On March 27, 2024, an overwhelming number (94.6%) of Residence Life employees at McMaster University voted to certify as a union with the Canadian Union of Public Employees. On April 10, those workers voted to join Local 3906 as “Unit 4”. Local 3906 subsequently voted to create “Unit 4” on April 18, 2024 and accepted Residence Life workers into the Union.
The new bargaining unit represents “all employees of McMaster University, in the province of Ontario, employed in Residence Life save and except Residence Life Area Coordinators, persons above the rank of Residence Life Area Coordinator, and persons currently represented by an existing Trade Union.”
This new bargaining unit has close to 200 members and includes, but is not limited to, Community Advisors (CAs), Guest Registration Assistants (GRAs), Project Assistants (PAs), Graduate Community Leaders (GCLs), and Residence Orientation Planners and Assistants (ROP/As). Other positions below the rank of Residence Life Area Coordinator (RLAC) fall within the bargaining unit too.
Now that the Labour Board has issued a certificate (ie/ confirmed that Residence Life employees are unionized), a “statutory freeze” is in place. This means that the Employer (McMaster) cannot unilaterally change your working conditions and those conditions will remain status quo until a first collective agreement is secured. Residence Life workers also have “just cause” protections for discipline or dismissal. This means that the employer cannot discipline or terminate you without having reason to do so. If you are disciplined or terminated, please contact your Union.
More information will follow as these workers look to negotiate their first collective agreement!
Questions related to Unit 4 can be directed to leadsteward_reslife@cupe3906.org.
Stewards Committee
These are crucial union positions. Area stewards provide a direct link between the executive and the membership. The Stewards Committee helps to inform members in their department of the happenings of the Union, and serve as a resource to answer questions within their area about collective bargaining, working conditions, benefits, etc. If you are a Unit 4 member interested in becoming a steward, please email leadsteward_reslife@cupe3906.org.