Coordinated Bargaining Bulletin # 2
Coordinated Bargaining at UofT
CUPE on Campus
CUPE 1230 • CUPE 2484 • CUPE 3261 • CUPE 3902
Who's Afraid of Coordinated Bargaining?
On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, your locals had an important coordinated action with the goal of moving Towards a Unified Bargaining Process between CUPE and the University. Your Bargaining Committees sent a letter to the Employer, specifically to Professor Kenneth Corts; Vice-President, People, Finance & Digital Services; Professor Irene Morra, Principal and Vice-President, University of St Michael's College; and Professor Alex Eric Hernandez, Principal of Victoria College.
In it, your BCs outlined the many reasons why a common table is the best option for both the employer and CUPE locals. We pointed out that UofT already coordinates their tables as they are determined to follow a "pattern bargaining" practice, and we reminded them that, despite their best efforts to categorize us as different “communities of interest,ˮ we see ourselves as part of the same group: workers who share concerns and demands regarding job security, fair wages, good benefits, and respect and dignity in the workplace
A common table would facilitate an efficient use of time and resources for everyone involved, allowing locals and the employer to focus on creating safe and just working conditions for all workers while also fostering a world-class academic environment for students, researchers, and the broader U of T community.
Your Employer disagreed.
St. Mikeʼs “respectfully declined;ˮ Victoria ignored our letter; and UofT replied to each local separately, stating that “the University is not on for this.ˮ They also ignored our second request, which was a meeting to discuss our position, so we followed up. We want to know why the University insists on divided tables only for the unions when the employer effectively negotiates as a single party.
This reply is enough for you to know: the University does not care about how much money, time, and resources they put into bargaining—all the employer cares about is keeping the union divided, keeping you and your coworkers from building power.
It is up to you to show UofT this strategy will not work. We have begun this process united, and we will continue to be united until we win!
Units Coordinating!
CUPE 1230
Full-Time and Part-Time
Student Casual
CUPE 2484
Early Learning Centres
CUPE 3261
Full-Time and Part-Time
Casual
89 Chestnut
CUPE 3902
Unit 1
Unit 2 (Victoria College)
Unit 4 (St Mike's College)
Unit 5
Unit 8
3902-8 joins coordination!
This past July, Research Associates and Senior Research Associates at UofT voted YES to join CUPE 3902 as Unit 8. Soon after, they passed a motion to build power and coordinate the bargaining of their first CA. Welcome Unit 8!
Coordinated CAT Training
A second session geared towards creating coordinated action and facilitating the locals meeting and building connections was held on August 18: a training for the members of our coordinated Contract Action Team (CAT— so, no, not those cats !).
CAT members, along with stewards and bargaining committee members met to learn about the importance of building strong networks with their coworkers and practice how to have successful conversations with them in order to be ready to take action.
Will you take action?
Over 95% of members across coordinating units have indicated that they support coordination. We're off to a great start, but this member-led initiative requires a strong majority participation to be successful.
Have you filled out your bargaining survey? Have your friends and colleagues? If your unit's survey is still open, you can find them following the QR Code below.
Find your bargaining surveys here! https://linktr.ee/weareuoft