2,600 teaching, research assistants at McMaster University may strike Monday

2,600 teaching and research assistants at McMaster University are just four days away from striking if a deal isn’t reached at mediation tomorrow.

The union representing them, CUPE 3906 says pay is the biggest concern, given rising inflation.

“Through the pandemic, we were getting one per cent pay increases which is falling further and further behind the cost of living,” Chris Fairweather president of Local 3906 said.

The union is asking for protections against future tuition increases, and they want to close the wage gap between graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants. They are also calling for a wage increase that reflects inflation.

While some of the main concerns surround finances, there’s also concern about how much work the teaching assistants and research assistants are putting in without seeing any overtime pay.

Students on campus say they are supportive of the strike, but expect it to affect the way professors run their classes.

If an agreement isn’t met tomorrow, CUPE 3906 says it hopes a strike will lead to change.

This is a different bargaining unit than the one representing 55,000 education workers, but the strikes would begin on the same day.