TAs/RAs finally on TRAC

The first collective agreements between teaching assistants, research assistants and the university were ratified by the union membership in time for the fall term.

“We’re very happy with the settlement,” said Maurice René de Cotret, Director of Employee and Labour Relations. These agreements establish consistent working conditions across the university for the approximately 1 000 Teaching and 450 Research Assistants at Concordia (TRAC) at rates commensurate with other Montreal universities.

TRAC was certified in 2006, and negotiations started the following year. A first tentative agreement for the TAs was reached in November 2009, which was rejected by the membership in early 2010. Negotiations resumed in 2010 and the parties reached agreement on Aug. 17.

A university proposal for the RAs, presented in December 2009, was accepted overwhelmingly, with fully 100% of the research assistants voting in favour, on Aug. 31.

Thomas Leonard, currently earning an MA in Public Policy and Public Administration, was frustrated enough with the gaps in the 2009 initial proposal to become involved in the successful renegotiation. Amongst the problems were low pay scales and unclear designation of different grades of teaching assistants based on responsibilities and workload.

Looking to the future, René de Cotret adds, “We’re working on a web site to better inform all our constituents of the bargaining process and news as it unfolds”.