RG&C staff are on the sidelines of important changes occurring at Queen's and more broadly in Ontario. Here at Queen's, the continuing and term staff have ratified their first collective agreement. Implementing this new collective agreement  will result in many previously inconsistent  practices now being replaced with new ways of involving unionized staff in the decisions that affect  them. This will include a process where the Administration must sit with representatives of the new USW Local 2010 at Queen’s to jointly develop a new job evaluation plan. Continuing and term staff will also be reviewing the Queen’s Pay Equity Plan. USW Local 2010  members have recently elected their first Local Union executive leaders to guide the new relationship between continuing and term staff and the Queen's Administration. 

Simultaneously, Academic Assistants have now also ratified their first collective agreement and will be a distinct separate unit of markers and tutors within the larger Local 2010.

Meanwhile, the broader landscape in Ontario has become more challenging for employees in the broader public sector. The provincial government has proposed legislation that, if passed, will impose a 2-year wage freeze on all broader public sector services like education. Employees with salary increases in a negotiated agreement (such as the new collective agreement or the QUSA salary agreement) will receive those negotiated increases but would still experience the 2-year wage freeze once the current agreement expires. The United Steelworkers represents more university staff (including more research-funded staff) than any other union or association in Ontario. We are monitoring the progress of this legislation and its potential impact on our members as well as other university staff in Ontario and will keep you informed as it evolves.

The short-term, modest salary growth of RG&C staff at Queen's appears secure with the QUSA agreement. However, RG&C staff have expressed their concern with other key employment issues such as pension security and preferential hiring for staff whose position has lost funding. These and other issues were addressed in our survey to RG&C staff in November 2011. A summary of the results can be viewed here. The long-term solution for these important concerns is a legally-binding and comprehensive collective agreement for RG&C staff negotiated by an elected committee of RG&C staff. We remain committed to assisting RG&C staff to achieve these long-term goals when RG&C staff are ready.

You can contact us with any questions or comments at contact@qusw.ca.

Click here to access the collective agreement between Queen's University and the United Steelworkers on behalf of USW Local 2010. It is still in draft version, pending proofreading and correcting of typographical errors or numbering inconsistencies. 

Thursday, November 29, 2012
12 noon to 1 p.m.
Stirling Hall, Room B

Agenda items:

• Report of officers: Financial Secretary and Treasurer
• USW Staff Rep report
• New business: New Local vision, proposed budget, motions
• Q & A

We look forward to seeing you on the 29th in Sterling Hall. 
Come out and be an integral part of your new local.

Sincerely,
USW Local 2010 Executive Officers

A total of 185 ballots were cast during last week's election for the position of USW Local 2010 Vice President.

The results are as follows:

Gillian Berry      148 votes
Kevin Jackson    37 votes

Therefore, Gillian Berry has been elected as USW Local 2010 Vice President.

Thanks to both candidates for running and congratulations to Gillian Berry on her election.

You will be able to vote on-line or by phone (toll free across North America) anytime from 8:00 a.m. ET Wednesday, November 14 until 10:00 a.m. ET Friday, November 16.  (If you are outside North America during the voting period and choose to vote by phone, you can use Canada Direct to connect via phone to the system.)

Voter information has been mailed to your home address. It will provide your unique PIN and instructions on how to cast your vote.  You will need to use both your Queen's Employee (Staff) number and your PIN. This election will be for the position of Vice President of USW Local 2010.  There are two candidates.

If you require assistance, please contact the USW Voter Help Line: 1-877-669-8792, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, or email bjames@usw.ca    (Note: the Voter Help Line is not the same as the toll-free voting line.  The toll-free voting line will be provided in the material sent to your home).

If you wish to vote but do not receive your voting information or are not going to be home when it arrives, you can contact the USW Voter Help Line or email bjames@usw.ca so that we can arrange for you to be able to vote.