On Monday, June 8th, the Quebec Labour Board counted the vote regarding the union drive for McGill’s postdocs. It is with great pleasure that we announce that 83% of McGill’s postdocs chose to unionize. As employees, McGill’s postdocs are now members of AMURE. Our parent union, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), represents more than 25,000 academic employees in Quebec of whom more than 1,200 are postdocs.
McGill’s postdocs now take their place alongside many other canadian unionized post docs, including Wester, McMasters, UofT, Carleton, Queen’s, Memorial as well as many Quebec Universities such as UQAM, Universite de Laval and Universite de Montreal.
From now on, McGill’s postdocs can be represented by AMURE in negotiations with McGill. This means that all eligible postdocs can defend the rights now granted to them under the Quebec Labour Code. Eligible postdocs include those whose remuneration comes from funds administered by the university, for example, research grants received by a professor, amounts paid to a professor under research contracts from the private sector, or any financial assistance granted to the university or to any of its units to support research. Postdocs whose funding is administered by the RI-MUHC or any other hospital in lieu of McGill are not eligible. If you have any questions about whether you’re eligible, emailsean.cory@aerum-amure.ca.
A general assembly for postdocs will take place on Monday, June 22nd at 5pm in Leacock Room 132. The purpose of this meeting will be to explain and answer questions about the bargaining process, to elect union stewards and officials, and to begin work on future negotiations with McGill. The PSAC negotiator will be in attendance.
AMURE would like to thank everyone who gave their support during this campaign! We look forward to working with postdocs and striving to make McGill an equitable workplace for everyone.
Visit this website for more information about Quebec’s unionized postdocs.