Campaign Updates

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW - A CAMPAIGN PRIMER

How do I sign up - How do I sign my card?
There are many Queen's staff who are volunteering their time to build our campaign.  You may well know one of us – just reach out and ask us.  If you do not know any campaign volunteer in your department or building, call our campaign office at 613-542-7331 or click here.

If you choose to sign a card, it is confidential. The university never sees the cards or a list of card signers.

On the other hand, the more that staff are open about their support for their union, the stronger our campaign will be.  So we encourage our colleagues who support our union to make their personal choice and be open about that support.  This will be our union.

When can we have our vote?
This is one of the biggest campaigns in Canada right now – and large campaigns take time. Staff are coming together in this campaign to make Queen’s an even better place to work. Contacting staff in every building and department takes time. This is a winnable campaign – the results of our recent staff survey and the hundreds of staff who have already signed on make this clear. There is no pre-set time period for any union-building campaign.  The more staff step up and sign their cards, the sooner we can have what we deserve – a secret ballot vote on our future. 

How do we set up our vote?
The Ontario Labour Relations Act requires a threshold in membership support for a representation vote to be held.  At least 40% of the staff in the bargaining unit must have signed union membership cards in order for our vote to be held.

These cards are then presented to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) with the union’s application for certification.

Neither the cards nor a list of card signers is ever provided to the Queen’s administration.

The representation vote would be held five (5) working days after the application for certification is filed.

How does the vote work?
The secret ballot vote would be administered by officials of the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB).

All employees in the proposed bargaining unit would be able to cast a ballot.

The vote would be held during work time at multiple locations on Queen’s University premises.

If more than 50% of the ballots counted are in favour of the union, the OLRB will certify the United Steelworkers and Queen’s staff will have won collective bargaining rights.

More questions? We’ve got answers – click here.