Faculty associations at McGill University are joining forces amid growing financial and labour concerns in Quebec’s higher education sector. Three newly unionized faculty groups—the Association of McGill Professors of the Faculty of Arts (AMPFA), the Association of McGill Professors of Education (AMPE), and the Association of McGill Academic Staff of the School of Continuing Studies (AMASCS)—have affiliated with the Fédération québécoise des professeures et professeurs d’université (FQPPU), bringing the organization’s total membership to 22 unions and associations.
The move comes as McGill faces a projected $194 million deficit by 2028, prompting plans for budget cuts that could affect faculty job security and resources. At the same time, the Quebec government has proposed legislation that would restrict the duration of strikes, a measure faculty unions say would weaken workers’ bargaining power.
“In a time when budget cuts are weakening our institutions and the government is attempting to roll back union protections, faculty mobilization is more essential than ever,” said Madeleine Pastinelli, president of the FQPPU.
The FQPPU argues that financial constraints and legislative changes threaten both working conditions and the broader public mission of universities. The organization has pledged to support additional unionization efforts, with several other McGill faculties currently exploring the process.
Since 1991, the FQPPU has represented university faculty across Quebec, advocating for stronger labour protections and sustainable funding for higher education.
