Half a day on the picket lines at four BC universities and some mighty hard bargaining has produced a tentative agreement that provides significant improvements for BC university workers, particularly in the area of pay equity and benefits.
The seven CUPE locals representing 7,000 members at the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Victoria and the University of Northern BC finally won the day after months of frustrating negotiations during which university administrators refused to meet in the same room to discuss common issues. The short-lived strike followed six university action days during which members stopped traffic, held information sessions, and conducted sit-ins in the administrative offices.
Throughout the months of negotiating, CUPE members have worked to minimize student disruption while maximizing administrative aggravation. CUPE members were rewarded for their efforts with strong support from the Canadian Federation of Students representatives and thousands of students on all campuses. In return, CUPE members were out in force in support of the students’ day of action calling for increased federal funding for post secondary education.