June 11, 2008
Hamilton, ON

Local members of Common Cause joined part-time professors at McMaster University as they held an info picket outside the University’s annual convocation ceremonies at the Hamilton Convention Centre on Thursday, June 11. Common Cause members, some of whom are also part of CUPE 3906, helped hand out over 200 flyers to parents and students.

The sessionals, members of CUPE 3906, are protesting lay-offs and trying to raise awareness about major restructuring planned by the University's administration.

The plans include program closures, reductions in course offerings for undergraduate students, the elimination of program minors, and across-the-board, maximum-level tuition increases of 4 per cent to 8 per cent. Meanwhile, the administration plans to create a new Vice-President position joining the other 17 top executives (President and VPs) who together made over $4.3 million last year. The University's budget documents can be seen at http://unit2jobcuts.wordpress.com/

More protests are likely to follow in the coming months as more affected groups become aware of these changes.