Concordia University: Teaching and Research Assistants Win 20% Pay Rise

MONTREAL, March 21, 2025 /CNW/ - After a week-long strike, Concordia University's 2,000 teaching and research assistants mobilized, fought, and won substantial protections against inflation. By the summer of 2026, they will benefit from a 20% pay rise.

"These gains will change our lives, and we owe them to the exceptional mobilization of our union members. In the coming years, we intend to build on our momentum and win even more," explains Ria Mayer, a member of the bargaining committee and a graduate student in philosophy.

The union has also won the first student/teaching assistant indexation system in the country. This ratio now ensures a minimum number of teaching assistant hours will be budgeted per undergraduate student enrolled university-wide, guaranteeing that the quality of teaching at the University is maintained.

"This historic gain will halt the degradation of education for students. For some time now, teaching assistants' workloads have been steadily increasing, reducing the amount of time we can spend helping each one meet their needs," adds Mayer.

"Since the union joined the CSN last year, they have invested all their energies in creating the balance of power it needed to achieve these gains. The struggle is paying off, as CREW has once again demonstrated," explains Dominique Daigneault, president of the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain–CSN. 

"After a year of negotiations, it was high time that Concordia's teaching and research assistants obtained an agreement commensurate with the essential contribution they make to the quality of teaching at the University," concludes Seleha Hedaraly, vice-president of the Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec-CSN (FNEEQ–CSN).

"The rising cost of living is having a major impact on teaching assistants, who are often in a very precarious financial situation. They owe their gains to their courage and determination - well done!" concludes Caroline Senneville, president of the CSN.

SOURCE CSN - Confédération des syndicats nationaux