As you may know, as a TSSU member holding a current contract you have the option of tuition deferment - i.e. you get to pay your tuition at the rate YOU decide directly out of your paycheque with no penalty. The employer was trying to infringe upon that right, penalizing members by not allowing them to collect their second month of the semester UPass if they had not paid at least $130. Now regardless of paying a single dime, you will have access to all three months of your UPass each semester.

Background: Previous to this victory, SFU was denying students who had set up tuition deferment - but had not yet paid at least $130 by their second month - their UPass (so in the fall semester this is referring to October). This directly violates our Collective Agreement. The H.R. department at SFU then expanded the argument to claim that all fees could be charged upfront and could not be deferred with the rest of a members tuition. This would include things such as athletic fees, and our extended health plan. What this would result in would be all of our members having to pay around $600 dollars upfront at the beginning of each semester - a fee most of our members simply cannot afford, especially at the beginning of a semester which is a very expensive time.

TSSU has reaffirmed for its members a very important victory this May, the right to defer all fees along with your tuition throughout the semester with NO penalties (denial of UPass or monetary-wise). Thank you to all members who brought this to our attention, who helped us along the way, and who were prepared to testify at an arbitration for all TSSU members rights.