Kingston — In a landmark move for equity and inclusion in Canadian academia, Queen’s University and the Public Service Alliance of Canada Local 901 (PSAC 901) have signed a historic agreement formally recognizing caste-based discrimination as a workplace issue that can be addressed through the university’s harassment and discrimination policies.

This unprecedented Letter of Agreement (LoA) has now become an official part of the collective agreement between the university and PSAC 901, the union representing graduate student workers at Queen’s. It marks the first time caste has been explicitly acknowledged as a protected category in the institution’s employment practices.

The milestone is the result of persistent advocacy from graduate student workers and allies within and beyond Queen’s. Central to this achievement was the leadership of Kavya Harshitha Jidugu, a Dalit Ph.D. candidate in the Faculty of Education and Co-Chief Steward Grievance Officer at PSAC 901. Jidugu, who is also the founder of the Ambedkar Reading Circle at Queen’s (ARCQ), brought the issue to the bargaining table, highlighting the urgent need to protect caste-oppressed individuals from workplace discrimination and harassment.

“This is a powerful example of what grassroots organizing and solidarity can achieve,” Jidugu said.

Support for the inclusion of caste protections came from a wide coalition of students, faculty members, and campus organizations. Petitions and public pressure added momentum to the cause, culminating in this formal recognition by the university.

This development follows an earlier step taken by PSAC 901 on February 29, 2024, when its Steward Council voted unanimously to add caste to its internal anti-harassment policy, after a compelling presentation by ARCQ.

The agreement has been widely celebrated by anti-caste activists and organizations across North America. Groups such as the South Asian Dalit Adivasi Network (SADAN), Dr. Ambedkar International Mission Toronto, CUPE3902, FACT, and many faculty and student allies at Queen’s played a crucial role in pushing for this reform.

The Ambedkar Reading Circle at Queen’s (ARCQ), which led much of the advocacy work, is an anti-caste collective of caste-oppressed students and their allies working to build inclusive and equitable academic environments in Canada.

This decision by Queen’s University sets a significant precedent for Canadian higher education institutions and signals a growing recognition of caste as a crucial issue in global conversations around equity, diversity, and inclusion.