In the November 12 issue of The Excalibur, CUPE 3903 published the first in an upcoming series of messages to undergraduate students that engages them about the collective bargaining process. Under the slogan, “A better York is possible,” the message appears as a full-page ad on the back cover of the newspaper, the most widely distributed on campus.
The message introduces undergrads to CUPE 3903 and lets them know that we’re currently negotiating a new contract with York University. It also explains how our bargaining process allows the union to fight for issues that students care about, from rising tuition fees and student debt, to threats to safety on campus.
CUPE 3903 members are encouraged to distribute copies of this issue to their students, as a means to start a conversation with them about the bargaining process – and how the fight to improve our teaching conditions is a fight to improve their learning conditions.
Stay tuned for more online and print resources for engaging the wider York community about the current round of bargaining for CUPE 3903.
The full text of the ad reads:
A better York is possible
A message from CUPE 3903
Dear students,
We are members of CUPE 3903, the union that represents contract faculty, teaching assistants, graduate assistants, and research assistants at York University.
Like you, we are concerned about rising tuition fees and student debt; funding cuts to education; racism and discrimination in the university; and threats to safety on campus.
All of these problems affect the quality of your education at York. And we want to do something about it.
We believe a better York is possible.
We believe in accessible, high quality education for all students, a fair and equitable workplace, and a safe and healthy campus.
As education workers, we bring these demands to the bargaining table when we negotiate a new contract with the university. On August 31, our contract expired. At the moment, we are negotiating a new contract, and we want a fair deal for everyone.
When we negotiate to improve our working conditions, we are also negotiating to improve your learning conditions – and the quality of your education at York.
In the coming weeks, we will bring more proposals like these to the bargaining table, but we need your support to ensure the university takes us seriously!
We all know that a better York is possible. If we work together, we can make it happen.
For more information, please visit 3903.cupe.ca.
In solidarity,
CUPE 3903