Dear Members,
We (your elected Bargaining Team) had all-day mediation meetings April 1 and 2. We’re reservedly optimistic about reaching a fair deal, but we are not quite there yet. Now more than ever, it’s important to keep the pressure on.
We made promising progress on Intellectual Property. The Employer pressed us at the end of today to accept this offer without legal counsel. Given how long they sat on this Article with no response and given the collection of lawyers they used to craft their counter-proposal, it is imperative that we do our due diligence and take the language to legal counsel for review.
Shy of your 15% bottom line, the employer has proposed a 14% increase on wages over the life of the three-year agreement.
Because the employer refused to engage with our proposal on TA-Student Ratio, we tabled a Letter of Understanding to initiate a conversation about your concern over ballooning enrollments and need for adequate teaching support. Regrettably, the employer refused to engage.
The Unit 1 (TAs/RAs/SAs) Bargaining Team also met with the Employer, trying to get more than 9% over three years for their Members (which is the offer they walked off the job for). The Employer wasted the whole weekend with Unit 1 and didn’t budge.
While we wait for legal counsel we are still out on strike. Stay strong and united: let’s keep the pressure on!
See you on the picket lines!
Unwavering in our solidarity, The Bargaining Team
Noreen Cauley-Le Fevre, President Sarah Fiander, VP Internal Cheryl Cundell, co-VP Unit 2 and Chief Negotiator Ryan Conard, Recording Secretary Patti Kmiec, Mobilization Committee Chair Lori Stinson, Unit 2 Member Codie Fortin Lalonde, Acting Business Agent and Organizer
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