It's time for a TA/RA union at UWaterloo!
If you're a TA or RA and you're ready for a union like we are…
If you're a TA or RA and you're ready for a union like we are…
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:
If you are a Sessional/Contract/Adjunct Instructor, click here for information about the recently-formed Sessionals’ union.
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 in Ontario and across Canada.
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.
Recent and upcoming webinars, town halls, socials, info tables, and more
The latest blog posts, media coverage, announcements, and more
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.
We’re thrilled to announce that Sessional Instructors at the University of Waterloo are the newest members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
See the statements sessional instructors made in favor of voting yes for a union.
Hear what Organize UW supporters have to say about the experience of being an international graduate student in UW, and why we need a union
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.
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!