The Executive Committee of CUPE 3903 stands in support of CUPE 2361’s struggle for fair wages and better working conditions.
CUPE 2361 members have been struggling with severe understaffing, which has its roots in both low wages and high workloads. The caretaking, landscaping, maintenance, and trades labour that CUPE 2361 members perform is a crucial component of what makes Western University function on a day-to-day basis.
As their legal strike date of August 30th approaches, we know that these workers want nothing more than to do their jobs maintaining a campus that is clean, safe, and accessible for all. Doing those jobs is incredibly difficult when 2/3rds of CUPE 2361 members at Western University have to work two or more jobs at once to support themselves.
As precarious academic workers, many of us at CUPE 3903 share the struggles of having to take on multiple forms of employment just to make ends meet. For university workers, whether in trades or otherwise, we know that our working conditions are students’ learning conditions. Western University needs enough well-treated support staff to be able to provide safe, reliable services across their campus.
CUPE 2361 members have our solidarity in their efforts to secure sustainable jobs that keep better pace with rising inflation and costs of living.