Tentative deal ends job action by teaching support staff at Simon Fraser University

BURNABY, B.C. — The union representing instructors, teaching assistants and other education support workers at Simon Fraser University says it has reached a tentative agreement, ending a strike that began just over three weeks ago.

The Teaching Support Staff Union posted on social media that it has a proposed deal and has removed pickets from all the university’s campuses in Burnaby, Surrey and downtown Vancouver.

Nearly 1,600 members launched job action on Sept. 26 after being without a collective agreement for 19 months, forcing the cancellation of tutorials, labs, lectures, office hours and the marking of assignments.

Key issues included wages, class size and pensions for instructors.

A statement from the university confirms a tentative deal has been reached and it says details will be released after it is ratified.

The statement on SFU’s website advises students to expect communication from their instructors on the resumption of disrupted classes, labs and tutorials.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2023.

The Canadian Press