The 2000 or so members of the support staff at the Université de Québec à Montréal (UQAM) will be on strike for a 24-hour period on Thursday. This is what the leaders of the support staff union, SEUQAM-CUPE 1294, announced in a note to its members this afternoon (Tuesday).
SEUQAM union adviser and spokesperson Martin Larose indicated that the union representatives are still waiting for a response from the employer following the most recent meeting, held on October 1. “This file has been dragging on for a long time,” he explained. “There is very little left on the table. In this context, it is incredible how long the management of UQAM is taking to give us an answer. Our door is open and we are totally available.”
“All the employees appreciate the context of budget cuts. SEUQAM’s position is reasonable and responsible. We have already presented it at the bargaining table. The support staff have UQAM at heart, but not at any cost or in any manner whatsoever. “We need a response from the employer but unfortunately it has not come, which is the reason for Thursday’s strike,” he concluded.
Background
No fewer than 17 bargaining sessions have been held between the support staff and UQAM since the filing of the Union’s demands on March 12, 2013. The Union reported on the state of the negotiations at general meetings on July 8 and 10. In a secret ballot, 93.4% of the members of SEUQAM supported the use of pressure tactics, including up to five days of strike action. The last session of negotiations between the two sides took place on October 1. It should be noted that, at the start of the academic year, the employees of UQAM held a 24-hour strike on September 3.
SEUQAM
The Syndicat des employées et employés de soutien de l’UQAM (SEUQAM - SCFP 1294) represents some 2000 support staff in the employ of the University. Its members come from four distinct groups: trades and services, office, technical and vocational. Working without a contract since May 31, 2012, the UQAM support staff is 60% female.
CUPE
With more than 111,000 members in Quebec, CUPE represents some 10,400 university employees, most of them support staff.