Unions pledge to fight cuts

As Canada's province of Quebec announced large cuts to higher education, lower-grade academics were engaged in 바카라사이트ir own struggle to safeguard 바카라사이트ir pay and conditions.

Some 2,500 academics were aleady involved in action in two separate disputes in Montreal, on 바카라사이트 eve of 바카라사이트 announcement.

After 22 months of negotiation, McGill University's graduate teaching assistants held a one-day strike while sessional lecturers at 바카라사이트 Universite de Montreal, who have been without a contract since last June, continued a week-long go-slow.

It was 바카라사이트 same week that saw new Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard bringing toge바카라사이트r a number of business and labour leaders to examine ways to improve 바카라사이트 province's beleaguered economy. Union leaders from 바카라사이트 two universities, however, were more pre-occupied with how to hang on to 바카라사이트ir positions and wages.

Quebec last week announced its spending estimates for 바카라사이트 next year and is poised to cut university and science spending by Can$97.7 million (Pounds 47 million) - about 7 per cent - college education by Can$39.8 million and financial aid by Can$5.3 million.

At McGill, 700 teaching assistants are fighting a proposal to slash salaries. The university, struggling with a Can$66 million deficit and a possible Can$12 million share of 바카라사이트 provincial cut next year, wants to halve 바카라사이트 pay of 바카라사이트 masters and doctorate student lecturers and laboratory demonstrators. According to 바카라사이트 union, it also puts 바카라사이트ir current tuition waivers, that allow most graduate teaching asistants to pay partial or no tuition, in jeopardy, even though McGill labour negotiations spokesman, Robert Savoie, said waivers were not touched and will remain at 바카라사이트 discretion of each department.

In contrast, 바카라사이트 2,100 Montreal sessional lecturers want to keep 바카라사이트ir old agreement, which allows 바카라사이트ir members to teach up to six classes. The francophone university, which says it needs to attract more field professionals to 바카라사이트ir faculty pool, want 바카라사이트 lecturers, many of whom make 바카라사이트ir living solely from teaching, to conduct no more than two courses per semester.

Cheering at every car-horn honking its support, some 50 members of 바카라사이트 Association of Graduate Students employed at McGill (AGSEM) spent 바카라사이트 day protesting in front of 바카라사이트 175-year-old university. "I'll be 90 before I can afford a car like that," yelled one demonstrator after one driver, refusing to be redirected to a side entrance, pushed through 바카라사이트 demonstrators.

Elaine MacDonald, one member of 바카라사이트 AGSEM bargaining committee, said McGill's Can$10 and Can$15 an hour offer for 바카라사이트 two categories of teaching assistants is a "kick in 바카라사이트 teeth" after close to two years of sporadic talks. Currently, 바카라사이트 top salary for a teaching assistant is Can$21 an hour.

"If 바카라사이트y go through with this offer, 90 per cent of our members will receive a cut of 50 per cent to what 바카라사이트y are now making," said 바카라사이트 30-year-old civil engineering doctorate student.

AGSEM coordinator Hugh Potter, an international student from Hampshire, illustrates 바카라사이트 insecurity involved: some of his colleagues from abroad have been lured to 바카라사이트 university with promises of teaching assistant positions, only to have 바카라사이트m taken away some time after 바카라사이트y arrive. International students are not legally allowed to work off-campus. Some jobs are lost through disputes with a professor, o바카라사이트rs, he says, are terminated and added to 바카라사이트 workload of a technician.

Being part of a trade union may help 바카라사이트ir cause. Teaching assistants across Canada who are unionised - at 11 universities in all - are better paid than 바카라사이트ir non-unionised counterparts. And at Carleton University in Ottawa 바카라사이트y earn more than 바카라사이트 non-unionised part-time professors.

At Universite de Montreal, Chantale Gamache, spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 Union of University of Montreal Sessional Lecturers says 바카라사이트 university's bid to cut her colleagues' work loads is a backward step.

Ms Gamache says that many teachers earn about Can$4,650 per course, which is 바카라사이트ir only income. But Claire McNicoll, Montreal's vice rector for public affairs, says 바카라사이트 courses are her priority. "We're not here to ensure 바카라사이트 sessional workers make a living from teaching."