Looks like a strike
has been averted at Carleton University. This is now
the second
campus in Ontario to tie wage increases to tuition
increases
- big victory for the graduate student employees
Vicky Smallman
> -----Original
Message-----
> From: Christopher
Bodnar [mailto:cbodnar@chat.carleton.ca]
> Sent: January
31, 2001 6:27 AM
> To: cbodnar@chat.carleton.ca
> Subject:
Tentative TA and RA agreement reached
>
>
> For Immediate
Release
January 31, 2001
>
> Tentative
Agreement reached in CUPE 4600 Talks - Strike postponed
>
> The Negotiating
Committee for the TAs, RAs, service assistants and
> student
consultants at Carleton University, members of CUPE 4600,
> reached
a tentative settlement with Carleton University early this
> morning.
The strike, scheduled for 7 a.m. on the morning of January 31,
> has been
postponed, pending ratification of the settlement by the
> general
membership.
>
> While details
of the tentative settlement cannot be released until the
> members
have seen them, the tentative settlement does include
> breakthroughs
on all three key areas that the members wanted when they
> voted to
strike. A tuition increase assistance plan has been
> established;
a fund exists to help cover the costs of UHIP for
> international
members, and a report on the effect of the double cohort
> on class
sizes for TAs and the quality of education will be completed by
> May 2002.
>
> CUPE 4600
President Aalya Ahmad stated, "This settlement shows that our
> members
were prepared to stand up for the issues of accessible and
> quality
public post-secondary education. Not only did they vote to
> strike in
order to have their issues addressed, but were prepared to do
> so to get
the results they needed. Without the mobilization by hundreds
> of our members,
none of these breakthroughs would have been possible."
>
> Members
will be informed of the details of the tentative settlement by
> the union
executive, and voting will take place after a general
> membership
meeting early next week.
>
> For further
information, contact Chris Bodnar at 715-1590.
>
> -30
>
>
>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
TO:
WORKPLACE BREAKING NEWS
FROM:
VICKY SMALLMAN
DATE:
January 24, 2001, 23h30
POSTED:
January 24, 2001, 23h45
SUBJECT:
Carleton Student Assistants vote in favour of strike
OTTAWA - Teaching
and Research Assistants voted to authorize a strike
today.
Following three
days of voting and the largest voter turnout in the
Local's history,
CUPE 4600, representing Teaching and Research
Assistants at
Carleton University, announced that membership voted 60
percent in favour
to authorize a strike.
This vote follows
almost seven months of union attempts to negotiate
with Carleton
management. Talks broke off on November 29 when the
university refused
to discuss issues including class size, insurance
fees for international
students, post-residency fees, dental plan
coverage and
wage indexation to tuition fees.
"This vote is
a strong message. Student workers have told university
management that
they won't tolerate a crumbling education system while
being left with
the tab," said Aalya Ahmad, president of CUPE 4600.
"Leaving the burden
of poor management and a lack of concern for public
education on
the shoulders of Carleton's employees will not be an
acceptable practice
anymore."
A strike could
occur as early as January 31. Negotiations are scheduled
to resume January
29.
For more information
or for interviews, please contact:
Finn Makela, CUPE 4600
V.P. External, (613) 795-6359
For background
information, contact: Chris Bodnar (613) 715-1590
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