The union that represents academic support staff at Memorial University believes its workers are quietly being “wiped off the map.”

CUPE local 1615 represents administrative, instructional, technical, and technical support staff at MUN.

Representatives from various unions and other groups recently gathered at the University Centre to highlight the effect of cuts and program reductions on students.

Union Local president Bill Kavanagh says many of the positions that employ his members are slowly disappearing.

Academic help centres which have existed for decades as a 9 to 5 student support program, have been “depopulated.”

Kavanagh says the situation is reminiscent of another significant reduction the university made several years ago.

He says there used to be many supports for English as an Additional Language for students on the St. John’s campus, and they “quietly disappeared.” He says “those are the workers of CUPE 1615.”