PSAC extends a warm welcome to over 500 grant-paid employees working at Dalhousie University. They are the newest members joining our growing union of over 215,000 members following a secret ballot vote to unionize.
Following a multi-year organizing effort, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the workers overcame employer opposition and won their union. The Nova Scotia Labour Board issued union certification on February 24, 2022.
This is a diverse group of research associates, research technicians, research engineers, project managers, data analysts, program coordinators, laboratory technicians, research coordinators (and more). The entire Dalhousie community relies on the tireless efforts of grant-paid employees every day to deliver high-quality research, professional, administrative and technical services. PSAC also represents Postdoctoral fellows at Dalhousie University.
New members shared their excitement hearing the news, and now they are ready to negotiate their first contract to win improvements on the job.
“As grant-paid employees, we now have the ability to go to the bargaining table with over 500+ of our colleagues standing with us. That’s the whole point of a union, and we can accomplish a lot by standing together,” wrote the 27-person organizing committee in a recent communication to all grant-paid employees.
Regional and national PSAC leadership shared their congratulations to the new members.
“The grant-paid employees at Dalhousie are a shining example of workers coming together and organizing through this pandemic. Even though they are exhausted, as we all are, they fought hard to organize their workplace for better wages and job security,” said PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President Colleen Coffey. “I congratulate them on a successful unionization drive, and now we will focus on negotiating a strong first collective agreement. PSAC is thrilled to represent this new group of workers and enthusiastically welcomes them to the PSAC Family.”
PSAC remains committed to organizing the university sector to improve working conditions for employees. These workers have endured short-term contracts and years of precarious work. This drive was done mainly virtually due to employees working remotely. These new members show it’s possible for workers in all sectors to join together, organize, and succeed during this pandemic.
When workers exercise their power collectively, we can win.