CUPE 2626

CUPE 2626 is the union that represents most students who work at uOttawa – thousands of teaching or research assistants, markers, tutors, lab monitors, demonstrators, proctors and even lifeguards. Student academic workers count as the largest workforce on uOttawa’s campus. Together, they make uOttawa work by helping students in classrooms, labs and offices, by conducting leading-edge research and by marking innumerable copies of assignments and exams. As their union, CUPE 2626 believes they are worth fighting for.

CUPE 2626 is a local section of the broader organization of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, or CUPE National, and was formed in 1997 following a unionization drive organized by TAs and RAs in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering in order to combat the arbitrary nature of contract attribution and pay rates in different departments. Following unionization, working conditions, salaries and contract attribution were standardized across campus, ensuring everyone received equitable treatment.

While things are better than they have been in the past, student workers are still facing precarious work conditions: part-time temporary contracts, uncertainty regarding future employment as a student worker, ever increasing tuition fees and vulnerability to workplace harassment. CUPE 2626 is currently bargaining with uOttawa for a new collective agreement, with the goal of fighting insecurity and financial instability for student workers across campus.

For more information, please visit 2626.cupe.ca or email at info@2626.ca.

CUPE 4600

CUPE 4600 is the union at Carleton University that represents all teaching assistants and contract instructors, as well as internally funded research assistants. CUPE 4600 has over 3000 members on campus and its membership is growing. CUPE 4600 has been active at Carleton since 1979, though membership has changed quite a bit over the years. By organizing at Carleton, CUPE 4600 has been able to successfully bargain for significantly better working conditions for its members. CUPE 4600’s collective agreement includes provisions for funds to help members with expenses associated with eyeglasses, child care, health and dental insurance top-ups and to partially reimburse international student members for UHIP premiums. In the union’s last round of negotiations, it won increased funding from the administration to the Employee Assistance Fund. CUPE 4600 also has a provision that protects TAs from unpaid overtime, which is a common problem among members.

CUPE 4600 Logo

This is a very important year for CUPE 4600 because it is once again the time for bargaining. The union’s bargaining teams are currently at the table with the administration fighting for its members. Among some of the teams’ many demands, CUPE 4600 is negotiating for better institutional language regarding sexual assault, reasonable take-home pay, fair workloads and, most importantly, respect from the employers.

For CUPE 4600’s bargaining round to be successful, it needs membership to be active and vocal and will also rely on support from the Carleton community. The union has an excellent board, very dedicated bargaining teams and a supportive membership and believes that concrete gains are forthcoming this year.

Please visit www.cupe4600.ca for more info and to get involved.

This article first appeared in the Leveller Vol. 9, Broadsheet (Sept 2016)