-Barack Obama

CHOICE we can believe in

When it comes to life at work, BARACK OBAMA knows about the importance of CHOICE. In 2007, in addition to his statement above, he said:

CHOICE is about having a say on the issues affecting you at work. CHOICE is about whether you want to be recognized for the work you do. CHOICE is about whether you want to have the same rights and entitlements as other workers at Ryerson University.

Ryerson part-time workers and work-study students deserve the same rights and entitlements as their full-time colleagues. By voting YES for OPSEU on March 8, you will take the first step towards achieving those rights and entitlements. You will have a voice that will make the workplace even better, both for you and part-timers to come.

On Monday, March 8…
Vote YES for OPSEU.

* Quotation taken from speech by Barack Obama in Dubuque, Iowa, November 13, 2007.

(Don’t take our word for it: here’s what Barack Obama thinks about unions.)

Work-study students do important work on campus – tutoring, shelving books, leading campus tours, web designing, and event planning, to name a few. A student in a work-study position is paid 75% by the Ontario Work-Study Program (OWSP)/University and 25% by the department. According to OWSP, students are only allowed to make $2000 per semester, even though tuition for Canadian students is typically $2500 or higher per semester.

This makes work-study the cheapest and most profitable group of workers on campus. If something unexpected comes up at work and you have to put in extra hours to deal with it, you won’t be paid for those hours because OWSP doesn’t factor it in. You’re also not guaranteed a minimum of hours because it’s up to the department to decide if there’s a need. Some call the OWSP a “financial aid” program – is it “aid” for the student or “aid” for Ryerson to hire cheap workers?

Flexibility and profitability for who?

Work-study makes you cheaper and more disposable in the eyes of the Employer. Because you only get paid for the hours that you work, Ryerson gets away with not having to pay for sick days. And, if there’s a permanent full-time job posting you have to wait until the posting goes public before you can even apply for it, while the unionized full-timers have first dibs on it.

Work-study students are very much like casual workers in the sense that you have to reapply for the same job year after year, sometimes having to be re-interviewed for the same position, and on top of it all, there is the stress of not being rehired at all or being able to move up just because someone has a personal issue with you.

Experiential-learning in what?

Work-study is supposed to give students an opportunity to “try out” jobs that they otherwise wouldn’t be hired for because of inexperience and lack of education. However, experiential-learning in the workplace means learning about both sides of the story, not just the one that Ryerson tells you.

It’s time for change

We believe that work-study is a valuable program, but we also believe that student workers should have the same opportunities and protections as their full-time coworkers. Student workers must have rights…and a voice.

On March 8, make a choice for YOUR future, and the future of all work-study students who will come after you.

Vote YES for OPSEU.

Non-union part-time support staff and work-study students at Ryerson do not.

You need to have the ability to make a choice about your future. The only way to get that choice is to unionize.

What is a union?

A union is a group of people, with similar concerns and goals, who work together to make positive changes in their workplace. Unions exist to advance worker rights, while at the same time protecting your wages and working conditions. Unions negotiate “on a level playing field” with the employer everything from worker disputes to the term and conditions of your employment.

Ask yourself:

• Have you had enough of low-paying, part-time temporary work?
• Do you want the ability to negotiate issues such as sick benefits, vacation and holiday pay?
• Do you want a future with stability, one that allows you to apply for positions the same as unionized members?
• Do you want to be recognized for the valuable work you do, and be compensated for it fairly?

If you answered yes, then it’s time to take action and get a choice in your future.

Join Ryerson faculty, administrative staff, TAs, RAs, food service and maintenance staff…they have a legally-recognized voice in the workplace. You should too!

On Monday, March 8, vote YES for OPSEU!

OPSEU offers many educational courses to assist you in the workplace. These courses are available to all members, and are completely free!

Equal pay for equal work is the idea that people doing the same work should receive the same compensation. Historically, this type of law was created to prevent employers from paying women at a lower rate then that paid to men who performed the same work. Currently, equal pay legislation exists in all Canadian provinces and territories except Nunvut.

Why should we treat someone differently just because they work fewer hours? At this defining moment in our history, as part-time work becomes more and more common in all industries, it’s time we took a stand.

On March 8, make a choice for YOUR future.

Vote YES for OPSEU.