Dear USW Local 1998 Members,
We asked you to show up to rally in support of our collectively bargaining rights, and today, you showed up in force, delivering a powerful message to the employer: USW Local 1998 members will not allow the University to unilaterally erode the rights which we’ve fought for and secured through collective bargaining.
Today, from the St. George campus to the Mississauga campus to the Scarborough campus, you showed up by the hundreds. You stood up. You spoke up. You fought back. Together, we demonstrated that we are informed, we are organized, and we are prepared to defend the terms of our collective agreement.
As powerful chants of “SO-SO-SO-SOLIDARITY” and “HYBRID WORKS! HYBRID WORKS!” rang out outside of Simcoe Hall, USW Local 1998’s President, Staff Representative, and two rank-and-file members marched inside to deliver a package to the President’s Office including a letter to President Woodin, the Local’s open letter on protecting hybrid work, and a copy of a recent research report on USW Local 1998 members’ workloads entitled Doing More With Less. Our delegation met with high-level University administrators to deliver the membership’s message. Simultaneously, USW Local 1998 representatives and rank-and-file members at UTM and UTSC delivered the same package of documents to the Principals’ Offices at each campus.
Your Engagement Matters
As we prepare to negotiate our seven bargaining units’ 2026–2029 collective agreements – with Staff-Appointed Unit contract negotiations already underway – today’s rallies demonstrated exactly why your engagement matters. Your presence strengthened our position, amplified our message, and contributed to a powerful display of unity that our employers cannot ignore. To date, the Local’s open letter on protecting hybrid work has been signed by over 2,000 members. Show your solidarity: Sign the open letter now.
Looking Ahead
The momentum we built at today’s rallies must carry forward through this year’s contract negotiations. Collective bargaining is a months-long process, and we need you to stay engaged. Continue to wear and display your union solidarity gear in the workplace so the employer knows that USW Local 1998 members are paying attention and will not stand for any concession demands. Read your weekly e-newsletters, share bargaining updates with your colleagues, and sign up for text communications. When we ask you to complete your bargaining unit’s bargaining priorities survey, please provide your input. When we ask you to vote in your bargaining unit’s strike mandate vote, please cast a ballot. Your engagement and being strike-ready are the foundation of a successful round of bargaining. Help us get strike-ready by submitting your personal email address to USW Local 1998. Visit www.usw1998.ca/b2w for more information.
Today, the University heard us loud and clear. USW Local 1998 members are committed to holding the University accountable for adhering to the terms of our collective agreement.
Together we will continue to fight back.
In solidarity,
John Ankenman
President, USW Local 1998
President, USW Local 1998 Victoria University Unit
Tamara Vickery
Vice-President, USW Local 1998
President, USW Local 1998 Staff-Appointed Unit
P.S. Send your rally photos and videos to info@usw1998.ca and tag @uswlocal1998 on Instagram!