Support those who make the UTSU work in their fight for fair working conditions!
The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) is pushing full-time workers toward a strike by attacking their working conditions. The employer is demanding concessions that would create barriers to summer vacations, give them the power to impose weekend work and night shifts and give them full freedom to change workers’ job descriptions without consent or say from staff. Every indication is the employer plans to force some staff to do the work of 2-3 people. Meanwhile, UTSU staff are only asking for fair improvements to wages and sick days, and a recognized work-from-home agreement: basic rights that strengthen their workplace.
The CUPE 1281 members at UTSU run Orientation, escalate health and dental claims and operate the only Food Bank on the University of Toronto – St. George Campus. They champion high-quality student services at U of T.
Support for the UTSU Staff is support for student services!
Tell the UTSU to stop attacking workers and agree to a fair deal!
[SUBJECT] Be progressive and drop your concession demands
[EMAIIL]
Dear UTSU Executive and Management,
I am writing to you in support of the Full-Time Coordinators at the UTSU, represented by CUPE 1281. You have the power to avoid a strike by recognizing the invaluable contribution of your workers and agreeing to their reasonable requests for regular hours, summer vacation and an achievable workload.
The UTSU operates because the coordinators work tirelessly to run student programs, services and events. They ensure the functioning of the Student Commons building and as offer critical support to many service groups and student clubs. Thanks to their hard work, students enjoy a successful Orientation each year, can resolve health and dental plan claims, can access free and critical resources such as the Food Bank, Tax Clinic and mental health support, and get connected to a vast array of other services on campus. It is due to their training, organizational knowledge, guidance and supervision that the UTSU employs a large team of student staff and operates as a student-led organization.
Despite the staff’s 25 cumulative years of service to the community, UTSU Management is creating the conditions for labour unrest. The changes to job descriptions UTSU is demanding would cause staff to become even more overworked than they already are, which will not only have negative effects on those workers but on the students who rely on them every day.
Forty percent of the UTSU coordinators have children, yet management’s bargaining demands discount the importance of work-life balance for their families. Forcing unpredictable schedules and harsher conditions creates a hostile workplace for parents, making it harder for staff to plan childcare and maintain financial security. Management’s refusal to agree to reasonable wage increases, improvements to sick days and a clear work-from-home arrangement only deepens these work-life balance and job security concerns.
I am proud to support UTSU’s full-time staff in their fight for fair wages, recognized work-from-home arrangements and increased sick days, as well as their fight to preserve their work hours, job descriptions and right to vacation with their children. I urge the UTSU to drop their concessions and grant these workers a fair contract.
In solidarity with CUPE 1281,
< Your Name Here >
