Undergraduate Petition in Solidarity with TSSU

We, the undergraduate students of Simon Fraser University (SFU), write this petition to express our unwavering support for the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) and to vehemently condemn the university's actions in the ongoing strike. It deeply troubles us that SFU's administration has not only failed to address the entirely valid and necessary demands of TSSU, but has also recklessly jeopardized the educational experiences and financial stability of SFU students.

Teaching support staff are the lifeblood of our university, and their dedication and expertise are vital to our education. It is not just a matter of moral obligation, but one of basic decency, research standards, and respect that the university must support its workers, who play a pivotal role in nurturing our academic growth as well as this university’s research output and surplus. The university cannot run without its workers and the fact that these essential teaching staff have been forced into a strike demonstrates that SFU prioritizes profit over people.

We find it unconscionable that SFU's administration is contributing to the commodification of education by ruthlessly burdening students with tuition fee hikes and pursuing “cost-cutting measures” through low wages for workers. At the same time, administrators continue to grant themselves astronomical salaries, such as the nearly half a million dollars paid to President Joy Johnson; this only underscores the stark disparities within our institution. We adamantly reject the notion that students and their families should bear the brunt of the university's financial decisions, especially when alternative solutions can be explored. SFU must cease its exploitative financial practices and prioritize accessible and equitable education for all.

Furthermore, we must highlight that this ongoing strike disproportionately impacts marginalized individuals and international students who are already navigating numerous challenges. International students pay the highest amount of tuition and are further burdened by uncapped tuition increases (with more to come in the next academic year), additional fees for so-called “universal healthcare”, and limits on available scholarships and working hours. This disruption in our education poses additional severe hardships. We call on SFU to recognize the intersections of these issues and work diligently to uphold the values of equity, diversity and inclusion, upon which it prides itself.

The ongoing strike is not the fault of TSSU or its members. This strike is the direct result of SFU's failure to acknowledge and address the entirely legitimate concerns and grievances of its teaching staff. We call on SFU to acknowledge its role in creating this crisis and immediately initiate negotiations with TSSU to reach a just and fair resolution.

We urgently and adamantly demand a tuition refund for the classes that have been cancelled due to the ongoing strike. The fact that over 500 days and 42 bargaining sessions have transpired without any resolution is an indictment of the university's inability to prioritize the educational well-being of its students. Our education should not be held hostage to the failures of the university's administration in addressing the needs of their workers and their disregard for our academic pursuits. We, the undergraduate students, stand in solidarity with TSSU and all underpaid and overworked workers at SFU.

In conclusion, we, the undergraduate students of Simon Fraser University, not only urge SFU's administration to reconsider its approach to the ongoing labor dispute with TSSU, but demand immediate action. Specifically, we call upon the Board of Governors and university administration to:

1. End the strike promptly through a fair agreement with TSSU, taking immediate steps to resolve the ongoing dispute, and considering the disproportionate impact of this situation on marginalized individuals and international students.

2. Refund tuition fees for classes that were canceled due to the strike, as students should not be financially penalized for actions beyond their control and decisions made by the university administration.

3. Protect the SFU Senate-approved right of undergraduate students to respect picket lines by mandating professors to grant academic concessions to all students.

We firmly believe that SFU has the potential to become a truly inclusive and equitable institution, but this can only be achieved by valuing and supporting all members of our community. We stand united with TSSU and demand SFU take the necessary actions to rectify these issues immediately.