, the University refuses to entertain the idea of negotiating within the bounds of current legislation only.

More about the University’s audacity on the matter of wages to come, so stay tuned! For now, we strongly recommend listening to the latest episode of CUPEcast, which covers the BoG meeting, Bill 124, and the implications of the recent federal election for CUPE 3906. We are incredibly grateful to our Physics and Astronomy Department Steward, Adam, for creating such a valuable resource for our members.

In solidarity,

The CUPE 3906 Team

It’s no secret that academics love their pets! Less known, though, is the fact that our pets have been some of our strongest and bravest supporters in the current round of bargaining with McMaster. Be they dogs, cats, or guinea pigs – they’re all fed up with how the University has handled its negotiations with Units 1 and 3 and they’re not afraid to say it!

If you have a pet who loves TAs and postdocs, we’d love for you to participate in this campaign! There are several laminated signs in the union office (KTH B111) for folks to borrow. Some are specific to dogs and cats and some speak to key bargaining priorities such as TA training, 5th year TA guarantees, better wages, and closing the pay gap between undergraduate and graduate TAs. We will also be making printable PDF versions of these signs available in a separate post.

Templates:

GOOD DOGS FOR PAID TA TRAINING

GRUMPY CATS AGAINST 2 TIERED CBAS

TEACHING CONDITIONS ARE LEARNING CONDITIONS

SOMEONE I LOVE IS A POSTDOC

GRUMPY CATS AGAINST BAD WAGES U3

GRUMPY CATS AGAINST BAD WAGES U1

GRUMPY CATS AGAINST 2 TIERED CBAS

GOOD DOGS FOR 5 YEAR TA GUARANTEES

GOOD DOGS AGAINST BAD WAGES-4

GOOD DOGS AGAINST 2 TIERED CBAS

The McMaster University Graduate Student Association (GSA) recently issued this letter of support:

It is abundantly clear that TAs and RAs in lieu are united in their insistence upon a fair offer from McMaster University. As the GSA rightly notes, the wages of graduate students are “barely enough to support a single adult, much less one who may be supporting a family.” Yet despite this, the employer is seeking to reduce the entitlement to a minimal number of hours associated with a graduate TA guarantee. This will see graduate TAs falling even further behind. A fifth year guarantee – which would be more consistent with the average duration of a graduate program – is needed to ensure that graduate students aren’t without income prior to their graduation. It’s time for a #BetterMac

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— CUPE 3906 MEMBERS GIVE STRONG STRIKE MANDATE

Hamilton, ON— Over the past four days, CUPE 3906 (Unit 1) members have provided their bargaining team with a clear strike vote mandate and in so doing have sent a strong message to McMaster: bargain the fair contract that TAs and RAs in lieu deserve. Membership turnout for this vote was the highest in living memory, with 87% voting to authorize strike action, if necessary. These results highlight the importance of the issues at stake to the membership.

The union’s bargaining team is heartened and motivated by the support that an 87% ‘YES’ result represents. The outcome of this vote illustrates a real commitment to the needs identified by the membership, including paid pedagogical and anti-oppression TA training, strengthened graduate guarantees, equitable wages between undergraduate and graduate TAs, better representation for Indigenous members, an increase to the minimum number of hours on a contract, and protection against tuition increases. Having heard the collective voice of our membership, the union is empowered to bargain a fair Collective Agreement for a #BetterMac and deliver real gains to TAs and RAs in lieu.

The results of this vote do not mean that a strike is forthcoming, but do empower the bargaining team to call a strike should negotiations not provide meaningful gains to members. The next step in the bargaining process is conciliation, in which a provincially appointed conciliation officer will meet with the parties.

Local 3906 will put the support of its members into action at the bargaining table and are committed to membership engagement throughout the process. Keep an eye out for our updates and additional bargaining support initiatives.

CUPE Local 3906 (Unit 1) represents approximately 2700 teaching assistants and research assistants (in lieu) at McMaster University.