BURNABY—CUPE Local 3338 members shut down the Burnaby campus of SFU this morning at one minute after midnight (see photos). The striking workers say they will stay until midnight tonight. Buses rerouted to avoid crossing the picket lines and TSSU teaching assistants were also on the lines. Visitors are being greeted by a huge SFU ‘ON STRIKE’ sign at the entrance to the campus.
The 1,000 member union local has been trying to get the university to come to the bargaining table for a new contract for more than two years. All the other CUPE staffed universities in the province have already signed new collective agreements including at UBC, UVic, TRU, UNBC, Royal Roads and Thompson Rivers.
CUPE National President Paul Moist is heading up Burnaby Mountain this morning to walk the line with CUPE members. Moist and CUPE BC President Barry O’Neill will be visiting more CUPE 3338 members downtown at 1pm when they hook up with fellow striking college support workers at Vancouver Community College for a show of post-secondary solidarity.
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