Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3904
About Us
CUPE Local 3904 represents contract academics at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) in three bargaining units: Unit 1 - Contract Lecturers; Unit 2 - Continuing Education Contract Lecturers; and Unit 3 - Academic Assistants.
CUPE Local 3904 works to protect and improve the working conditions of all of its members through collective bargaining, mediation, joint consultation, conciliation, and, if and when necessary, strike action.
Collective agreements often provide union members with greater worker rights and protections than in non-unionized work environments. In light of the insecure and precarious nature of contingent work that contract academics at Toronto Metropolitan University and other universities face today, CUPE Local 3904 believes in the value and strength of a unified labour force as the basis for fighting to protect and try to improve the working lives of all of its members.
To ensure the safety and improve the working conditions of all of its members, the union is committed to fighting for the elimination of harassment and discrimination of any sort or on any basis, and promoting the equal treatment of all its members regardless of class, race, colour, nationality, age, sex, gender, language, sexual orientation, place of origin, ancestry, religious beliefs, or disability.
CUPE Local 3904 also operates as a lobbying agent on behalf of its members to all appropriate outside agencies which are responsible for, or which have an interest in, post-secondary education issues in the province of Ontario.
Executive Committee
Catherine Jenkins
President
president@cupe3904.ca
Kelly Train
VP Unit 1
unit1vp@cupe3904.ca
Michael Dick
VP Communications
communications@cupe3904.ca
Michael Lapointe
VP Campaigns & Equity (pro tem)
campaigns@cupe3904.ca
Rebecca Scenna
VP Unit 3
unit3vp@cupe3904.ca
Richard Deklerk
Treasurer
treasurer@cupe3904.ca
Rob Denning
VP Unit 2
unit2vp@cupe3904.ca
Our Local's History
CUPE Local 3904 is a part of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, (CUPE), Canada’s largest union, with more than 680,000 members nationally and 240,000 members in Ontario. For over fifty years, CUPE has been committed to “fairness, equality, dignity” for workers in health care, municipalities, school boards, social services, and of course, universities. With a mission to improve the quality of life for workers, CUPE advances areas such as wages, benefits, work conditions and pensions, and advocates issues of social justice.
At Toronto Metropolitan University (then known as Ryerson University), efforts to organize a union began in 1977, when full-time sessional instructors were paid $13,500 per year and had neither benefits nor seniority rights. Under the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the renamed Canadian Union of Educational Workers (CUEW) Local 4 at Ryerson University – previously called the Graduate Assistance Association (GAA) – was formed in order to establish better pay, benefits, and job security. In the winter of 1980, after a two-week strike, members obtained Priority of Consideration (seniority rights) and contract extensions.
In 1984, the significant gap in wages between CUEW instructors and tenured faculty was narrowed, with CUEW gaining modest pay increases. Importantly, members voted in favour of strike action, if necessary, to correct this long standing pay inequality.
In 1986, CUEW Local 4 fought for the RRSP contribution plan for Unit 1 members that continues to be included in our agreement. In 1988, dental and life insurance plans were improved, and the union fought for disability leave to be included in the benefit package.
In 1993, CUEW Local 4 was able to achieve an agreement with management that offered a pay rise and improved job security for some members through the removal of a seniority cap that had been part of previous contracts.
On January 1, 1995, CUEW became CUPE Local 3904 with two units, Unit 1 and Unit 2, each with its own stewards and bargaining team. Unit 1 is comprised of sessional and part-time Contract Lecturers, and Unit 2 consists of Continuing Education Contact Lecturers.
With over eighty percent of our members in favour of merging, uniting with CUPE allowed us to become part of a larger labour movement while maintaining local autonomy. In 1996, the salary grid was revised, and a workload clause on class-size maximum was added, as well as first consideration for those with seniority.
In 2003, Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Graduate Assistants (GAs) formed Unit 3 of CUPE Local 3904, with wages and work conditions (hours and security) being a top priority.
Over the past decades, CUPE Local 3904 has been working hard to improve living conditions for its members, negotiating for better wages, benefits, and general working conditions.
The road to equity continues – in solidarity!
(from the Archives of Local 3904 and the Archives and Special Collections at the TMU Library)