Statement by York University President & Vice-Chancellor: Successful Ratification Ends Labour Disruption

TORONTO, March 31, 2015 /CNW/ - Over the past four weeks, the University has provided regular updates on the labour disruption by CUPE 3903. With this final update, I am pleased to confirm that CUPE 3903 Units 1 and 3, our teaching assistants and graduate assistants, voted today to accept new three-year collective agreements.

This is excellent news for the entire York community. I know this past month has been extremely challenging for everyone, and particularly for our students, who are working hard to finish their courses and programs and to successfully complete their terms.

While most classes at York University have already resumed, the successful ratification means that all classes, tutorials and labs will resume tomorrow morning, Wednesday, April 1. Exams will proceed, with the first of two exam period schedules to be released tomorrow. Convocation will be held as scheduled in June.

I would like to thank everyone who helped to facilitate these agreements, as well as our faculty and staff for their flexibility and commitment to keeping York's facilities open. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to our students for their patience and understanding during this difficult time.

From the outset York was committed to reaching fair and competitive settlements that reflect the valuable contributions of our graduate students and their vital role in supporting our learning environment here at York. These settlements not only demonstrate our ongoing commitment to supporting our graduate students, but they also reflect the University's core values of diversity, inclusiveness and equity.

With the labour disruption now behind us, we can focus our collective energies on our highest priority—supporting our fundamental mission of teaching, research and public service, and working together to provide a first-class education for our students.

Mamdouh Shoukri
President and Vice-Chancellor

SOURCE York University

Media Contact: Joanne Rider, York University Media Relations, 416 736 5593, [email protected]