A tentative agreement has been reached between the University of Toronto and more than 6,100 of its program coordinators, academic advisors and lab assistants a day after the union voted in favour of a strike. In a statement, United Steelworkers said that after three months of “intensive bargaining,” union members will now have the opportunity to ratify the new contract. The union had said that 96 per cent of members voted in favour of a strike on Monday after negotiations with the university stalled over what they described as issues regarding wages, health-care benefits, remote work and AI protections. With a tentative agreement in place, the union said the strike deadline remains in place, but will be extended long enough to allow for the ratification vote to take place. If ratified, the agreement will serve as the U of T Staff-Appointed Unit’s collective agreement until June 30, 2029. With files from The Canadian Press
