HR 120 / Intro to Human Resource Management

LO # 9 / Chapt. 9 / Labour Relations

(17 marks)
McGill’s Teaching Assistants on Strike

McGill’s 1,100 unionized teaching assistants voted to go on strike April 7, 2008, when talks
with administration broke down. The TAs were seeking a $5 to $6 per hour increase over
the next three years to their current average hourly salary of $22 per hour. Other issues
included capping the size of discussion groups, and meeting spaces. On April 8, 2008, the
TAs launched a strike.
During a visit to McGill chemistry lab the following week, Labour Department
investigator Thomas Hayden said he found a non-managerial employee, an assistant
chemistry professor, overseeing the lab. That person openly said he was doing work usually
performed by a teaching assistant. This, Hayden indicated, was a violation of the Labour
Code and said that a hearing would be required to “reconcile differences of interpretation
between McGill and its teaching assistants on their respective roles.” According to McGill,
professors “are responsible for everything that happens in their courses, including marking
exams, and supervising labs.” However, the TAs’ union claims that certain types of work
“belongs to its members.”
Edith Zorychta, president of the McGill Association of University Teachers (MAUT),
said, “MAUT is aware of the difficult situation many faculty members are currently
experiencing with regard to the strike by the teaching assistants, particularly in view of the
conflicting interpretations of the Quebec Labour Code being circulated.”
McGill was accused of “nastiness” when 72 students who belong to the TA union but
were performing unrelated jobs such as invigilators and exam supervisors (jobs outside the
union) were fired. Sessional lecturers who belonged to the union have also received notice
from the university that they will not be required to teach scheduled summer classes. “It
seems like retribution,” says Scott Matter, a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology. He had signed
a contract with McGill on March 17, 2008, to teach a summer anthropology course starting
in June; however, he later received an email that his contract was being cancelled. “I really
feel my rights are being infringed upon. McGill s trying to punish me for being part of a
union,” said Matter, who has filed a grievance. “I’m spending the afternoon arranging a
student line of credit, because otherwise I’m not going to be able to get through the rest of
the summer.”

Questions
1. i. What is your analysis of the situation faced by McGill and its stakeholders – for e.g.,
students, professors, teaching assistants, managers and other employees at McGill? (5)

As a student, teaching assistants going on strike would be frustrating. After getting used
to having multiple people in class to help and then having that suddenly disappear,
especially around final exams, could hurt a lot of people’s marks. It could also be
frustrating for professors as their workload will increase a lot. It was an incredibly smart
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McGill University
 decision by the teaching assistants to go on strike around the same time as final exams.
This is the busiest and most stressful time of the school year and because of that, the
university will most likely be a lot more willing to give the teaching assistants what they
want. Another problem with the strike is the other employees that are taking over the
teaching assistants’ jobs while they’re on strike. It is a tough decision for them as there
really is no good choice. If they work the teaching assistants’ jobs, there is potential for
them to get fired, while on the other hand, if they don’t takeover the TA’s jobs the
students and professors will suffer.

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McGill University
How do you think the timing of the strike, that is, around final exams, may have influenced
the actions of the parties to the labour dispute? (3)

As I stated above, the timing of the strike being around final exams is a very smart decision
by the teaching assistants. The university will be eager to get a deal done as soon as
possible, so that the students will have that extra support that the teaching assistants offer,
and so the workload of the professors is not so high.

2. How would you recommend McGill solve their labour dispute? (2)

I would recommend McGill uses mediation to solve the labour dispute as this gives both
parties an opportunity to explain their side. The problem with this is that there is the
potential they don’t get a deal done before final exams but if both sides cooperate this
shouldn’t be a problem.

i. What is your advice to university administration? (2)

My advice to the university administration is to put themselves in the shoes of the students
and professors. This is already a stressful time for both parties. They need to try and be
open to the deal and to try and get it done as soon as possible. Obviously, things like
finances come into play but if they have enough money, they need to be open to the deal.

ii. What is your advice to the union representing the TAs? (2)

The union representing the TA’s need to be open to any proposals that the administration
may make as they may not be able to afford the wage that the TA’s want. They also need to
have some urgency to try and get the deal done before final exams as not getting it done
before then may hurt the relationship between the parties in the future.

3. What effect might the actions of McGill’s administration and the TAs’ union have on
labour-management relations at McGill in the future? (3)

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McGill University
The actions of both parties could potentially hurt relations at McGill in the future. The TA’s
going on strike around final exams could be seen as petty and disrespectful by
administration and other parties while McGill firing 72 employees could also be seen as
petty and retaliation for the TA’s going on strike. The longer the strike continues, the worse
the relations may get.

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McGill University