TAs & RAs at University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Bargain First Collective Agreement

April 7, 2010  

Oshawa, ON – Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Local 555 and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) in Oshawa have successfully concluded bargaining and reached a first tentative collective agreement after only 5 days of negotiations. PSAC Local 555 which represents over 250 graduate and undergraduate Teaching and Research Assistants (TAs/RAs) joined the PSAC in October 2009. 

Prior to being organized with the PSAC, these members did not have any benefits as part of their pay package and were getting wages below those paid in other Ontario universities.  With this 3 year Collective Agreement, wages will be harmonized across all faculties and in some cases they will increase by as much as 40% from where they are today. “Our members at UOIT have secured wages, benefits and new language in their collective agreement that is as good as, and in many ways better, than others in the university sector,” said Gerry Halabecki, PSAC’s Ontario Regional Executive Vice-President. 

Some of the new benefits include:

• Defined workhours of 280 hours per academic year for full TAs/RAs.
• Order of preference is now written into the Collective Agreement.
• Full grandfathering of all existing non-student TAs.
• Entitelment to a range of leave including paid sick leave.
• Protections of gender identity and expression; work accomodation during religious holidays; and course accomodation for personal or religious objections.
• Funding for the PSAC Social Justice Fund.
• Academic freedom and intellectual property protections.

The Tetative Agreement will be ratified on April 21^st, 2010. Full details of the ratification meeting and the Collective Agreement can be viewed on-line at: http://ontario.psac.com/ontario/negotiations/UOITLocal555.shtml. The PSAC currently represents almost 20,000 university employees among its 170,000 members across the country. 

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For Information:  Brenda Shillington, PSAC Regional Representative: 416-485-3558 x 227