AASUA rallies for competitive pay and job security

On March 5, the Association of Academic Staff at the University of Alberta (AASUA) held a rally to mark one year since they began negotiating a renewed collective agreement with the U of A.

The rally was held from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in front of the Timms Centre for the Arts. Members of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA) were also in attendance. AASUA President Gordon Swaters and Vice-president Kristine Smitka gave speeches, as well as NASA President Quinn Benders.

Throughout the bargaining process, AASUA has been negotiating with the U of A for increased job security, competitive compensation, and investments in frontline teaching and research.

AASUA and the U of A last met on February 27. They will enter informal mediation on March 25.

Rally marks one year of negotiations with AASUA and the U of A

In his speech, Swaters outlined the year-long bargaining process in which AASUA has been advocating to “preserve” the U of A’s “world class teaching and research.”

“The employer seems to have the ridiculous notion that they can get away with compensating us less than our comparator universities across the country, and that they can still maintain a top four in Canada research and teaching university.”

Swaters emphasized the lack of job security of contract workers who “are forced to reapply for their jobs semester after semester.” He also called for the university to give benefits to its part-time workers.

“It’s been a year too long. It’s time for the employer to come to the table with a fair deal for academic staff,” Swaters said.

AASUA and NASA call for investment in “frontline teaching and research staff”

Benders spoke next about the “dire” situation that has been created by the provincial government “failing to fund” the U of A and “the entire public sector.”

“When our provincial government underfunds the post-secondary sector — and the U of A in particular — they attack all of us staff, faculty, and students,” he said.

Benders also emphasized the importance of solidarity between the two unions despite attempts made by “decision makers at the government” and the U of A to “divide unions” and “pit worker against worker.”

“We are NASA and we are AASUA and we are the backbone of this university,” Benders said.

In her speech, Smitka said that “systemic disinvestment in the post-secondary education sector” has “left its affects on every corner of [the U of A’s] campus.”

“We are asking the employer to invest in frontline teaching and research staff so we can provide an excellent student experience. We are asking our employer to stop trapping our educators in short-term contracts, and we are asking for respect,” Smitka said.

AASUA does not want to strike, Swaters says

Swaters and Smitka spoke with The Gateway about AASUA’s motivations behind the rally. According to Swaters, AASUA remains committed to securing a “fair contract” with the university.

“We don’t want to go out and strike, but we’ll do what we have to to protect our issues,” Swaters said. “We want to preserve the top four in Canada education we give students here. That’s what this is all about.”

The precarious employment of U of A staff under contract work is a key concern for AASUA, Smitka said. According to her, one in three AASUA members are working on contract.

“We want competitive wages so that we can ensure that we are attracting and retaining top talent here at the U of A,” Smitka said.