Dear Principal Munroe-Blum,

On behalf of more than 8,000 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, I would like to express the concerns that were raised since the beginning of the MUNACA strike on Sept. 1, 2011.

It is certainly true that it is not “business as usual” at the university. Our members are experiencing this unfortunate fact firsthand. This strike has made the importance of the work that MUNACA members perform for our community abundantly clear. The university cannot go on without their contribution, and hence we call on your administration to be present at the negotiating table with that reality in mind.

Our faculty, staff, and students are becoming increasingly overwhelmed and exhausted, and this simply can’t go on for much longer. Our work, in teaching and research, is being gravely affected by the strike and we feel that McGill will be paying a much higher price if this strike continues. Here are some examples:

Our teaching assistant members have reported significant deterioration in the quality of teaching and learning, especially in courses that depend on MUNACA members for preparation (mainly lab courses);

Our research has been delayed and negatively affected by the delays in processing of research materials orders and deliveries;

Our supervision time and quality has decreased due to the absence of supervisors who are tending to coursework usually handled by MUNACA members;

Our ability to attract the best students and researchers is being negatively impacted by delays in processing applications and admissions;

Our grant and fellowship applications have been adversely affected by the lack of support in preparing, filling, and processing of these applications;

Our thesis deadlines are not always being met due to administrative delays which is forcing those students to stay in their programs for additional sessions, costly both in financial terms, and career advancement opportunities.

And the list goes on.

It is true that some contingency plans are in place; however, this is not happening across the university, especially in the smaller departments and units. In any case, no contingency plan can indefinitely replace so many missing pillars of our community. The only plan that will work universally is having MUNACA members back and happy at their jobs, and this requires good faith negotiations and real concessions to be made in order to move past impasses.

As a result of this extended struggle, our community will need time to heal. That healing needs to begin now.

Sincerely,

On behalf of the 2011-2012 Executive Team,

Roland S. Nassim, President