Following a 96 per cent vote on June 12 accepting a new
collective agreement with the University by AGSEM, the union
representing striking teaching assistants voted to ratify a new
collective agreement with McGill University based on the
conciliator’s recommendations that had been accepted by both the
University and the Executive of AGSEM.
At a general assembly held on June 18 the AGSEM voted to return
to work without conditions and therefore without a back to work
protocol. Both the union and the University had stated on more than
one occasion that it was essential to have an agreed upon back to
work protocol in order to end the strike. After careful
consideration of the options, the University decided to sign the
new collective agreement in the absence of such a protocol in order
to end the labour conflict. Employees returned to work between June
23 and July 2.
The hiring process for teaching assistants for the 2008 Fall
term, which started last March, has now resumed. The original
posting period, from March 15 to April 13, 2008, included the
beginning of the strike period. Supplementary postings will be
issued from August 28 to September 4.
Morton J. Mendelson
Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning)