Dear AGSEM members, old and new,
We wish you a successful start of the academic year!
Our union, the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) is the oldest TA union in Quebec, and represents graduate Teaching Assistants (Unit 1), Invigilators (Unit 2), and Course-Based Academic Casuals (Unit 3) employed at McGill.
Sign your AGSEM Membership Form!
Sign your membership form for every semester that you work as a Unit 1 TA, Unit 2 invigilator, and/or Unit 3 academic casual. You can sign your form here. If you have any issues with the form, try clearing your cache or using an incognito window. If issues persist, let us know at mail@agsem-aeedem.ca and we will troubleshoot!
AGSEM Office Hours Fall 2024
AGSEM is holding office hours! Every Friday from 2-4 PM, the AGSEM office (3641 University, Rue University, Room 207) will be open to all AGSEM members for questions, concerns, and general co-working. There are also grievance-specific hours Mondays 1-4 PM. Come meet your fellow union members and enjoy a space for conversation, organizing, and joy! Can’t make those times? We’re happy to arrange a meeting with an elected officer based on your needs. Email us at mail@agsem-aeedem.ca.
Newsletter Contents
AGSEM News
Unit 1: We won a stronger TA contract!
Unit 1: Teaching and Learning Services Paid New TA Training
Unit 1: No More Free Hours, Forever!
Unit 1: Back-to-Work Grievances and Complaints Update
Unit 2: A new Invigilator contract is on the horizon!
Unit 3: We won! Course-Based Academic Casuals have a new union
Events and Assemblies Coming Up This Semester
Delegates’ Council Meetings
General and Unit Assemblies
In the Community
McGill Law Professors Back on Strike
Concordia Professionals Union on Strike
CREW Barg-B-Q Setpember 11 and 12!
AGSEM News
Unit 1: We won a stronger TA contract!
After a historic three-and-a-half week strike in the spring, this is our first Fall semester with our brand new Unit 1 Teaching Assistant Collective Agreement (CA). There are some changes, including our raise, a new Workload form, and adding PhD5 to the priority pool (among others!). If you’d like to learn more about the rights you have based on our CA, our Bargaining Committee has written up an accessible summary that allows you to skip the legalese of the full CA. You can find that and the full CA on our website.
Unit 1: Post-Strike Survey
The AGSEM post bargaining and strike committee has a survey for Unit 1 members. We want to understand your feelings and experiences of the Winter 2024 TA strike and to include your voice in our report to be presented at the General Assembly this fall. If you were a TA during Winter 2024, we want to hear from you, whether you picketed every day or decided not to participate at all. We want to know what you thought about how the strike was managed, what you enjoyed, what you thought could have been handled with more clarity and direction, and more. This survey should take about 15 minutes to complete so please fill it out! Your responses are anonymous and no identifying information (including email or name) is collected.
Unit 1: Teaching and Learning Services Paid New TA Training
You must be paid for all training that is mandatory for your work under Article 11.02.02 of the TA Collective Agreement, as well as the law. This includes any course-specific training required by the Course Supervisor.
If you are a new TA, training also includes the mandatory one hour of TA training outlined in 13.06.01. Training also includes the Employee program of the “It Takes All of Us” Sexual Violence Prevention training. All hours for required training should be accounted for on the Workload Form that you fill out with your supervisor at the start of term.
All first time TAs get up to 3 hours of paid teaching training in addition to your contract hours! These hours are in addition to your current contract—that is, these hours should not appear on your Workload Form and will be instead compensated by Teaching and Learning Services. Your right to this paid training is outlined in Article 13.06.02 of the Collective Agreement.
If you are a returning TA, you are not eligible to receive compensation, but you still may attend the workshops! It’s a great way to brush up on your skills.
Workshops this term:
Navigating your role as a TA: Rights, responsibilities, and support
Teaching strategies: Designing lessons for engagement in learning
Classroom management: Facilitating mutually supportive learning environments
Accessibility in the classroom: How to promote inclusivity
Equity-centered classrooms: Fostering equitable and inclusive discussions
Assessment for learning: Effective grading and feedback strategies
Choose 3 hours of workshops from TLS and get paid. This is a great opportunity for first time TAs - take advantage of it!
Register on their website here: https://www.mcgill.ca/tls/students/ta-training Note that cancellation and/or no-show fees will be applied in accordance with McGill Teaching and Learning Services policy.
Unit 1: No More Free Hours, Forever!
This year, Teaching Assistants are no longer working for free!
In 2017, half of all TAs worked an average of 13 hours over their contract, without being paid. That’s $470 in current wages. Some TAs get contracts for 45 hours and work over twice as many—$1600 in unpaid wages. And we know things have only gotten worse since 2017. Enrolment in classes increases as the number of hours allocated to TAs continues to drop with time.
But we won’t stand for it anymore: we are ending wage theft at McGill.
During our last round of negotiations, we told McGill TA overwork was a systemic issue and proposed mechanisms to prevent it. They refused to believe us, but we forced them to make historic concessions following our historic strike in April 2024. They agreed to establish an AGSEM + McGill Hours Working Group to study the problem of TA overwork. Now, it’s time to capitalize on those concessions and make it clear to McGill: if they want us to work more, they have to pay us for our labour.
Check out our No More Free Hours participation guide to learn how you can defend our hard-earned contract and stand in solidarity with other over-worked TAs. In brief:
Fill out your Workload Form at the beginning of the term and revise it at mid-term. If you’re getting close to going over your hours, let your course supervisor know immediately.
Track your hours using our spreadsheet or Toggl. Track every minute, including the 5 minutes you spend answering emails between meetings.
Sign the pledge committing to not working for free. When your hours are up, stop working.
If you or others in your department are having issues with overwork, let us know.
Together, let’s end TA overwork, once and for all.
Unit 1: Back-to-Work Grievances and Complaints Update
Over the summer, organizers within AGSEM were in contact with every Winter 2024 TA by email, over text or via phone call to follow up about their back to work pay and workload after the Winter 2024 TA strike. We found out that over 20% of Winter 2024 TAs did not get paid on time for their Winter contracts by June 20th, and over a hundred TAs appear to have incorrect or missing retroactive pay. Additionally, several dozen courses did not revise their Workload Forms in accordance with the union’s agreement with HR.
We have until October 18th (6 months following the ratification assembly on April 18th) to raise any outstanding issues with Winter 2024 pay to McGill HR. The Grievance Department has prepared and filed dozens of grievances related to late pay, late or incomplete retroactive raises, and Workload Forms that were not revised correctly. We are in discussion with McGill HR every week to investigate and resolve these numerous issues as quickly as possible. At this stage of the grievance process, our priority is ensuring that everyone named on the grievances receives outstanding pay before discussing an indemnity or settlement for the violation of our members’ rights. We will follow up with everyone who has been named on a grievance as we learn more from the employer.
We are still collecting information to ensure we have an accurate understanding of the scale of the issues that have affected and continue to affect TAs. In particular, we want to know if you have experienced any of the following issues:
Was your Workload Form revised correctly? Were hours removed from your contract for grading? These should have remained on your form.
Did you receive all of your base pay for Winter 2024 by the deadline of June 20?
Did you receive your retroactive raise by the deadline of July 18th?
Did you receive the correct amount of retroactive pay?
$1.82 per hour for all hours worked in the Fall and for all hours paid in the first two pay periods of Winter 2024;
$2.17 per hour for all remaining hours in Winter 2024
Has the employer asked you to repay any hours from your Winter 2024 contract?
Have you had to defer paying your tuition because you did not receive your Winter 2024 pay or retroactive raise on time?
Did you work as a TA this summer? If so, has the pay for any of your Summer 2024 contracts been affected by the late pay from Winter 2024, or, conversely, was the department unable to pay you your outstanding hours for Winter 2024 because of your active Summer 2024 contract? You should have received your first pay within 30 days of starting your summer position.
Is your course supervisor making you work unpaid hours this semester to “make up” for hours unworked because of the strike?
Are you facing any forms of retaliation for the Winter 2024 TA strike from your supervisor, department, or anyone else in the university community?
If you have any of the issues outlined above and you have not been in contact with AGSEM yet, email: grievance.department@agsem-aeedem.ca. If you are waiting to hear back from the Grievance Officer or Grievance Department about the status of a grievance or complaint, you can contact the department at that email. Please note that due to the volume of emails there may be a delay in reply.
We recognize that late pay has caused a lot of undue stress for many TAs. We are disappointed and frustrated with the employer’s management of the back to work process, including both base and retroactive pay. We are doing everything we can to get you the money you are owed, and will continue to fight for a settlement for everyone’s trouble.
Unit 2: A new Invigilator contract is on the horizon!
Hey Invigilators!
The invigilator (Unit 2) collective agreement is expiring next year and we are starting to prepare for our next round of negotiations. Now is the time to have your voice heard about how we should work to change our working conditions as invigilators.
If you are an invigilator who wants to get involved or to let us know what we should prioritize, get in touch with our mobilization exec at mobilization@agsem-aeedem.ca
Additionally, stay tuned for details about our invigilator Unit Assembly (UA) on December 11 (RSVP). At that meeting we will elect an invigilator pre-bargaining committee (which could include you!) and get to hear from fellow workers about how we can improve our jobs.
Unit 3: We won! Course-Based Academic Casuals have a new union
In Winter 2024, AGSEM led a card-signing campaign to get a majority of course-based academic support workers to join our union. We are pleased to announce that this campaign was a success!
On August 13, 2024, a new bargaining unit was certified to represent the over 1000 academic casuals that work at McGill each semester: graders, course tutors, undergraduate student course assistants, graduate student assistants, student course assistants, course assistants, and graduate teaching fellows. AGSEM Unit 3 is the Union of Course-Based Academic Casuals.
AGSEM's Unit 3 addresses changes to the nature of academic work since graduate Teaching Assistants unionized in 1993. Over three decades on, it's not only graduate students who assist in the delivery of education at McGill. Unit 3 also closes a legal loophole exploited by the employer to hire workers outside of the Unit 1 Collective Agreement, paying as low as minimum wage with no job protections or benefits.
It's time for a fair contract for ALL academic support workers at McGill!
Keep an eye out for more events, announcements, and assemblies as we integrate this new unit into AGSEM’s operations and begin preparations for contract negotiations.
Events and Assemblies Coming Up This Semester
Delegates’ Council Meetings: Delegates’ Council Meetings are open to all AGSEM members. Here, our departmental representative - Delegates - vote on motions pertaining to the union’s functioning and strategize regarding organizing in our departments. If you’re interested in becoming a delegate for your department, you can run from the floor.
All DCs start with dinner at 5:30, and the meeting starts at 6 PM. RSVP at the links below!
Delegates’ Council: Thursday September 26, 2024, 5:30 PM, Location TBD
Delegates’ Council: Tuesday October 29, 2024, 5:30 PM, Location TBD
Delegates’ Council: Thursday December 5, 2025, 5:30 PM, Location TBD
General Assembly: Every semester, we have a General Assembly in which registered members from each Unit have a vote. This is the highest authority of the union, where we make important decisions regarding our policies, elect union officers, and take political positions.
Our General Assembly this Fall will be held on November 20, 2024, 5:30 PM, Location TBD
Academic Casual Unit 3 Assembly: At our very first assembly for Unit 3 Course-Based Academic Casuals, we will be establishing a pre-bargaining committee that will research and prepare priorities for our very first contract!
The Unit 3 Assembly will be held in November or early December, time and location TBD
Invigilator Unit 2 Assembly: Our assembly for our Unit 2 Invigilators will be an important one! We will be electing a pre-bargaining committee and will talk about our vision for winning when bargaining begins in 2026.
The Invigilator Unit Assembly will be held on December 11, 2024, 6 PM, Location TBD
In the Community
McGill Law Professors Back on Strike
The Association of McGill Professors of Law (AMPL), the union that represents McGill’s Law Professors have returned to their unlimited strike as classes began this semester. Earlier this month, the Quebec Labour Tribunal has ordered McGill to stop obstructing the union’s activities.
The AGSEM Executive Committee supports AMPL’s right to strike and its right to represent the first faculty union at McGill. We implore the employer to stop stalling, return to the negotiation table, and respect the will of law professors to negotiate their contract collectively.
Show some love for our Law Profs at their picket line outside the law building every weekday. Solidarity!
Concordia Professionals Union on Strike
On Wednesday, September 4, the union for professional employees at Concordia University (CUPEU–CSN) walked out on strike. Professionals at Concordia are negotiating for the right to have hybrid work, which their employer has refused to negotiate. CUPEU has been without a contract since May 2023. As a reminder, do not cross picket lines, and show your support for fellow workers in their struggle for better working conditions!
CREW Barg-B-Q
To celebrate the return of the Concordia Research and Education Workers (CREW-CSN) the bargaining table, they will be hosting a Barg-B-Q on each of the SGW and Loyola Campuses, this September 11th and 12th respectively starting at noon. CREW Union came out big for us during our TA strike—let’s show them some solidarity in their struggle for better TA and RA contracts! Come out to the Barg-B-Q to meet fellow union comrades from our sister union CREW, learn more about their bargaining demands, and enjoy some delicious (and free!) food in the sun!
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