News Archive: March 2009

Graduate RAs and TAs at PEI join PSAC

On March 23, 2009 the Prince Edward Island Labour Relations Board certified the Public Service Alliance of Canada ("PSAC") to represent all employees of the University of Prince Edward Island at Charlottetown, Queens County, Prince Edward Island who are students registered in good standing in a Graduate Studies Program at the University of Prince Edward Island employed as Graduate Research Assistants, Tutorial Assistants and Lab Instructors. PSAC is one of Canada's largest and most progressive Unions representing Graduate TAs and RAs at Universities across Canada.

First Contract for Sessional Lecturers at Memorial

The Public Service Alliance of Canada and its directly-chartered Local, which represents sessional lecturers teaching two or fewer courses per semester, signed their first Collective Agreement with Memorial University on March 9, 2009.

"We are delighted to have achieved a first contract with Memorial University that addresses many of the critical needs of our members," said Jeannie Baldwin, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the Atlantic.

The new agreement contains significant gains for Per-course Instructors, who as non-union workers had experienced only one pay increase during the previous 18 years. Wages rise by 8 per cent retroactive to September 1, 2008 with increases of 4 per cent, 4 per cent and 4 per cent in each of the next three years.

Other important achievements include seniority provisions and a hiring process that will begin to deal with the chronic job insecurity faced by these flexible academic workers. That language represents an acknowledgement that a Per-course Instructor's relationship to the University is not strictly limited to the particular semester in which she or he is employed.

Other gains include leave provisions and excellent language dealing with academic freedom, intellectual property rights, outside activities, and no discrimination/no harassment provisions.

RAs at Chicoutimi University vote Union Yes

Research Assistants at Chicoutimi University voted 80% in favour of joining the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC). As a result, PSAC will be accredited as the bargaining agent for Research Assistants and shall issue notice to bargain for a first collective agreement. PSAC is one of Canada's largest Unions representating graduate teaching assistants and graduate research assistants at Universities across Canada.