TORONTO – The strike at the University of Toronto is over. By a margin of 942 to 318, members of Unit 1, Local 3902 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 3902-1) have voted to send all outstanding issues to binding arbitration.
That means classes could resume as early as Friday.
We’re very pleased to see an end to this dispute,” said Ryan Culpepper, CUPE 3902-1 Vice-Chair. “The members have spoken and I share in their confidence that the arbitrator’s rulings will result in a fair settlement,” he added.
While most issues had been resolved between the University and CUPE 3902 through bargaining, the two sides had not been able to come to an agreement on guarantees to minimum per-student funding, and tuition assistance for members.
These outstanding issues will now be brought before a neutral, third-party arbitrator who will issue a ruling.
“Our preference would have been to come to a negotiated agreement between the parties, but we remain confident that our positions on the outstanding issues are sound, and arbitration offers an opportunity for normal life to resume on campus while we await the arbitrator’s decision,” said Culpepper.
Erin Black, Chair of CUPE 3902, thanked students, faculty and “the many people on campus and off who supported our struggle for fairness during the past month. We would not have had the success we achieved were it not for them.”
For more information, please contact:
Ryan Culpepper
CUPE 3902-1 Vice-Chair
416-452-6562
Erin Black
CUPE 3902 Chair
416-806-3902
Kevin Wilson
CUPE Communications
416-821-6641