Dear CQSU member locals, you will find below proposed arguments to help you defend the Resolutions adopted at the CQSU convention. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time if you have any issues during your bargaining or if you would like to receive assistance.
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Annual increase of at least 4% for all units
At CQSU, we firmly believe that the quest for fair working conditions and decent pay for higher education professionals is essential. With this in mind, demanding general salary increases of at least 4% a year is a necessity, given several key factors.
1. Inflation and living expenses: Inflation is an economic reality we all have to face. Prices of goods and services rise over time, reducing the purchasing power of salaried employees. To maintain our members’ standard of living and keep pace with the rising cost of living, it’s imperative to demand wage increases that exceed inflation. An increase of 4% a year helps protect our members’ purchasing power over the long term.
2. Catching-up and equity: Many years of insufficient increases may have left our members lagging behind other sectors or professions. Demanding increases of 4% or more is essential to catching up and ensuring equity with other workers.
3. Attracting and retaining talent: To maintain a highly qualified and motivated workforce, it is crucial to remain competitive in the job market. Significant salary increases play a key role in attracting top talent and retaining experienced professionals. This guarantees the quality of teaching and research in our institutions.
4. Investment in education and research: Substantial salary increases help stimulate investment in education and research. Better-paid workers have more resources to devote to continuous training, research and innovation, which benefits not only our members, but also the entire academic sector and society in general.
In short, demanding general salary increases of at least 4% a year is a crucial step in guaranteeing financial stability, personal growth and fairness for our members. We remain committed to defending these fundamental rights and advancing the well-being of all university workers in Quebec.
Increase the maximum number of hours that international students can work to 480 hours per session, without losing their student status
In an increasingly interconnected world, international students play an essential role in enriching academic communities. To enhance their experiences and foster a more inclusive environment, we advocate raising the maximum allowable working hours for international students to 480 hours per semester, while maintaining their student status. Here are the reasons behind this crucial initiative:
1. Financial well-being: International students are often faced with higher tuition fees and living expenses. By allowing them to work more, we alleviate some of the financial burden, enabling them to better support themselves during their studies. Improved financial stability translates directly into a better quality of life for international students. They can better afford decent housing, food, transportation and other essential expenses, which ultimately translates into a more positive, less stressful educational experience.
2. Skills development: Allowing international students to work more offers them additional opportunities to gain valuable work experience in their field of study. This not only enriches their academic career, but also prepares them for the job market after graduation. By working alongside other students, international students build networks that will be crucial in their professional careers.
3. Integration and inclusiveness: Increasing the number of working hours fosters a sense of belonging and inclusiveness. They become active participants in both their academic and professional environments. In addition, diverse backgrounds and experiences enrich academic discussions and encourage different perspectives, enhancing the overall educational experience for all students.
4. Competitive advantage: More flexible working hours make studying in Quebec establishments more attractive to international students. This helps to attract and retain the best talent from all over the world, reinforcing the global reputation of educational institutions.
In conclusion, raising the cap on allowable working hours for international students to 480 hours per semester, while maintaining their student status, empowers international students, eases financial burdens, enriches their experiences and has a positive impact on academic and local communities. At CQSU, we strongly advocate this policy change to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all students.
Remove the term “intern” from all collective agreements for postdoctoral fellows, and replace it preferably with “post-doctoral researchers”
At CQSU, we firmly believe in the importance of words and their impact on the perception and recognition of everyone. With this in mind, we voted to remove the term “post-doctoral intern” from all post-doctoral collective agreements, and to replace it with the preferred term “post-doctoral researcher”. Here’s why we think this is so important:
1. Recognition and dignity: The term “intern” is often associated with a temporary, training or less important phase. It therefore creates a false impression of the nature of post-docs’ work, and denigrates them in the eyes of academic or industrial employers and the public. Yet post-docs play a crucial role in research and teaching, making significant contributions to their field of expertise. By using the term “researchers”, we encourage a more precise perception of their role, thus promoting their professional development, and we accord the recognition and dignity these highly qualified research professionals deserve.
2. Promoting research: By using the term “post-doctoral researchers”, we are contributing not only to the professional development of post-doctoral researchers, but also to the promotion of research in Quebec universities. When international talent sees that their work is fully recognized and valued within Quebec institutions, they are more inclined to choose Quebec universities for their research work. This strengthens the attractiveness of the province, and brings with it a diversity of expertise and an enriching cultural exchange, all of which contribute to the academic excellence of our institutions.
What’s more, by actively promoting the professional development of post-doctoral researchers, we create an environment conducive to collaboration, innovation and cutting-edge research. These factors contribute not only to the development of our post-doctoral researchers, but also to the advancement of knowledge and the influence of our universities on a national and international scale. Ultimately, this creates a virtuous circle in which the recognition and respect of post-doctoral researchers strengthens the attractiveness of Quebec universities, attracting more international talent and benefiting the entire academic and research community.
3. Gender inclusiveness and the normalization of female forms: Using gender-neutral terms such as “person” promotes equality by addressing the entire post-doctoral research community equally, regardless of gender or identity. Moreover, the choice to normalize feminine forms of occupation (with the use of the French form “personnes chercheuses”) is a crucial step towards eliminating linguistic biases that have historically overlooked the contributions of women in various professions.
In short, this choice of language reflects our commitment to gender inclusivity and equality, while recognizing the diversity of the post-doctoral research community, whatever their gender or identity.
4. Commitment to recognition: CQSU’s approach goes beyond words, and we are actively committed to recognizing the status of post-doctoral researchers. We have put forward FTQ and PSAC-Québec resolutions to put pressure on universities and governments to speed up the process.
In conclusion, the choice of the term “post-doctoral researchers” is an essential step in promoting recognition, gender equality and professional advancement for these highly qualified individuals. We are committed to promoting their status and dignity within academia.
Minimum salary of $50k for 2023 (with increments for 2024) for post-doctoral researchers
CQSU firmly believes that post-doctoral researchers deserve fair and competitive remuneration. It is with this in mind that we advocate a significant increase in salaries, establishing a floor of at least $50,000 per year as of 2023, with increments for 2024.
1. Equal opportunities: One of our major concerns is to guarantee equal opportunities for post-doctoral researchers. Their decision to pursue a career in academia or industry should not be influenced by restrictive financial considerations. However, with inadequate salaries, some post-docs may be forced to make sub-optimal career choices simply to support themselves financially, which can limit their career freedom and professional fulfillment. By setting a salary floor of $50,000 per year for 2023, with increments for 2024, we are ensuring that all post-doctoral researchers, whatever their field of research or career aspirations, have the opportunity to make informed decisions about their careers. This ensures that they are not pushed towards default choices, but have the freedom to pursue the path that best suits their skills, passions and goals, unhindered by financial concerns.
2. Attractiveness of Quebec universities: Quebec universities are renowned for their academic excellence and world-class research programs. However, to compete with institutions in the United States or other Canadian provinces, which often offer much higher salaries, it is imperative that Quebec universities can offer competitive compensation packages. By increasing salaries for post-doctoral researchers, we are strengthening the attractiveness of Quebec universities, attracting top international talent who contribute to academic excellence.
3. Talent retention: Competitive remuneration plays a key role in retaining post-doctoral researchers. When talented researchers choose to pursue their careers in Quebec, they bring valuable expertise their institutions, fostering the continuity of quality research and teaching.
4. Convergence with industry: Salaries in industry, even in Quebec, are often higher than those offered in academia. By offering more competitive salaries, we encourage researchers to opt for academic careers, helping to maintain a pool of talent for the advancement of research and education.
5. A compulsory step towards an academic career: It’s important to note that these days, it’s increasingly necessary for anyone aspiring to an academic career to go through a period of post-doctoral research contract. Unlike a time when professorships could be obtained directly after a PhD, many academic establishments now require this intermediate step to assess candidates’ skills, experience and potential. Post-doctoral research contracts have become an essential gateway to a successful academic career. By increasing salaries for post-doctoral researchers, we are promoting the viability of this crucial step.
In conclusion, by advocating competitive compensation with a floor salary of at least $50,000 per year for post-doctoral researchers in 2023, we are promoting the attractiveness of Quebec universities, the retention of talent, and the growth of the academic community.
