Support for TSSU in their unionizing efforts!
The Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) is an independent union that represents non-faculty teaching staff working at Simon Fraser University (SFU). They are currently preparing for a campaign to unionize research assistants at SFU and are seeking support from other academic unions across Canada. Research assistants at SFU are in largely precarious positions with few or no workplace protections – conditions that lead to overwork, inconsistent pay schedules, irregular employment, and no recourse for support. Meanwhile, SFU reports earning over $142 million in research income last year alone.
TSSU is seeking organizations and individuals to sign and send support letters to the University administration asking them 1) to recognize its employees’ right to unionize and 2) in no way interfere with the hundreds of research assistants asserting their right to organize with a labour union. The TRAC executives, on behalf of the union, have signed such a letter, linked below. Research is work!