Strikes loom at York U and University of Toronto
Posted February 19, 2015 6:14 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Workers at two Toronto universities — York University and the University of Toronto, are set to strike within the next two weeks.
A deadline has been set by the union representing employees at York University, and workers could walk off the job as early as March 3.
As many as 3,700 contract faculty, teaching, graduate and research assistants are poised to strike after negotiations between the union and university have failed to reach an agreement.
At least three more bargaining meetings are scheduled between now and the deadline.
Union members will make a final decision on whether to strike or not at a gathering in two weeks time.
At least 1,000 students have reached out to the university supporting the faculty.
Meanwhile, non-tenured staff at the University of Toronto are poised to strike as of Feb. 27.
The university and the union, which represents over 7,000 employees, have not yet come to an agreement. The two are currently in the bargaining process.
University of Toronto officials said they are committed in reaching an agreement with the union, but the chief negotiator believes the two parties are too far away from agreeing on a contract.
Employees are seeking raise hikes, which have been denied by the university, citing the province’s wage freeze.
