Certified in 1978, the Teaching Support Staff Union represents Teaching Assistants (TAs), Tutor Markers (TMs), Sessional Instructors (SIs), and Language Instructors (LIs) at Simon Fraser University. Since December 2004, we also represent the English Language and Culture (ELC) and the Interpretation and Translation Program (ITP). In 2019 Graduate Facilitators (GFs) in the Student Learning Commons, Research Assistants (RAs) and Grant Employees all joined the Union. More recently and in 2022 the Graduate Facilitators in the Media and Maker Commons and Mentors in the Graduate Diploma Program in the Faculty of Education became Union members.
The Union is the vehicle through which workers can improve their working lives by coming together collectively to organize and advocate for the world they want. Legally, the Union functions as the sole bargaining agent for the above categories of employees during contract negotiations and represents any and all members in work-related conflicts and problems.
To get more involved, attend one of our 9 general membership meetings a year, attend or join any of our paid committees, ask your departmental steward what is going on, stop by the TSSU office (AQ5129), or call 778-782-4735 for more information!
TSSU began as Local 6 of the Association of College and University Employees (AUCE 6). AUCE was a feminist trade union movement which developed out of the Vancouver Women’s Caucus in the late 1960s and early 1970s. All of the other AUCE locals joined up with larger unions, such as the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), but TSSU decided to not join up and become remain independent instead. As an independent Union, TSSU enjoys a form of non-hierarchical leadership based upon the importance of the views of the General Membership. TSSU is affiliated to both the Vancouver and District Labour Council (VDLC) and the Coalition of Student Employee Unions (CSEU).
For more information, see this pdf on 'AUCE & TSSU: Memoirs of a Feminist Union 1972-1993'
For more information on CSEU visit: The CGEU Facebook Page or The CGEU Wikipedia Page.