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The following is a summary of the GSA unionization project meeting that was held in Feb, 2008

Unionization Meeting Summary – Feb 28, 2008

The focus of this meeting was the debate over who a ‘casual worker’ is, because a ‘casual worker’ is not included in WLUSA.

• WLUSA claims that a casual worker is a person who works without being scheduled. For example, someone who is called in at the last minute for a job.
• The university claims that a casual worker is anyone who works 10 hours or less a week (To be calculated as 130 hrs per semester).

The purpose of the arbitration (May 9th) is to determine what a casual worker is. If WLUSA’s definition is determined to be correct, then TAs, RAs, IAs and students who run labs (among others) will be retroactively unionized under WLUSA without any consultation with those affected. The current WLUSA agreement will apply, which includes union fees at 1.25% and benefits at 4%, both being applied retroactively from the date of the initial file.

If unionized, students will not be able to leave WLUSA as long as WLUSA exits. The only way for students to exit the union will be for WLUSA to go to a vote to disband the union itself, according to proper WLUSA procedures. One point to remember, students (undergrad and grad) will form the majority of WLUSA if unionized. Also, as top positions come up for election, students will be able to run for them. In five years the exec positions of WLUSA could be filled by students.

During the meeting both the university and WLUSA made it clear that neither want to unionize grad students, although the WLUSA president said some kind of unionization would be a “good idea”. It appears that the focus is on the students who run labs. WLUSA wants these positions, and the university is unwilling to allow this as it would affect grad students in, what they claim, is a negative way. Since, currently, labs can be run by staff members, if unionized students would have to compete for these positions, where seniority is very important. This restricts the university from being able to offer such positions to students.

WLUFA and Dean Norris, as well as the majority of the audience appeared to think this was a bad move for grad students.

When asked, Dean Norris indicated that the conditions of the contracts grad students signed in order to work as TAs, RAs, and IAs would be invalid if these are unionized positions. Exactly what would happen under unionization is unclear. It is also unclear if the university could continue to include guaranteed TA, RA, and IAships as part of the guaranteed funding package many graduate students receive, since these positions would be open to competition. Currently there are no provisions under WLUSA that consider the needs of grad students. However, they are renegotiating their collective bargain in a few months time, where it is possible that additions could be negotiated to take into account the unique situation of grad students. However, it is possible that no provisions would be negotiated. At present there are no guarantees.

Some things to consider: within a union positions are paid based on their pay scale (regardless as to what this might do to job opportunities), and jobs are granted based on seniority.