A strike deadline approaches while the University and campus-wide unions attempt to reach an agreement.
The University is continuing to bargain with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) 901, the union representing teaching assistants and research assistants, and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1302, which represents library technicians; Local 229, which represents custodians, caretakers, tradespeople, and food services; and Local 254, which represents lab and classroom technicians.
Discussions between the University and unions started in late November to early December with the unions advocating for better working conditions and wages. The CUPE unions have set a strike deadline of Feb. 3 if an agreement isn’t reached.
According to a news release by the University, the three locals requested No Board Reports on Jan. 10, a formal notice from the Minister of Labour that a conciliation board will not be appointed. From the time the No Board Report is issued, a 17-day countdown begins to a legal strike date which is currently set for Feb. 3.
“Our goals for this agreement are clear: to ensure fair wages, improved working conditions, and sustainable staffing levels that will allow the university to thrive as a top-tier institution,” CUPE 1302 President Kim Bell wrote in a statement to The Journal.
Bell remains optimistic CUPE 1302 will be able to work with the University to reach a successful agreement that s students and staff to make the University better.
“To be a top university, we believe the institution must prioritize investing in its people. This means hiring enough staff to meet the demands of a growing and vibrant academic community and ensuring that those staff are paid a wage that reflects their expertise, dedication, and the rising costs of living,” Bell said.
A Queen’s news release affirms the University’s commitment to working with CUPE toward reaching an agreement, stating that it “values the contributions of its employees and respects the collective bargaining process.”
Along similar lines, PSAC 901 is engaging in negotiations for its Unit 1 team, which represents over 240,000 workers nationwide, including Graduate Teaching Fellows, Graduate Teaching and Research Assistants, and JD and MD assistants. In an interview with The Journal, PSAC 901 President Jake Morrow, outlined his dissatisfaction during the ongoing bargaining process, citing Queen’s punctuality as problematic.
“The University has shown tremendous disrespect for the bargaining team and for PSAC 901 and their priorities and the realities they’re facing,” Morrow said in an interview with The Journal.
PSAC 901 Unit 1 demands come in two forms, non-monetary and monetary, according to Morrow. He explained that non-monetary demands look at things like non-gendered language in contracts, discrimination protections, and other benefits not directly related to money. Morrow added that all monetary packages will be on the negotiating table in the weeks.
Morrow explained one way they’re striving to make the bargaining culture more transparent is through a live bargaining tracker, which is updated at the end of every bargaining day and allows individuals to see exactly the changes that are being proposed and made to agreements, along with which parties are making the request.
As for concerns surrounding a possible strike, Morrow explained it’s a potential option, but not an inevitability.
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