Dalhousie University Part-Time Faculty Secure Wage Gains, Job Security

Part-time faculty and teaching assistants at Dalhousie University have achieved significant gains in wages and job security following the ratification of a new collective agreement. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3912 announced that members voted overwhelmingly, with 85 percent in favor of the deal last week. This agreement was finalized on October 20, 2023, successfully averting a potential strike.

The new contract introduces improvements in wages, enhances job security, and makes adjustments to professional development provisions. Notably, it removes the marker/demonstrator job category, set to take effect for the 2026-2027 academic year. This change addresses concerns that this classification undermined the value of academic labor and created disparities among union members.

“The Marker/Demonstrator job category is an important win for us at Dal because this job category was being used to devalue the labour of academic workers, as well as undermining other members of our union,” stated Larissa Atkison, vice president of CUPE 3912 and part-time instructor at Dalhousie, in a news release.

CUPE Local 3912 represents over 4,000 academic workers at Dalhousie, advocating for fair treatment and equitable pay. The organization highlighted that markers and demonstrators had been assigned teaching assistant duties while receiving lower wages, leading to ongoing concerns among faculty members.

Ongoing Strikes at Other Institutions

Simultaneously, CUPE Local 3912 also represents part-time faculty at Saint Mary’s University and Mount Saint Vincent University, where faculty members have been on strike for nearly two weeks. At Saint Mary’s, faculty are pushing for improved stipends, along with proposals regarding faculty appointments and contract timelines. They are also advocating for guaranteed work for instructors who have taught at the institution for at least three consecutive years.

Meanwhile, faculty at Mount Saint Vincent University are seeking wage increases and the removal of restrictions affecting their academic freedom to teach and assess students.

As negotiations continue at these institutions, the recent developments at Dalhousie University highlight the importance of collective bargaining in securing better working conditions for faculty and teaching staff. The outcomes of these negotiations may set a precedent for similar discussions across the region, impacting the future landscape of academic employment in Nova Scotia.