Frequently Asked Questions
Scroll down to learn more about bargaining, union basics, your rights as a CREW member, and working at Concordia.
Bargaining
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A collective agreement is a written contract between the employer and a union that outlines many of the terms and conditions of employment for employees in a bargaining unit. These terms and conditions are set through collective bargaining between the employer and the union. Collective agreements typically cover wages and benefits as well as terms and conditions of employment that relate to e.g., job postings; obligations and responsibilities of the employer, the employee, and the union; and a dispute resolution process (usually a grievance and arbitration procedure).
Our CAs typically last for three years and are renegotiated when they expire.
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We need major improvements to our current working conditions, such as:
Vital wage increases to combat the cost of living crisis, including rising prices and soaring rent, along with regular adjustments to match pay with inflation.
Retroactive compensation for delays to the bargaining process since the expiration of our last collective agreement, May 31, 2023.
Clear contract definitions and standards to guard against the rampant problem of overwork.
Timely contract processing and payment to put an end to the widespread issue of working before or without a contract and unacceptably delayed paycheques.
Equal pay for RAs meaning undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral student-workers will all be paid equal rates for equal work.
A more democratic and inclusive union structure to push forward the demands of members on issues such as workplace safety issues, and improved services and training.
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Here's how it works:
The union elects a Bargaining Committee (BC) at a General Assembly (GA). The BC consults the membership about their needs. Based on this input, they make a list of proposed demands for members to review, amend, and approve at a GA. Once accepted, these demands form our bargaining mandate.
The BC negotiates with the employer to win the deal we deserve. Members can keep up with the negotiations by attending open bargaining sessions and reading our newsletter.
If negotiations stall, the membership can always revise the mandate at another GA and, if necessary, we can use pressure tactics to force concessions from the employer. These range from low intensity (e.g., rallies, slowdowns) to high intensity (e.g., a strike).
Negotiations conclude when the parties sign a tentative agreement. The membership then votes on it at a GA. If approved, the new CA is signed; if rejected, we return to negotiations and keep fighting.
Unions: Purpose & Functions
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A labour union is a legal organization of employees who work together to improve their working conditions. A union can be accredited to represent some group of employees (recognized the government as their official union representative), in which case it negotiates a Collective Agreement that acts as the shared work contract for all of the employees it represents.
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Quite common! Roughly 38% of all workers are unionized in Quebec and 29% across Canada. This rate is notably higher among workers in the education sector. For example, most positions at Concordia are unionized.
All employees maintain the legal right to belong to and participate in a union, guaranteed under article 3 of the Quebec Labour Code.
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Our work is crucial to Concordia’s teaching and research activities. We know the value of our labour, but it's in the university’s financial interest to undervalue and divide us. There is power in joining forces as a union and demonstrating how critical our roles are. Through collective action, we can improve our working conditions and wages.
Coming together as a union makes us all stronger and safer!
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CREW has three primary functions; it
Supports and represents members with work-related concerns and conflicts
Negotiates and enforces the Collective Agreement between the union and the employer
Campaigns on issues that affect members on and off campus
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CREW is a democratic organization, but in order to participate fully you must sign a union membership card.
You are eligible for union membership for the duration of your contract and for 12 months after it ends, provided you are still enrolled at Concordia.
If you have trouble signing your card, try using a different browser and/or enabling pop-ups.
Your Rights
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Our workplace is a “closed shop,” meaning that every TA and RA at Concordia is protected by CREW’s Collective Agreement — with the exception of RAships paid by bursary. When you sign a contract, you are guaranteed the right to union representation and the working conditions, including wage rates, outlined in the CA.
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TA and RA contracts have start and end dates. Pay close attention to these — you are never required to perform work before or after the contract dates. Be sure to sign your contract before you begin working.
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We are paid by the hour and not by the task! PLEASE keep track of the hours you’ve completed to avoid unpaid overwork. If you don’t have enough hours for a task, tell your supervisor. When you run out of hours completely, let them know and STOP WORKING! If the supervisor still wants you to complete a task, they must request another contract with additional paid hours for you.
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CREW is here to back you up. No issue is too big or too small.
As soon as you have a question or sense a problem, send us an email! We can help you sign your contract, negotiate additional hours, and even join you in meetings with your supervisor. The union’s support is always confidential. The sooner you reach out, the more we can do to help — contact us any time at hello@crew-csn.com.
Working at Concordia
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Though CREW advocates for its members, the union is not responsible for hiring. TA and RA positions are filled differently in each department. If you need more information, contact your department administrator.
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Teaching Assistants: $29.00
Research Assistants (these rates are minimums):
Doctoral students: $29.81
Master’s students: $22.14
Undergraduate students (not applicable to SGS): $17.26
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Follow these steps before you start working:
If you’re a TA, review the tasks described in your “workload form” and come to an agreement with the supervisor. This may require a meeting to explain the tasks.
TAs and RAs both sign contracts and CREW membership cards online in FRIS — log in with your Concordia employee account.
Provide a void cheque from your Canadian bank account and your Social Insurance Number (if Canadian) or study permit (if international) to HR.
Your department administrator should provide more detailed instructions for each step. Reach out to CREW if you need any help.
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Typical problems fall into five broad categories.
Technical: can’t access UNITY or FRIS; late pay
Boundaries: being asked to do things that aren’t your job
Overwork: attending lectures without pay; not enough hours to grade assignments
Training: unclear instructions or rubrics; too much new course material to learn
Interpersonal: serious conflict, harassment, or abuse
CREW can help you navigate all of these scenarios!
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Concordia must pay you no later than one month after the start date of your contract. If your pay is delayed, contact grievance@crew-csn.com.
Mid-Contract Meetings
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Through CREW’s conversations with the employer, we are aware that some supervisors may ask union members for a mid-contract meeting to review progress on contractual tasks and, in some cases, to discuss making changes to contract end dates to cover the period required for grading final exams. In these meetings, you have important rights as a union member. Here are your options in these meetings:
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The employer CANNOT unilaterally change an active contract without your consent. If you do not want to extend your contract end date, you may politely and firmly decline any request of this nature, to ensure that you are paid the full value of your contract on schedule. If your workload form allocated hours to marking final exams, it is a shared responsibility between you and the supervisor to reallocate these hours to other tasks.
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If your contract ends before the final exam period, but you want to mark the exams, there are two ways to modify your contract and provide for this in a mid-contract meeting.
First, you may agree to cancel the remainder of your existing contract, and sign a new one which includes the required grading period. Your supervisor MUST offer you a new contract — it cannot go to anyone else, and it must contain all of the hours remaining from the cancelled contract. The university also MUST pay out 15% of the total value of the previous contract (this is called an “indemnity”). For example, if your previous contract was for 100 hours, this indemnity must equal the value of 15 hours. If you agree to cancel a contract, and the university does not both offer you a new contract and pay you the full indemnity of the cancelled contract, please let us know immediately. (Note that, if you decide to cancel your existing contract, it may push back your next regular pay date.)
Second, you may simply agree to extend the end date of your existing contract. This means that you won't have to sign any new contract, and your next pay date will not be pushed back; however, it also means that you will receive less pay on your next pay date, because the remainder of your contract will be paid out over a longer period. You also will not receive any indemnity for extending a contract's end dates.
If your contract has already been canceled or changed without your permission, please contact us immediately so we can recover your pay! And remember that you have a right to union representation in any meeting about your work or your contract. If you have an upcoming meeting, you can get in touch with us directly for any questions, support, or advice.
Have outstanding questions or need clarification? Write to us at hello@crew-csn.com