On April 13, TAs took to the James Square outside of the James Administration Building to rally for a wage above inflation and the ballooning cost of living. AGSEM TAs also stood in solidarity with McGill Course Lecturers and their ongoing negotiations with McGill for a new Collective Agreement.
There was music, fiery speeches, & special visitors from the Concordia Research & Education Workers Union (CREW) and other unions at McGill and across the island! We also wrote notes to the admin and left them at their front door!!
We're heading into negotiations with McGill this Fall!! This means your union, AGSEM, and representatives from McGill will meet each other to negotiate the terms of our TA Collective Agreement. Our Collective Agreement (CA) is the contract governing the working conditions and rights of all graduate TAs at McGill.
At this time of unprecedented inflation and the worsening cost-of-living crisis, stagnated internal and external graduate stipends, and the widespread and continued violation of our labour rights by McGill we need an ambitious mandate, a strong bargaining committee, and the involvement of all Teaching Assistants to win a fair TA contract! Read the summary of our April 27 TA Assembly.
Below are some photos of the April 13 rally. Big thanks to @mouvementcsn!
Posters advertising the event, including now-classic slogans “you can’t eat your degree” and “solidarity is to love & to love is to fight.”
A view of James Square
Another view of James Square
Mobilization Chief Delegate Emma McKay MCing the event with militants from Concordia in the background
AGSEM President Mario Roy welcomes the crowd, including representatives from the Concordia Research & Education Workers Union (CREW) and McGill Course Lecturers & Instructors Union (MCLIU)
AGSEM Biology Delegate (and future Bargaining Committee member!) Nada El Baba giving a speech on the rights of graduate student workers
Raad Jassim, President of MCLIU gives a speech about the disproportionate salaries of top McGill administrators compared to lecturers and teaching assistants; Fightback McGill and AGSEM member Sebastian Wittekindt (and future Bargaining Support Committee member!) along with Nada El Baba in the background
Tim Chandler of CREW delivers a speech about the rank-and-file mobilization of Teaching and Research Assistants at Concordia
AGSEM External Communications Officer Marta Beszterda handing out meal tickets to AGSEM members
Stephanie Eccles of CREW handing out flyers for AGSEM’s April 27 TA Assembly
Başak Tozlu of CREW handing out flyers for AGSEM’s April 27 TA Assembly
AGSEM and CREW militants pose for a photo
A “grievance board” for the occupants of the James Administration building
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