What is a Worker Union? The Gap in Information for Student Workers

Too scared to ask for a day off in your casual employment position on campus? You’re not the only one.

“Do you have a job?” is often the most daunting question a university student can face. It's no surprise then that a competitive institution like University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) has students fighting for student staff positions. Over the years, UTSC has built a robust system of opportunities that allow students to work on-campus. One such opportunity are the casual positions exclusively available for currently enrolled students, and according to the Student life department, they hire candidates all year round. The Casual Unit represents most of the students hired under these contacts.

Photos via USW Instagram

Despite benefiting students by providing on-campus jobs, there are multiple loopholes in the hiring process that are often overlooked. The university provides training for almost every job, yet they seldom inform students about worker rights. According to an article published in The Varsity, University of Toronto has 10 worker unions and 25 bargaining units to ensure that workers and their interests are represented uniformly, however, this information rarely makes it to the hiring and training process. 

“What is a worker union? I didn't even know those existed,” mentions Astrid Chavez Chavira, a Residence Service Representative at UTSC.

Oftentimes, being employed by a university and not being stuck at a fast-food joint working long hours is so appealing, that students go uninformed of their rights. Having the opportunity to work on-campus, build lasting connections, and network with faculty is a somewhat utopian deal that nobody wants to jeopardize. 

The very first time I was informed about the worker unions and the technical terms of my contract was through a special training session at Chestnut Residence on the St. George campus. Having undergone training for over three different departments at UTSC, I was surprised there had never been a discussion on the importance of worker unions on campus or university policies on issues like sick leave.

Photo by: Vyusti Shroff // THE UNDERGROUND

“I don't think casual workers even have any sick leaves,” adds Astrid. Contrary to this belief, the 2024 collective agreement  between University of Toronto and USW Local Union states that casual workers are entitled to one (1) sick leave during a 6 month period. Such instances highlight the naivety of newly employed students and the difficulties one faces when drawing a boundary between your place of employment and your place of education. 

Raising awareness and creating an informative environment are crucial stepping stones that must be provided by every employer to ensure the welfare of their staff, and hosting structured information sessions for workers rights is the need of the hour at UTSC. 

“It would have helped me to identify the red flags in my job and also prepare me as an international student.” states a student staff at N’Sheemaehn Child Care Centre at UTSC who wishes to remain anonymous.  

However, the fear of being replaced by another student is a constant notion being considered by student staff. A majority of the positions on-campus have a four-month contract based on renewal basis and the extremely short nature of this contract can leave students feeling vulnerable due to the lack of job security. 

“If we leave, someone else is going to come. It's so competitive. There is always someone who is going to be willing to work regardless” mentions Astrid. This further creates a barrier where student staff are unable to express their needs to the employer in the fear of not having their contracts renewed, exposing them to the draining process of job hunting.

UTSC has aced the part of providing opportunities to students, yet this is a double-edged sword and the hiring process is still under works. With the Summer Career fairs starting in full swing, each department should inculcate unions and contracts as part of their training. It is important to bring in labor union representatives and allow students to grow in a protected environment. Furthermore, student unions on campuses that provide such employment opportunities could aim to step forward and provide informational workshops to help inform student staff and future employees. All these steps could truly transform the on-campus working culture and create a communication-rich environment between UTSC and its student staff.