The situation is serious enough that more than 3000 sessional instructors, graduate teaching assistants and research assistants at UW organized and voted to form a union. Now, several years later, we are still fighting for our first contract. Until the end of August, the university refused to even schedule dates to negotiate with graduate student Teaching and Research Assistants.
What we’re fighting for is fairness, respect, and liveable wages. Our fight is for better teaching and research conditions that directly lead to better learning conditions and outcomes. We want better student to instructor ratios, funding that allows us to complete and share our research, and enough paid time that we can truly support students.
Right now, many of us are relying on food banks just to get by. Allocated hours for tasks like marking are limited, so undergraduate students get less useful feedback. We’re running to second jobs to pay the bills, which takes away from our ability to spend time helping students in need.
It’s not healthy, it’s not sustainable, and it’s not what a world-class university does.
Please, send a message to UW administration and show your support for the university’s academic workers in CUPE 5524.
It’s time for a fair first contract.