January 9, 2012 - Bargaining Update

Happy New Year! We hope you had a happy and safe holiday season.

And now back to the bargaining table! After 10 busy bargaining dates during November and December, we head back to the table with the administration again on: January 12, 16, 30; and February 9, 13, 15, 24 and 29.

We have been heartened by the many positive comments from staff about bargaining, and of course we very much appreciate the strong statements of support from CUPE and QUFA.


As bargaining starts up again, here are a few points to remember: 

Consistency for staff: We have given the administration comprehensive proposals about finally ensuring consistency for USW members in Queen's policies and procedures. We want to make this part of a fair and enforceable collective agreement. This need for fairness and consistency was a major driver in the campaign to unionize and we are seeking to make real advances in this regard. 

A fair, effective and timely way to resolve complaints: It is part of Queen's staff lore that no one can remember any more than one or two of our colleagues ever successfully wading through the old staff grievance process under QUSA. We have proposed to the administration an efficient new grievance procedure that will be backed up by staff union strength.

While we are not yet finished, we are confident that we will arrive at a grievance procedure that finally gives staff the rights we deserve. Even now, Peggy McComb, the USW Kingston area representative is already involved in supporting over 15 staff with different complaints and concerns that have arisen in recent months.

Salaries and pension: For many years, Queen's staff salaries have slipped steadily behind other employee groups. We have presented detailed examples of this salary history (from 2006 on) to the administration's bargaining team, some of whom are relatively new to Queen's.

The days of treating staff as second class employees should now be over. While years of unfairness can't be erased overnight, it is time for salary gains that recognize the contribution and sacrifices that staff have made.

The collective agreements achieved by QUFA and CUPE (with the acknowledged support of the USW) have set the administration's tone for our collective bargaining around pensions. But it is also true that pensions are part of our terms of employment and should be resolved as part of our overall bargaining. 

Increases in employee and employer pension contributions in respect of our members will not be implemented this month, as they will be for non-union staff and members of QUFA and CUPE. Any changes to our contributions will take effect only upon ratification of our collective agreement.

Thanks for your support. Watch for more updates!

Your Bargaining Committee