University of Toronto workers vote for strike mandate

More than 6,100 administrative, technical, and academic support workers at the University of Toronto have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike mandate. The United Steelworkers Local 1998 reported that 96 percent of ballots cast by the Staff-Appointed Unit were in favor of the mandate.

The union represents a diverse group of employees, including IT workers, lab assistants, academic advisors, and program coordinators. Key points of contention in the two-month negotiation process include job security, workload, wages, health-care benefits, remote work, and protections regarding artificial intelligence.

Union president John Ankenman expressed concern over the university’s plan to save $20 million by not replacing departing employees, noting this could increase the workload burden on remaining staff. While the strike mandate places workers in a legal position to walk off the job as classes begin on Tuesday, September 8, union officials stated that a strike is not certain if productive bargaining continues through the weekend.