McMaster, CUPE reach tentative deal to end teaching and research assistant strike

McMaster University has reached a tentative collective agreement with the union representing its teaching and research assistants, bringing an end to a three-week labour dispute that some students said caused undue stress during exam season.

The west Hamilton institution announced the deal with CUPE 3906 in a release Saturday morning, saying it is still subject to ratification votes by the union and its board of governors next week.

Reaching a tentative agreement with our CUPE members is welcome news for everyone involved," Susan Tighe, McMaster's provost and vice-president of academics, said in the release. To our TAs and RAs, you are valued members of our campus community. It is wonderful that we will now be able to work together on successfully completing the fall term and preparing for the start of the winter term in January."

McMaster said the tentative agreement puts an immediate end to the union's striking and picketing activities, which began Nov. 21 after talks broke down between the two sides.

The union was asking for increased wages in line with the cost of living, guaranteed work, and to close the pay gap between graduate and undergraduate assistants, according to its website.

The details of the deal are not yet clear.

Sebastian Bron is a reporter at The Spectator. sbron@thespec.com