QCAA has learned that department heads are being copied on numerous letters sent by undergraduate students to the Principal, the Provost, and the Board of Trustees urging them to return to the table and negotiate a fair deal for PSAC 901 workers.
Please encourage students, as well as their parents, Queen’s alumni, faculty and staff colleagues, and community members to submit their letters here. If you are copied on a letter, please seek permission to share before submitting it. We are happy to publish anonymous contributions.
Below are our first submissions, one from a fourth-year student and the other from a professor in the Department of Film and Media Studies.
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing as a concerned fourth-year student at Queen’s University regarding the ongoing strike by Teaching Assistants (TAs), Teaching Fellows (TFs), and Research Assistants (RAs) under PSAC 901. I urge Queen’s administration to return to the bargaining table and meet the demands of these essential academic workers, whose contributions are critical to my education and future success.
As a student enrolled in lab-based courses, my primary source of learning comes from the guidance and instruction provided by my TAs. They not only run my labs but also facilitate discussions, grade assignments, and provide crucial feedback that shapes my academic development. Without their support, I am missing out on hands-on learning experiences that are vital to my training, particularly as I prepare for a career in physiotherapy which is a field that requires practical, hands-on skills.
The disruption caused by this strike is not just an inconvenience; it has direct consequences on my ability to graduate on time and meet application deadlines for physiotherapy programs. Many graduate and professional schools, including those I am applying to, have strict grade submission deadlines. If my final marks are delayed due to the absence of TAs to assess my coursework, I risk missing these critical deadlines, which could set back my career trajectory by an entire year.
It is deeply concerning that the university has yet to offer a fair and equitable contract to its graduate student workers. These individuals dedicate themselves to supporting undergraduate education, yet they are facing financial insecurity, stagnant wages, and inadequate working conditions. A university of Queen’s calibre should recognize and fairly compensate the labour that makes its academic reputation possible.
I implore the administration to engage in good-faith negotiations with PSAC 901 and reach a resolution that ensures fair compensation and working conditions for our TAs, TFs, and RAs. Their work is indispensable to student learning, and their absence creates a gap in my education that cannot be filled. I hope Queen’s will act swiftly to resolve this issue, demonstrating respect for both its academic workers and students.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your prompt action on this matter.
Sincerely,
Queen's Coalition Against Austerity 