252 Bloor Street West, Room 8-104

Toronto, ON M5S 1V6

(416) 978-2403

October 23, 2009

Dear Sisters and Brothers of Local 3902’s Unit 3:

Re: Solidarity with your effort to get a fair collective agreement

The members of CUPE Local 3907 stand firmly in solidarity with CUPE Local 3902’s attempt at the bargaining table to seek a fair collective agreement for sessional instructors at the University of Toronto. It is unconscionable for the University of Toronto to virtually ignore your proposals on job security and fair wages given the fact that your contribution as teachers is a phenomenon that is held in high regard at the educational institution. As sessional instructors, you teach about 30 per cent of all courses at this university and certainly should command that proportion of the combined wages paid to tenure-track staff and sessional instructors.

In respect to compensation, the concept of internal equity and external equity are used as measurements of the degree to which workers in comparable categories measure up to each other on wages and working conditions. Upward adjustments are normally made, where necessary. As sessional instructors, it very clear that you are being taken advantage of by the employer who is offering wage levels, which are below that of your peers in the Greater Toronto Area. The employer should be participating in a political campaign with other stakeholders to demand increased funding from the provincial government for the postsecondary sector in Ontario. The employer should not try to solve the problem of underfunding by denying you a just wage settlement and decent working conditions.

CUPE Local 3902’s bargaining proposals are quite reasonable. CUPE Local 3907 stands in solidarity with your local’s efforts to defend your right to decent working conditions, access to internal and external funding opportunities, voluntary participation in university governance structures and fair wages.

In solidarity,

Ajamu Nangwaya

Chair Internal