As of Sunday, March 9, over 1,200 workers at Queen’s University could be on strike, with an additional 2,000 graduate student workers possibly joining on March 10.
United Steelworkers Local 2010 (USW 2010) has been negotiating with the university since December. Slow progress led to the first strike mandate vote in the union’s history, with 96% of members supporting a strike.
USW 2010 includes a wide range of workers, including in residences, admissions, financial aid, athletics and recreation, wellness, and accessibility services. Key issues include compensation, workload, and support for students.
“There’s only so many times you can look a student in the eyes and tell them, I’m sorry, I’m doing the best that I can, while they’re crying and asking for your help,” stated Peter Miller, chair of the strike committee for USW 2010.
As the deadline approaches, the university states they plan to continue operations amid the potential strike.
