Impending work stoppage at McMaster University could affect exams

Students at McMaster University could see their exams disrupted after the union representing teaching assistants and tutours says a “lockout or strike” could take place as soon as Dec. 1.

“McMaster’s refusal to bargain seriously with its post-secondary academic workers has left us no choice but to declare that we are at an impasse with our employer,” said CUPE 3906 President Nathan Todd.

“The Ford Conservatives are accelerating what has been more than two decades of attacks on quality education, increased precarity and wage erosion that have been the hallmark of post-secondary education in Ontario. Our members are saying ‘enough is enough’,” he added.

According to Unit 1, Local 3906 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 3906-1), negotiations between them and the University on Tuesday, with the assistance of a Provincially-appointed conciliation officer, went well into the night. CUPE claims the parties did resolve some outstanding issues.

“In the end, the fact concessions remained, and McMaster wasn’t prepared to consider our reasonable requests to secure protections for our members against tuition increases and to provide training for TAs underscored their unwillingness to bargain seriously, leaving us no choice but to request the ‘No Board’ report,” said Todd.

“Now is not the time for even more of what we seen these past two decades. Our members won’t enable the Ford Conservatives as they try to gut quality post-secondary education and quality of life for academic workers across Ontario. Neither should McMaster,” he added.

A ‘No Board’ was issued by the Ministry of Labour, meaning the negotiations by both sides is at an impasse.

After 17 days from the date the report is issued, a lockout or strike can take place.