Organize University of Waterloo

Sign-up for membership in the union if you are working at the University of Waterloo as a:

  • Graduate Teaching Assistant
  • Graduate Research Assistant
  • Sessional Instructor (click for more info)

If you are a TA or RA and are ready to sign a card, click the following link:

I am a TA/RA and ready to sign!
I still need more information…

Contact an organizer directly

Committee to Organize uWaterloo

Committee to Organize uWaterloo

supported by CUPE

Organize uWaterloo

The Committee to Organize uWaterloo (aka OrganizeUW or OUW) is a grassroots campaign to unionize the academic workers at the University of Waterloo (UW). It was started in March 2020 by a group of graduate students hoping to make Waterloo a better place to work, and the movement has been growing ever since!

You are eligible to sign a union card if you are working as a:

  • Graduate Teaching Assistant (TA)
  • Graduate Research Assistant (RA)
  • Sessional/Contract/Adjunct Instructor

OrganizeUW is proudly supported by the Canadian Union of Public Employees. With over 715,000 members nation-wide, CUPE is Canada's largest union and a leader in the post-secondary education sector.

The primary aim of the organizing committee is:

To build an inclusive OrganizeUW where human rights are built into everything we do, including in how we operate our current drive and what we plan for our future union local. By focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion we hope to make our spaces open, diverse, fair, equitable, representative, and ultimately incompatible with white supremacy and patriarchy. Only by ensuring full, meaningful, and equitable chances for everyone to participate in our grassroots group can we hope to build a successful union movement that will truly improve the lives of everyone at UW.

The principles and goals for this campaign have been outlined by the OUW Committee for Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and can be found in full here.

Events

Recent and upcoming webinars, town halls, socials, info tables, and more

Union Bingo

Eyes down, dabbers up, it's OrganizeUW Bingo Night!

OrganizeUW Coffee Truck Road Trip!

OrganizeUW is going on a road trip to satellite campuses and we’re bringing the coffee truck with us!

Union Trivia

There's nothing trivial about Union Trivia!

#OUWintheWild

We are SO excited to bring you our first-ever #OUWintheWild contest! Have you seen our swag with Gizmo the Goose around campus? Do you like free food? Well, have we got the contest for you!

News

The latest blog posts, media coverage, announcements, and more

They changed the rules and didn't tell you - again!

Policy 30 - the policy that outlines the terms of employment for TAs - was updated as of December 13, 2022. We want to explain some of the issues we see with Policy 30 - both the process and the content - and how it would be different if we were already unionized.

Sessional Instructors Have Unionized!

We’re thrilled to announce that Sessional Instructors at the University of Waterloo are the newest members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Sessionals Video Statements

See the statements sessional instructors made in favor of voting yes for a union.

Organize UW Video Day

See what many of Organize UW's volunteers had to say about why they got involved in our grassroots union drive, and how we think our union will make a difference.

Sessional Filing Announcement

BREAKING NEWS: The OrganizeUW Sessionals’ union campaign has filed an application to certify our union at the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB)! We've exceeded the requirement of 40% of Sessional Instructors signing union cards, demonstrating loud and clear that Sessionals at the University of Waterloo want to form a union!

Student-worker organizing is surging on campuses across Canada (Story|The Breach)

This article in The Breach powerfully shows how the cost-of-living crisis, alongside long-standing mistreatment of student workers, are inspiring student-workers across Canada to unionize - in UBC, SFU, Dalhousie, and of course, our movement in UW.

Contact

Send a question directly to an organizer

Get in touch

Send us an email or DM us via social media and an organizer will contact you directly. All inquiries are kept confidential.

Stay up to date

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to get the latest news/updates, including upcoming events, helpful tips and info, sneak peeks behind the scenes, and more!

#OrganizeUW #WhyNotWaterloo #WaterlooWorksBecauseWeDo #joinCUPE

Weekly in-person meet-up (aka Stammtisch)

TAs, RAs, and Sessional Instructors - We want to meet you!

Join on Mondays at the Graduate House from 5:00pm onwards for Stammtisch.

What's that, you ask? Stammtisch (German for “regulars’ table”;ˈʃtamtɪʃ) is an informal group gathering held on a regular basis, at the same time and place. It's not a structured meeting, but rather a friendly get-together. Most often, the group will meet weekly at the same table in their favourite local restaurant or beer garden. And since our favourite watering hole is the Grad House, that's where you'll find us, every Monday!

In other words, it’s a great chance to kick back and relax. You’ll make new friends, meet your co-workers and have lots of fun :)

Other ways to reach us

Want to learn more, but can't make it to Stammtisch or prefer to meet individually/online? No problem! Let us know and we will gladly set up a video call or coffee chat with an organizer at a time and place that works for you.


Talk to you soon!