The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) issued the following open letter to Queen’s University administration on Monday, November 4, 2024.
Patrick Deane, Principal
Matthew Evans, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)
Donna Janiec, Vice Principal (Finance and Administration)
Nancy Ross, Vice Principal (Research)
Dan McKeown, Associate Vice Principal (Faculty Relations)
Michael Villeneuve, Faculty Relations Office Director
Dear Principal Deane, Provost Evans, Vice Principals Janiec and Ross, Associate Vice Principal McKeown, and Director Villeneuve,
On behalf of the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), which represents 54 unions and one million workers across the province, I am writing to express our support and solidarity with members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Local 901 Unit 2, Postdoctoral Scholars at Queen’s University.
Postdocs, as early career scholars and scientists, take on cutting-edge research projects. They make invaluable contributions to a university’s research profile and their communities. In exchange, these workers – many of whom relocate from outside Kingston – deserve adequate support from Queen’s University.
PSAC Local 901 Unit 2 members, who earn a minimum rate of $36,000 per year – a mere $224 dollars more than someone working full-time at minimum wage in Ontario – are calling on the Employer, Queen’s University, to respect their work with a contract that includes:
- Decent wages
- Access to comprehensive healthcare
- Mental health and hardship support
- Relocation assistance
We join these workers in condemning the Employer’s choice to cancel the Queen’s Health Team Pilot Project, a pioneering initiative as the first healthcare access program for postdocs in Canada. This move, in addition to the expectation that postdocs continue research and teaching without basic protections, undermines Queen’s University’s commitment to postdoctoral scholars.
The OFL shares its strength and solidarity with PSAC members who deserve a fair deal. We urge Queen’s University to meaningfully address the issues of wages, healthcare access, relocation support, and mental health funding.
In solidarity,
Laura Walton, President, Ontario Federation of Labour
Ahmad Gaied, Secretary-Treasurer, Ontario Federation of Labour
Jackie Taylor, Executive Vice-President, Ontario Federation of Labour
