Statement on TSSU Member Benefits

The university is aware that members of the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) are concerned about the continuation of their benefits. 

July 10, 3:00 P.M. - This message was updated to include the full contents of section 62 of the labour code and provide further clarity about the university having no intention of removing benefits from TSSU members.

To be clear, the University has not removed or suspended benefits from any TSSU members. It does not plan to remove benefits from any TSSU members. All eligible TSSU members are still covered under their regular benefit plan.

In a strike situation, wages and benefits are typically suspended during periods when employees are on strike and not reporting to work. This practice is outlined in SFU’s Strike Policy (GP 05) and is in alignment with the BC Labour Code.

During strike action, the obligation to pay for benefits shifts from the employer to the union. The university has provided TSSU leadership with the costs to continue benefits for its members at the onset of strike action. SFU is committed to working with TSSU leadership to ensure that TSSU members continue to have the coverage they need as per the full context of Section 62 of the Labour Code below.

We have received feedback that the way this information was provided raised concerns for TSSU leadership, graduate students and international students. We sincerely apologize for the concern this has caused TSSU members and reassure the university community that this information was shared in respect to full and transparent communication and information sharing between the University and TSSU at the beginning of strike action.

Background:

Section 62 of the British Columbia Labour Code states:

(1) If employees are lawfully on strike or lawfully locked out, their health and welfare benefits, other than pension benefits or contributions, normally provided directly or indirectly by the employer to the employees must be continued if the trade union tenders payment to the employer or to any person who was before the strike or lockout obligated to receive the payment 

(a) in an amount sufficient to continue the employees’ entitlement to the benefits, and

(b) on or before the regular due date of that payment.

(2) If subsection (1) is complied with

(a) the employer or other person referred to in that subsection must accept the payment tendered by the trade union, and

(b) a person must not deny to an employee a benefit described in that subsection, including coverage under an insurance plan, for which the employee would otherwise be eligible, because the employee is participating in a lawful strike or is lawfully locked out.

(3) A trade union and an employer may agree in writing to specifically exclude the operation of this section.