UNIT 1 BARGAINING BULLETIN #7

Day 9 and 10 at the table

Your 9th and 10th days of bargaining took place on Tuesday February 20th and Wednesday February 21st, the first days back at the table since last week’s historic strike mandate vote. You and more than 4,200 of your coworkers cast your votes last week, and a whopping 94.4 percent of you said YES to a strike mandate, authorizing your Local to call for a strike if strategically necessary in order to reach a fair work contract. 

Your overwhelming support for a strike mandate lets the University of Toronto know that you and your coworkers are serious about doing whatever it takes to win a fair deal. Your employer, however, has still not presented any written proposals regarding financials, transit subsidies, your benefits package, or job security. What are they waiting for? 

Meanwhile, strike prep begins…

The University of Toronto may be stalling, but you and your coworkers in CUPE 3902 and CUPE 3261 are going full steam with strike preparation. Let’s keep building power and applying pressure to the University! 

Become a Picket Captain

Over 40 of your coworkers have already received picket captain training, and there are more trainings on the way! Picket captains take a leadership role on the picket line and are essential to keeping their picketing coworkers motivated, up to date, and organized. 

You must attend at least one training to be a picket captain during a strike. Our next training sessions on offer are:

Friday February 23rd, 11am-2pm
Monday February 26th, 4-7pm
Tuesday February 27th, 11am-2pm

Location: meet at the CUPE 3902 office at 208 Bloor Street West. You will be outside for part of the training, so dress for the weather! Sign up for a training session here.

Join a Strike Subcommittee 

A CUPE Locals Strike Committee has been formed and is coordinating administrative, financial, communications, and picketing subcommittees. You can sign up NOW to join a subcommittee. 

Show up to your Days of Action 

SOLIDARITY RALLY: Join your fellow workers from CUPE 3902 and CUPE 3261 in a rally of solidarity on Wednesday February 28th from 4-5pm at Sidney Smith Hall. RSVP HERE.

INFO PICKET: On Thursday February 29th, join your coworkers across the three campuses to practice pickets, make picket signs, and talk to members of the U of T community about bargaining and a potential strike. View the time slots and sign up for a shift HERE.

Fill out a Strike Pay Application Form (Form E) 

ALL currently working members of CUPE 3902 Unit 1 must participate in a strike, and in order to receive Strike Benefits, you must complete the Strike Pay Application Form.

To be eligible for strike pay, you also have to:

1. Be employed as a Unit 1 worker during the time of the strike (i.e. Winter 2024 term) 
2. Participate in the strike by performing assigned strike duties
3. Be a member in good standing.
   
   Need more information about Strike Duties and Form E? Read our Form E FAQ or contact strike.benefits@cupe3902.org.

E-Action

Your employer has heard from you and your coworkers in plenty of ways: your bargaining survey, departmental letters, majority petition, and strike mandate vote. You also have an entire community of U of T students, staff, faculty, alum, and allies behind you, and it’s time for the U of T decision makers to hear from them. We’ve launched an E-ACTION to do just that, so send it to your friends and family!