Education workers threaten Monday strike at Carleton University
Carleton University says the university will remain open for students, faculty and staff if education workers go on strike Monday morning, but some classes may be disrupted" by the job action.
CUPE local 4600 says its members "overwhelmingly" rejected the university's latest offer and plan to go on strike Monday if a new deal is not reached for more than 3,000 graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants and contract instructors.
"We wanted to update members and check in with them, and the membership was unequivocal," CUPE 4600 president Noreen Cauley-Le Fevre said in a statement.
"The employer's most recent offer does not even keep up with inflation. It doesn't address workload or education quality. Our members have spoken. Carleton needs to act now to avert a strike."
The union says its members are looking for wages that will "help catch up the more than 10 per cent they have lost to inflation over the last decade and that will bring contract instructors closer to what their counterparts at the University of Ottawa earn."
Carleton and the union have been in contract talks since August 2022.
On Friday, Carleton released its latest offer to Unit 1 (Teaching Assistants, some Research Assistants, and Service Assistants), and Unit 2 (Contract Instructors).
The offer to Unit 2 includes a salary market adjustment of 4.5 per cent retroactive to September 1, an increase to the base minimum stipend of 2 per cent retroactive to January 1, 2023 and an increase of 3 per cent in September 2023 and September 2024.
The offer to Unit 1 includes a salary increase of 3 per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2022 and a 2.5 per cent increase in 2023 and 2024.
The threat of a strike comes three weeks before the end of classes for the winter term and the start of exams. Exams are set to begin on April 15.
While the university says the campus will remain open if there is a strike, some classes, labs and tutorials may be affected. The university has released a list of classes that will be "disrupted" by a labour disruption.
"In the event that agreements are not reached in time, the university is taking steps to prepare for a possible labour disruption. Should a strike be declared, further updates will be provided regarding courses, exams and other campus activities," Carleton said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The university is committed to a successful end of term for students."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.