The Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) at Simon Fraser University stands in solidarity with CUPE 4600 at Carleton University. As academic workers engaged in teaching and research, TSSU is well aware of the struggles and precarity academic workers face day-to-day. More than anything, we are familiar with the employer dragging their feet in bargaining.

It’s a disgrace that the Carleton University Administration is unwilling to address significant problems such as wages, increasing class sizes, overwork, and a rapidly rising cost of living. These issues, factored with inflation and tuition increases, are implicitly a wage cut in a time where Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and Contract Instructors struggle to make ends meet. Just as disgraceful is the Carleton University Administration’s knowledge of their graduate student workers making up approximately 80% of food bank usage (despite only making up about 7% of the student population) and still refusing to acknowledge graduate student workers and their hard work, contributions to the university, financial needs, and wellbeing through a fair collective agreement. 

As an independent union beginning job actions soon, we understand that striking is not easy and requires endless and exhausting work on the part of the union. Thus, we admire and look to your strength and resilience, and share our support while you fight for a fair deal. We look forward to hearing of a well-earned victory, and look forward to celebrating alongside you. 

In solidarity, 

The Teaching Support Staff Union

Feminist, directly democratic, and non-hierarchical since 1978.

www.tssu.ca