This article originally appeared on page 104 of volume 50, issue 2 of OSSTF’s Education Update Magazine, read the full issue here: https://education-forum.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Education-Forum_Vol-50_Issue-2_2024.pdf

With their tenth Collective Agreement expiring in 2026, the Wilfrid Laurier University Staff Association (WLUSA) is no stranger to the impact a union can have on workers. WLUSA is unique in the threads that bind it as they represent a variety of professionals including information and communication technologies (ICT), administrative assistants, lab technicians, finance, payroll, research professionals, and more. They represent all of the office, clerical, and technical employees at the Waterloo and Kitchener campuses of Wilfrid Laurier University, boasting over 600 members who also work 12 months per year providing services throughout the summer, March Break, and reading weeks.

WLUSA members provide vital services for students and staff at Laurier; however, like many support staff in the
university sector, job security, funding, and working conditions are ongoing challenges. Reductions in funding allocations in Ontario universities, coupled with the imposed cap on international students authorized by the federal government, has sent this sector into unchartered territory.

In many cases, WLUSA members are doing the job of 1.5 people and are struggling to keep up with higher workloads. WLUSA stands strong behind its members to address these adverse effects, and to find a path forward as they continue to navigate this unexpected challenge.

On a higher note, the connection between the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) and WLUSA aids in navigating this unusual labour landscape. Belonging to a union and having representation on
a wider scale within the OSSTF/FEESO community and with exposure to the many divisions of the education sector provides increased awareness of the issues WLUSA and the university sector face.

For this unique Bargaining Unit, the future may well hold many challenges, but they feel protected as members of an organization of over 60,000 strong.