USFA%20Negotiating%20Team

1
THE NEED FOR ACTION
USFA Negotiating Team
Tim Quigley Allen Backman Eric Neufeld Johanne
Brassard Lesley Biggs (on sabbatical)
November 15, 2006
2
History of Negotiations
Last collective agreement expired June 30 2005.
Main table began with introductory meeting in
June 05.
- side table on Article 10.8 (scope issues) began
April 05.
Main table discussions began with workload slow
progress.
- side table negotiations broke down in May 06.
We agreed to seek two year agreement by June 30
06

• last meeting was June 5 06.
• they were unavailable for the rest of June.
• employer did not modify offer after that.
• attempt at two year agreement expired June 30.

3
During this past summer and fall

• employer tried to insist on unreasonable
• bargaining schedule.

• their side cancelled two meetings because
• they were not prepared.

• they have now changed their bargaining team.

Only two meetings are scheduled until New Year
Nov 21 Dec 5
4
THE BARGAINING POSITIONS
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THE USFA

• workload issues
• salary
• grid reform
• recruitment and retention strategy
• scale increases
• automatic sabbaticals at 100 of salary
• better parental leave new compassionate leave
• improvements in benefits
• measures to deal with employment pay equity

6
The Employer

• joint appointments between units

• joint committee to study methodology to measure
• non-member teaching

• joint committee to study intellectual property

• eliminate current Employee Assistance Plan in
• favour of employer-controlled EAP

• diversity rather than equity

• agreement longer than permitted by law

7
The Employers position on monetary items

• increases only at floors of ranks
• market supplements
• flexibility in setting initial salary
• more merit pay - preferred over scale increases
• one-time payment - preferred over scale
  increases
• no change in benefits

8
THE USFA

• workload issues
• salary
• grid reform
• recruitment and retention strategy
• scale increases
• automatic sabbaticals at 100 of salary
• better parental leave new compassionate leave
• improvements in benefits
• measures to deal with employment pay equity

9
USFA Position - Workload Issues

• 70 of faculty work more than 50 hours per week.
• USFA complement level is down 120 positions.
• faculty turnover at a high level.

In total, 63 faculty retired or resigned this
past year.
No strategy from employer to deal with this.
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USFA Position - Workload Issues
We need

• Substantial increase in faculty complement.
• Workload standards in each unit to measure
  workload.
• Sufficient resources to achieve academic
  mission.
• Automatic sabbaticals at 100 salary to
  rejuvenate.
• Recruiting and retention strategy.

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USFA Position - Salary
Relative provincial govt support highest in the
country.
Tuition increases higher than all but two other
provinces.
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Our salaries do not compete
with small institutions
13
or with ones of comparable size
14
USFA Position - Salary
Salary grid reform
over two years reduce to 6 increments in each
rank and give each member a two CDI increase
on scale each year.
With little cost to Employer
1.18 of faculty salary budget line.
Plus a share of increased University revenues.
Salary is an excellent recruitment retention
strategy.
15
USFA Position - Sabbatical Leaves
Absolutely necessary for rejuvenation of faculty.
Automatic sabbaticals at 100 salary would
reduce
workload and stress
administrative complexity of Collective
Agreement.
An excellent recruitment retention strategy.
16
USFA Position - Parental Compassionate
Leaves
Parental leaves now among lowest in the
country. No compassionate leave at
present. Important for recruiting, retention
equity.
USFA Position - Equity
25 of faculty report systemic discrimination. Mi
ssed opportunities for recruiting and
retention. Its a matter of justice.
17
USFA Position - Benefits
Employers survey of 14 similar universities
we rank 11th
Employer proposes no improvements to benefits
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A PLAN FOR ACTION A UNION IS ONLY AS STRONG AS
ITS MEMBERS THE EMPLOYER MUST UNDERSTAND
WE ARE UNITED WILL ACT
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WHAT YOU CAN DO Sign up as a volunteer. Join
the Job Action Committee. Take this information
back to your colleagues talk to them, alert
them to the issues. Speak out. Support
the Negotiating Team, Negotiating Caucus,
Executive Committee
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Questions Comments.
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USFA Position Money - its all a matter of
priorities.
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USFA Position Money