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The union representing more than 2,000 employees at the University of Manitoba is speaking out against the planned fee increase for graduate and post-graduate students.

The university proposed a 350% hike to graduate student continuing fees earlier this week — an increase from $703 to $3,000 by September 2016.

“Many graduate students finance their degrees by working part time on campus as teaching assistants, graders, instructors or as researchers,” said Ana Vialard Hart, president of CUPE Local 3909 at the U of M. “This fee increase will undermine their work dollar-for-dollar.”

CUPE urged Education Minister James Allum to speak with the university to discourage the increase, which he did on Wednesday. Allum rejected the hike, saying the university needs to further consult with students before another proposed fee increase.