Four days in, graduate student workers show no signs of slowing down on the picket line.
Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) 901, Unit 1, began striking on March 10 at 8:01 a.m. outside Stauffer Library after Graduate Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, and Graduate Research Assistants, failed to reach a tentative agreement to renew their Collective Agreement. With all graduate workers off the job—unable to lead tutorials, grade assignments, or respond to student|emails—they’re signing up for strike shifts. Active PSAC 901 members who fulfill daily strike duties can receive non-taxable strike pay of up to $84.79 per day, capped at $423.96 per week.
Every day this week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., graduate student workers have set up tents on the intersection of Union St. and University Ave. to show how graduate student workers are fundamental to the University’s operations, and the importance of fair wages.
In an interview with The Journal, PSAC 901 President Jake Morrow highlighted the motivation and energy of the graduate student workers, noting how over 1,000 members have signed up for picketing shifts.
READ MORE: 2,000 graduate student workers walk off the job
“With the way people are showing up in the streets, I think we’ve got a case for all of [our demands]. How far we can push depends on how many people show up in support, how many classes get cancelled, how many classes we shut down,” Morrow said.
Morrow emphasized the bargaining demands of the union, being fair wages and dignity for graduate student workers.
Other financial demands include increasing hourly wages and a lump sum to each worker following the effects of Bill 124, which capped wages of public sector workers to an increase of one per cent per year. The Bill was repealed in February 2024.
“What we’re fighting for is to stop graduate workers at Queen’s from being homeless, which many of our members are, from skipping meals, which many of our members are,” Morrow said. “What we’re fighting for is our lives and our livelihood. What the University is fighting for is a budget line item, and that’s why we will win.”
Protesting alongside graduate student workers in front of Stauffer Library was Craig Reynolds, PSAC Ontario’s regional executive vice-president. In an interview with The Journal, he noted the display of solidarity of workers striking and called upon the University to take action.
“It’s time for Queen’s University to step up and start treating our [Graduate Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, and Graduate Research Assistants] as the workers they are. They’re the backbone of this organization, and they should be treated as such,” Reynolds said.
A statement from the University sent to The Journal on March 12 stated it respects collective bargaining and “remains committed to working with PSAC and its Local 901 to reach an agreement that both parties can ratify.” A March 13 e-mail sent to students by their respective faculty reiterated the expectation for students to attend classes.
Picketing will resume Monday at 8 a.m. unless a tentative agreement is reached beforehand.
Tags
Collective agreement, negotiation, PSAC 901, PSAC 901 Strike 2025, strike
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