FPSENewsgraphic

For immediate release
Friday October 4, 2019

VANCOUVER - Ten municipalities across BC are supporting fairness for contract faculty through motions, proclamations, and public letters of support in the leadup to Fair Employment Week, an international campaign that calls attention to the working conditions experienced by contract faculty at post-secondary institutions.

“This show of support from municipalities demonstrates the broad support for treating contract faculty fairly, not as underpaid disposable labour,” said FPSE President Terri Van Steinburg. “We have contract faculty who have to access income assistance because their pay is so low. We have contract faculty who earn half or less than their colleagues for doing the same work. This has to change. Paying people less for doing the same work is not the right way to build our post-secondary system, or our province.”

Fair Employment Week runs from October 7-11, 2019 and is being recognized across Canada through events on campuses and in communities. The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators will be in Victoria October 9-10 to highlight the issues being faced by contract faculty.

In BC, most institutions pay contract faculty less than regular faculty for doing the same work. However, paying contract faculty fairly can be done. At Vancouver Community College and Langara College doing the same work results in the same pay.

“Paying people fairly is not only a social justice issue, it’s also economic one. Moving to a same work/same pay model at all post-secondary institutions will improve service for students and working conditions for contract faculty, a disproportionate number of whom are women and racialized educators,” continued Van Steinburg. “The time for change is now.”

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Full list of municipalities:

City of Surrey
City of Victoria
City of Burnaby
City of New Westminster
City of Port Coquitlam
City of Duncan
City of Colwood
City of Gibsons
City of Langford
Resort Municipality of Whistler

The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators represents 10,000 educators in colleges, institutes and teaching universities in BC.

Media Contact:
Nicole Seguin, Communications Officer
Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC
604-873-8988 | 604-831-6684
nseguin@fpse.ca

About FPSE

The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC is the provincial voice for faculty and staff in BC teaching universities, colleges and institutes, and in private sector institutions. FPSE member locals, represented by Presidents' Council and the Executive, represent over 10,000 faculty and staff at 19 public and 5 private sector institutions.