As the clock is ticking toward the strike deadline, PSAC 901 members show strong support for their bargaining team!

PSAC 901, the union representing more than a total of 2000 Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs), Research Assistants (RAs) and Teaching Fellows (TFs) at Queen's University is counting hours down to their strike deadline. 

 

Graduate student workers are fighting for living wages and compensation for the unconstitutional Bill 124. However, the workers are also aware of the fact that without a labour-funding ratio in their collective agreement, the employer can reduce their grant and wage increase would not have any real impact on their income level. 

 

In addition, PSAC 901 Unit 1 members are demanding tuition reduction, which sucks up a great portion of their annual income, which is already below the poverty levels.

 

Queen's University has frozen the funding packages for more than a decade and graduate workers are struggling to put food on their table and pay the exorbitant rents across the city. Therefore, they ask Queen's University to minimize graduate tuition.

 

Last year, Queen's University raised the rents for the Community Housing - university owned non-profit public housing for graduate workers - by a total of 30 percent for three years, claiming that they are having budget deficits. When the economy is in crisis, the university raised the rents, but the same university did not raise the funding packages or wages. These graduate workers are impacted by the cost of living crisis most. The union is fighting for accessible housing as part of their bargaining. 

 

In addition, graduate workers are designing and delivering courses as Teaching Fellows (TFs), with the same quality and content as the faculty members. Queen's University pays TFs much lower wages than they pay their faculty.

 

Queen's University has been unresponsive to the demands of graduate student workers since the negotiations started in November, 2024. As the most precarious segment of the academic labour, graduate workers are treated with disrespect, neglect and divide-and-rule tactics. 

 

The University pits graduate researchers' identity as workers against their identity as students. By framing tuition and housing as strictly student issues, they confine the graduate workers to narrow wage rise demands. 

 

PSAC 901 refuses the split and shows the connection between the two ostensibly separate identities at their bargaining table. 

 

As the clock is ticking for the Queen's University, PSAC 901 members are making their last preparations for a strong strike action. They are setting up a Mutual-Aid kitchen, strong picket lines that will disrupt the university activities severely and demonstrate to the employer how crucial the TAs, RAs and TFs are to the quality of education Queen's is so proud of. 

 

Today, tens of PSAC 901 members shouted firmly "Hey Queen's, this is your last chance; time is up and we are strike-ready!" while the employer's team was entering the negotiation premises. 

 

What is outrageous! Poverty wages! 

What is disgusting! Union busting!