Kingston – On March 9, 2018, following a coordinated organizing campaign, Queen’s University voluntarily recognized Professional Student Teaching Assistants in the Juris Doctor and Doctor of Medicine programs as falling within the existing Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) bargaining unit.
“We knew that these workers were performing the same work as our members, yet were receiving a lot less,” says Sharon DeSousa, PSAC Ontario Regional Executive Vice-President. “Organizing this group of workers was an issue of fairness, so they could have the same opportunities as our other members on campus.”
PSAC had applied for certification on March 7, 2018 at the Ontario Labour Relations Board to represent Professional Student Teaching Assistants at Queen’s University. However, with the voluntary recognition, these workers immediately joined PSAC Local 901 – Unit 1, Teaching Assistants and Teaching Fellows.
“Our new members will have immediate access to our recently ratified collective agreement, including all the protections and benefits contained within it”, says PSAC Local 901 President Craig Berggold. “This will vastly improve their working conditions and provide access to union representation.”
For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Lino Vieira, Political Communications Officer, vieiral@psac-afpc.com or 416-577-0238