Members vote to prepare for future strike action, if necessary

As the University continues to stubbornly refuse to seriously engage with our bargaining proposals, the Component 1 Leadership felt it necessary to ask our membership for strategic and democratic direction. We were stunned by the unbridled enthusiasm of our members when, on a Wednesday night during a summer semester, over 140 members attended a Component Membership Meeting called on short notice. 

After in-depth discussion about how our union should proceed, an overwhelming 96% of the attending members approved the following motion:

Be it resolved that the Component 1 Membership directs leadership to take the necessary steps to be prepared for strike action, if necessary.

You, our membership, have made it clear: we will not concede reasonable proposals to better the lives of student workers at the bargaining table. When UBC tells us to ask our parents for healthcare coverage, it is clear they do not take our proposals or our bargaining power as a union as seriously as they should. Our membership has had enough. 

At Wednesday night’s meeting, our membership decided to strategically direct our union towards getting the best deal possible in negotiations by approving preparations for strike action. Importantly, this motion does not mean that the union is going on strike. It serves, rather, as an acknowledgement that strike action may become a necessity if UBC continues to refuse to negotiate seriously. It is better to prepare for the worst than be met by it unaware.

Your negotiating committee will be at the bargaining table on Monday June, 15th and Wednesday June, 17th. We sincerely hope that UBC returns to the table with serious intentions of discussing our reasonable proposals and that a deal that satisfies the democratic mandate of our membership can be reached without disrupting our work here at the University.

We are ready to negotiate and have the full support of our membership. Is UBC ready to take our proposals seriously? We will keep you updated through union communication channels.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN FOR ME, A CUPE 2278 MEMBER?

You probably have a lot of questions. We have tried to anticipate below some questions we believe may be at the forefront of members’ minds. If you have questions that remain unanswered or if you’re curious about the bargaining process more generally, you can visit the bargaining FAQ page for more information.

With any further questions, please contact Jess Wolf (president@cupe2278.ca), drew hall (vp@cupe2278.ca), Braedon Pauze (communications@cupe2278.ca), or your department steward. 

Q: What Is the Immediate Impact of the Motion?

A: The membership has directed local leadership, including executives, the negotiating committee, and stewards, to become strike ready. This means we will now begin mobilizing members for a potential strike vote and be providing education and training on the logistics of a strike.

Q: Does the motion constitute a strike vote?

A: No. The motion has only directed the leadership to prepare for a potential strike. If necessary, a strike vote (otherwise known as a strike authorization vote) would occur over a multiple-day period and all members of the union would be able to vote for or against strike action. Strike authorization votes are legally binding and regulated by the BC Labour Relations Board. If a strike authorization vote becomes necessary, it will be communicated to the membership in advance. 

Q: Does the motion mean that we are going on strike?

A: It does not mean that we are imminently going on strike. If the University responds to our proposals with a counter-proposal that our membership agrees is suitable for all CUPE 2278 members, we will not need to hold a strike vote or go on strike. 

Q: Will I lose pay if we go on strike?

A: As part of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, our union has access to strike resources funded by over 800,000 union members across Canada. CUPE provides strike pay to striking union members who report to picketing or other duties during the course of a strike. 

Q: How Can I Get More Involved?

A: If you, like so many of our members, are fed up with UBC’s refusal to materially improve the lives of its student workers, there are ways for you to get involved with the local and make a meaningful difference not just in your life, but in the lives of over 6000 fellow student workers. 

The easiest way to get involved is to talk with your coworkers. Help us inform as many members as possible that we need to prepare for strike action if it becomes necessary. Though we do not currently have an upcoming Membership Meeting, keep an eye out as they are a great way to make your voice heard and meet other members. Finally, ask your department steward about upcoming events.