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McGill workers to strike Thursday - Non-academic employees seek fair contract
August 31, 2011
Montreal – The members of the McGill University Non-Academic Certified Association (MUNACA) are set to strike on Thursday morning if the university continues to refuse to grant them fair and reasonable working conditions.
The union represents over 1,700 employees at McGill University who provide university services such as student affairs, course registration, laboratory support and student residence management. Last week the workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of giving their union the right to call a strike if the university continued to refuse to negotiate a decent contract.
“We care deeply about the students and staff at McGill University,” says Kevin Whittaker, President of MUNACA. “But unlike other university workers in Quebec, there are no protections for our pensions and benefits at McGill. The time has come for the university to recognize our hard work and our contribution to the quality of life students enjoy.”
Unlike other university workers in Montreal, McGill non-academic employees also do not have a proper wage scale. They have to wait over 35 years to reach the full salary for their position. What McGill has proposed in this round of negotiations is in fact worse that what’s contained in the current agreement.
Negotiations for a new contract began in December 2010. MUNACA members are represented in the negotiations by the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
The workers will rally today from 12:15-1:00pm, in front of the James Administrative Building on the McGill campus. They will be joined by other unions and employees associations from McGill, Concordia and other Quebec universities.
For more information, please contact:
- Patrick Leblanc, PSAC-Quebec
- 514-875-7100 # 334
- 514-706-5997 (Mobile)
Date Modified : 2011/08/31
