'Struggling' Western University teaching assistants push for wage hike
Graduate and post-doctoral students at Western University 'struggling' to cover basics such as rent, food and clothing are pushing for better wages.
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Graduate and post-doctoral students at Western University who say they’re struggling to cover basics such as rent, food and clothing are pushing for better wages.
Karuna Dsouza is president of PSAC 610, the graduate teaching assistant and postdoctoral associate union that represents the university’s 2,069 teaching assistants. She said grad students “are struggling to survive” as living costs spiral.
“Grad students can’t afford to live right now,” said Dsouza, who’s organized a Tuesday morning rally on University Hill to draw attention to their plight. “There’s been a huge increase in housing expenses in London.
“Our wages aren’t enough and we’re limited as to how much work we can do as teaching assistants.”
Teaching assistants help professors with tasks such as lecturing, grading and tutorials, Dsouza said. They’re represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) union.
Dsouza makes $6,610 every four months, and her hours are capped at 10 per week, eight months a year, she said.
To meet basic expenses, TAs are forced to find second jobs, which “takes away time from the work we have actually come here to do,” she said. “It takes longer to complete our studies and we have a terrible life.”
One doctoral student who left a lucrative job in his homeland to study in London says he and his family can’t afford basics such as winter clothing for his kids.
“We live below the poverty line,” said the student, who asked not to be named for fear of repercussions. He said after he pays his rent, there’s nothing left from his TA pay for food and other essentials.
“You are told you will be given a fully funded study and competitive benefits,” he said. “When you get here, you realize the money . . . is not even enough to pay your rent. It was a huge shock.”
Right now, he said he’s catching up on rent arrears and getting money from home.
Craig Reynolds, PSAC’s Ontario regional executive vice-president, said Western “reported hundreds of millions of dollars in excess revenues.”
“They should use this surplus to alleviate the hardship these workers are currently facing,” he said in a release.
Linda Miller, Western’s vice-provost of graduate and postdoctoral studies, said she meets regularly with the university’s 6,700 grad students “to discuss and implement ongoing supports.”
Teaching assistants currently make $47.22 an hour, she said. Their current contract expires Aug. 31.
“Hourly rates and hours of work for GTAs will be discussed during the collective bargaining process in the months ahead,” Miller said.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described Karuna Dsouza’s title. The Free Press regrets the error.
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