cleaning workers

An illustration of a closeup of a group of cleaning workers gathered at a table sharing Indian dishes.
6 min 0 623

Remembering Kulbir Kaila

Petra Chase November 10, 2025

Interview and translations by: Ashima Shukla, Staff Writer Kulbir Kaila worked at SFU for 17 years. On July 28, she died at the age of 61 while working a cleaning shift on the Burnaby campus. Many of her co-workers never knew SFU without Kaila. She had one son, who visited her twice a week at her home in Surrey. Her coworkers said she was funny, hardworking, caring, and deeply valued her friendships and family. She visited her brother and sister often. Her brother, Hardeep Johal, remembers Kaila for her big heart. “She was very generous and loyal, one of the…

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This is a photo of a lone cleaning equipment cart at the end of a hallway at SFU.
8 min 0 822

SFU cleaning worker dies during shift, amplifying long-standing calls to improve working conditions

Hannah Fraser and Ashima Shukla November 10, 2025

Since 2020, Contract Worker Justice (CWJ) @SFU has been leading the push for better working conditions at the university.  At the heart of the coalition’s rallies, events, and research is a demand that SFU directly employ its cleaning staff, rather…

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