Fourteenth week of the CUPE 1281 strike of staff against their employer, my union, the York University Faculty Association. This is now the second-longest strike in York University history.
But good news! The parties have settled a new collective agreement! They are now working on the back-to-work protocol. I hope to see them soon.
It's the eleventh week of the strike of my union's employees against my union at York University. Here's an interview with two members of CUPE 1281:
https://tempestmag.org/2026/01/being-on-strike-when-your-employer-is-a-union/
In the fifth week of my union's staff being on strike against my union, here's a long post about the situation:
https://www.miskatonic.org/2025/11/25/1281/
"I’ve had eighteen happy years in my union, the York University Faculty Association … over eighteen-and-a-half years of membership."
The CUPE 1281 strike at the York University Faculty Association is finishing its fourth week. Anonymous interview with a 1281 member here, with a good overview of the issues:
https://whatistobedone.ca/articles/cupe-1281-yufa-strike
It continues to boggle my mind that my union got itself this position---driving its staff to strike---and now that it's gone on so long.
I'm in a union, the York University Faculty Association. YUFA has eight staff, also unionized, in a local of CUPE 1281. YUFA hired Ogletree Deakins to represent it and is insisting on hiring a non-unionized executive director. YUFA has been acting towards 1281 as York acts towards YUFA.
This morning the staff went on strike.
https://1281.cupe.ca/2025/10/26/yufa-staff-on-strike-for-health-safety-against-restructuring/
Strike vote finished at noon: 92.3% in favour! On 83.8% of the members voting. Unprecedented turnout, and this is really, really strong support for the union. Bargaining continues, and we wait to see what the Employer does next. They can lock us out starting next Friday.
https://www.yufa.ca/yufa_members_vote_in_favour_of_a_strike_mandate_2024
I'm at York, and my union, #YUFA, just voted in a special meeting (advertised for several weeks) to vote no confidence in the president of the university, as well as in the provost and the board of governors.
There was clearly a contingent of folks who tried to derail the vote. I don't know what's going on, but there has to be a better way to oppose something than trying to muck up procedure.
I came to the meeting wanting to hear a debate instead of people trying to derail via procedure.
William Denton
Robert W. Gehl