To the Algonquin Students’ Association

Local 4600 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees is the largest labour union at Carleton University, with nearly 3000 members, covering teaching assistants, internally-funded research assistants, and contract instructors. Carleton CIs are the third lowest paid in Ontario, earning 15% less than their counterparts at uOttawa, only a 15 minute drive away. They teach over 30% of Carleton’s courses and only see 4% of the money Carleton spends on salaries. Their collective agreement also has no provision which grants them the intellectual property for the courses they created. Inflation and the pandemic have hit them hard, losing them almost 10% of their wages.

After 8 months of negotiations, CUPE 4600 set a strike deadline, and Carleton still refused to avert strike action with a fair deal. Local 279 of the Amalgamated Transit Union has promised that OC Transpo will not be crossing the picket line with their buses. The Graduate Student Association (GSA) at Carleton University has put out a statement in solidarity. The Carleton University Students Association (CUSA) has stood in solidarity as well. Every labour union on Carleton University’s campus has come out in support of CUPE 4600, including the Carleton University Academic Staff Association (CUASA), the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). The Ontario Federation of Labour has shown their support. Both affiliated organizations of Algonquin College’s 2 political campus clubs, Horizon Ottawa, and the Young Communist League, have come out in support of the CUPE 4600 strikes.

While it is true that student unions and labour unions are not always aligned in their priorities, it should be noted that the deliberate use of this distinction to abdicate involvement flies in the face of the lessons learned by the student union movement in Quebec. In 2012, Quebec students were able to oust their government and stop a nearly 75% increase in tuition fees specifically because of collaboration with the broader labour movement, with CUPE in particular having a role to play. A strong student union can only occur when it has the backing of those labour unions who can effectively strike, and force educational institutions to meet at the bargaining table. As a fellow post-secondary union here in Ottawa, it makes zero sense for us to stay on the sidelines as CUPE 4600, a union made up of many members who are students themselves, are left to stand out on the picket lines without our support.

It is with this context that we call upon the Algonquin Students’ Association, as concerned student groups on campus, to formally express a statement of solidarity with CUPE 4600 in their fight against the bad faith negotiators at Carleton University, and take a more active stance on labour actions in the future.

Sincerely,

Horizon AC

YCL Algonquin Campus Club

AC’s Pride Community

For Media Inquiries: 

Harmon Pope - Horizon AC

pope0064@algonquinlive.com

Cashton Perry - YCL Algonquin Campus Club

perr0539@algonquinlive.com

Baz Belliveau - AC’s Pride Community

cler0104@algonquinlive.com