CUPE deeply divided as mere 108 votes keep union out

Teaching assistants at York University have rejected a settlement with the employer by a vote of 1,100 to 992. The tentative contract called for a raise to $17,500 from $15,000 for the annual funding package that PhD and master’s degree students receive for their work. This morning the Canadian Union of Public Employees 3903, Unit 1 has published a story on its website saying that it fears for the safety of people who try to cross the picket lines. It might have been more suitable to call for calm, but  with a resounding mandate of 108 votes, the union decided to say it fears for the safety of anyone who tries to cross.