York University contract staff kicks off strike action on Monday with mass rally

Dozens of York University contract staff and teaching assistants will ditch the lecture halls on Monday to take part in a mass rally planned to kick off strike action to express their dissatisfaction with the university's latest wages and benefits offer.

Negotiations between the university and the employees' bargaining agent — CUPE 3903 — broke down on Friday. 

"The weekend was the last best opportunity for us to negotiate a settlement. The employer, for whatever reason, chose not to take us up on that offer," CUPE communications officer Kevin Wilson told CBC Toronto.

"The energy is being directed to the mass rally tomorrow so that's going to be sort of the key kick off to the strike action and then the picket lines will be established the following day."

• Some York University staff to begin strike action on Monday, but school will remain open

• York University contract faculty to strike after voting against latest offer​

Wilson said tomorrow's mass rally will be held at the university's main entrance at York Boulevard and Keele Street starting at 11 a.m.

York University issued a statement on Saturday with some highlights of its latest offer.

The university said it includes improved benefits, stronger equity language, pay increases, more teaching opportunities, improved job security, as well as arbitration for the toughest issues.

It listed increased health benefits, vacation pay, professional development funds and childcare funds under the increased benefits category.

Offer overwhelmingly rejected

The university is offering wage increases in each of the three years of the collective agreement of 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 per cent respectively; a minimum of eight full-time faculty positions in each of the next three years, with two of those as conversions to tenure stream faculty and six of those as special renewable contracts (SRC).

Also on the table is an increase in the total number of long service teaching appointments, from 60 to 75.

But Wilson said York's management was advised that its offer wouldn't find favor with the bargaining committee.

"The membership overwhelmingly rejected the employer's last offer," he said

He told CBC Toronto that the main sticking points are job security for contract faculty, funding for teaching assistants and reversing a cut of more than 800 jobs that took place in 2016 with one unit.

"So there are different issues for each unit but if you had to pin it down to a specific issue it's around trying to ensure more stability and security for contract faculty and academic workers and shifting away from sort of a precarious environment that workers in the university sector have been dealing with for decades now," Wilson said.

When bargaining began six months ago, CUPE presented York University with a list of 110 demands. The university's management has said, if realized, the list would mean a 57 per cent increase in cost over the current contract.

The university says it has not received a counter to its latest offer made on Mar. 1.

York says university will remain open

Ahead of Monday's strike York has said its priority is to minimize the impact on students, and to that end, the university will remain open and classes that can continue will do so. 

"Remedies will be provided for students to complete their year if their classes are cancelled or they cannot or do not want to cross a picket line; libraries, student services, athletic facilities, restaurants and other food services, and administration offices will continue to be available to students," York University said in a statement Saturday.

"The University is committed to taking all possible steps to enable students to complete their program requirements in a timely fashion and is aware of the needs and concerns of students intending to graduate this spring. Academic accommodations will be made as needed," it continued.

CUPE 3903 represents around 3,700 employees at York University, who previously went to the picket lines in March 2015.