Welcome to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 5524, the union representing academic workers at the University of Waterloo. Our membership includes sessional faculty and graduate teaching assistants and research assistants whose work supports teaching, learning and research across the university.
Part of CUPE
CUPE Local 5524 is affiliated with CUPE National and is part of a broader network of unionized post-secondary education workers advocating for fair wages, equitable working conditions, job security and respect in the workplace.
As part of CUPE, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with more than 800,000 workers across Canada. CUPE represents workers in universities and colleges, health care, emergency services, education, early learning and child care, municipalities, social services, libraries, utilities, transportation and many other sectors.
A Member-Led Union
Our union is built and governed by its members. By working together, we strengthen our collective voice and help create a fairer, safer and more supportive workplace for all academic workers at the University of Waterloo.
Stay Informed
Please check the News page regularly, as important announcements, bargaining information, meetings and other updates will be posted there.
Equality Statement
Union solidarity is based on the principle that union members are equal and deserve mutual respect at all levels. Any behaviour that creates conflict prevents us from working together to strengthen our union.
As unionists, mutual respect, cooperation and understanding are our goals. We should neither condone nor tolerate behaviour that undermines the dignity or self-esteem of any individual or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
Discriminatory speech or conduct which is racist, sexist, transphobic or homophobic hurts and thereby divides us. So too, does discrimination on the basis of ability, age, class, religion, language and ethnic origin.
Sometimes discrimination takes the form of harassment. Harassment means using real or perceived power to abuse, devalue or humiliate. Harassment should not be treated as a joke. The uneasiness and resentment that it creates are not feelings that help us grow as a union.
Discrimination and harassment focus on characteristics that make us different; and they reduce our capacity to work together on shared concerns such as decent wages, safe working conditions and justice in the workplace, society and in our union.
CUPE’s policies and practices must reflect our commitment to equality. Members, staff and elected officers must be mindful that all persons deserve dignity, equality and respect.