AGSEM is asking McGill University to reconsider its decision

MONTRÉAL, Jan. 19, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - The Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM), is strongly concerned about McGill University's decision to return to in-person activities on January 24th 2022, at least one week earlier than Concordia University, Université de Montréal, or Université du Québec à Montréal. We are asking the university to reconsider its decision.

After fluctuating for almost two years, COVID-19 cases reached new peaks in Quebec and all over the world. On multiple occasions in the past weeks ? including during a meeting with McGill's Principal Suzanne Fortier on January 6^th ? AGSEM strongly cautioned the university that mandating the return to in-person teaching too quickly would put teaching assistants and other members of the McGill community at high risk. The university refuses to listen to our recommendations. Since McGill is already prepared to deliver most courses remotely, AGSEM requests, once again, that the university opt for a precautionary approach by keeping teaching activities at fully or partially remote mode of delivery until sanitary conditions improve.

Furthermore, for the safety of our members and the whole McGill community, teaching assistants should be given a choice to perform their tasks remotely if they feel safer doing so, wherever possible. We understand that the organization of remote teaching activities can be challenging for many of our members. Nevertheless, the constant need for adjustments resulting from moving ? or the anticipation of moving ? between different learning environments poses even bigger challenges for teaching assistants. This is especially the case given that many of our members already experience discomfort and anxiety in response to the high risk of COVID-19 contagion.

In addition, we asked the university to provide N95 masks instead of surgical masks to those who would feel safer wearing them, and especially to those who work closely with students, for example in a laboratory setting. The university continues to refuse to provide these masks even though our members have requested them multiple times in the past. According to the AGSEM Collective Agreement, it is the employer's responsibility to provide safety equipment.

Quote from one of our members worried about the return of in-person learning:
"I'm disappointed and angry that the university would attempt this change so much sooner than is necessary. Of course, online learning is isolating---so is being in a pandemic. The biggest threat to mental health from Covid is from illness, death, disability, and observing people in positions of power continue to make decisions which put people in danger. I'm seeing the hospitals in Montreal continue to strain and break and it's hard to believe that having classes in person will not exacerbate this." 

Our members have expressed their concerns to us in the recent weeks. Many of them do not feel safe coming back to campus, especially without additional protective equipment and mitigation measures, while the current sanitary conditions persist and knowing that McGill university will not do any contact tracing in Winter 2022. They do not feel heard and demand that the university take these concerns seriously.

The AGSEM Executive Committee

The Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) represents teaching assistants and invigilators at McGill University. AGSEM proudly represents 2830 members.

Founded in 1921, the CSN is a trade union federation that works towards a cohesive, democratic, just, fair and sustainable society. To this end, the CSN takes part in many debates that concern Quebec society. The CSN represents more than 300,000 workers on a sectoral or professional basis within eight federations, as well as regionally via 13 central councils, primarily in the province of Quebec.

Source : Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain-CSN

SOURCE AGSEM-McGill's Teaching Union (FNEEQ-CSN)