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CUPE 3903 Strike News In this issue: 1. Letter/Update from 3903 Executive and Bargaining Team 2. Message from Chief Steward, Unit 1 (Senate Demo. Tomorrow) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Letter from 3903 Executive and Bargaining Team To the Members of CUPE 3903:
As we enter the fifth week of our strike, we collectively need to assess: 1) Why we are out on the picket lines; 2) What are the challenges in negotiations with the administration; 3) What we need to do to achieve the deal that we want.
Why is it that we are out on strike? On November 6th the Employer tabled an offer that demanded substantial concessions from our existing contracts in leaves, funds and job security. The administration has continued to propose this offer throughout negotiations. Although it included wages that are average in the post-secondary sector, the offer did not adequately address our other proposals. In previous, tough rounds of negotiations, we have attained great provisions on leaves and funds in our collective agreements. However, due to management decisions that the University has made, these provisions in our CA have been undermined. We withdrew our labour because the integrity of the gains that we had made in past rounds of negotiation had been undermined and were in further jeopardy with the employer's offer.
What are the key issues that remain on the table?
· Job Security for Contract Faculty (Unit 2); · Overall Funding for Graduate Students (Unit 1 and 3) · Sustaining funds and improving leaves (All Units)
The focus of negotiations is Job Security for Contract Faculty. In the last few years, contract faculty have experienced a heightened precariousness in their work. During the last strike, contract faculty supported Unit 1 and Unit 3 in their quest for tuition indexation and funding. This round, we are aiming to reinstate the Special Renewable Contracts program and continue the Conversions program in order to ensure measures of Job Security for contract faculty who have served the University for a number of years; as well as achieve Job Security provisions for Contract Faculty as a whole.
For our Unit 1 and 3 members, we are fighting to ensure that as Graduate Students we have the funding necessary to ensure that education is financially accessible. Given attrition rates for Graduate students at approximately 50%, a serious re-prioritization is needed by York with respect to how they provide support for student-workers. This is especially the case for those students who are economically most disadvantaged, such as International Students, who have higher tuition rates and higher costs associated with their education. Still outstanding in negotiations is a continuation of the tuition indexation language for which we went on an eleven week strike in 2000-01 and that many University sector locals are now fighting to achieve.
Our funds have been negatively impacted by membership growth, and need to be indexed to membership growth, with significant catchup for the per-capita loss that we have experienced over the last few agreements. We must also achieve protection for our funds and benefits in the context of restructuring at the University; and continued projected increases in Graduate enrolment and membership numbers.
What do we need to do to have meaningful negotiations where we win what we need?
We need two things to succeed at the table: 1)We need to strengthen our action by integrating more members; 2) We need to prepare to defeat a forced ratification vote.
Our strike depends on the participation of as many members of our local as possible. We need to heighten our action by getting more members involved in the strike through their engagement on the picket lines, alternative duties, and attendance in meetings and other political actions organized by the Union. This means a personal commitment to phoning your friends and co-workers who may have been only marginally involved, but are supportive, and contacting those who have not been involved so far. We also need to escalate our action by targeting the principals of the University such as the Board of Governors and Senate. This will put pressure on the University's bargaining team to come to the table with a meaningful offer. They need to be sent a clear message that they need to work within the collective bargaining process and bargain with our local. Strong picket lines, an integrated and active membership, and visible pressure on the administration will accomplish this and brings power to our bargaining team at the table.
The most pressing issue that we may soon confront is a forced ratification vote. A forced ratification vote is a process whereby any employer can bypass the union's bargaining representatives and put forward a 'final offer' directly to the membership. An employer can only do this once in any round of negotiations. Any offer being put forward for forced ratification will be substandard in comparison to what can be negotiated at the table. If your Bargaining Team is not recommending a deal - which it would not be in the situation of a forced ratification vote - there is a reason: what is being offered is substandard for all members, and especially so with respect to Job Security provisions. A strong rejection to a forced ratification vote will quickly send the administration's bargaining team back to the bargaining table.
Where is the end to the current labour action?
The end of the current labour action that we have undertaken is in a Collective Agreement that addresses our key concerns and is negotiated at the bargaining table, and not through a forced ratification vote or back-to-work legislation. Our bargaining team is and has always been willing to negotiate to achieve these goals in order to end up with the Collective Agreements we deserve and need. The York Administration has failed to show the flexibility necessary to bargain. What we need is your collective organization and support to pressure York to come to the table and negotiate; as well as your patience, understanding and resolve while they do not - especially in the face of a forced ratification vote. We need you to continue to hold the line in order to make York bargain with us and reach a fair deal.
In Solidarity, The CUPE 3903 Bargaining Team The CUPE 3903 Executive ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Message from Chief Steward, Unit 1 (Senate Demo. Tomorrow)
Hi Folks, 2008-2009 Senators – 162 members
CUPE Local 3903 | York University, 104 East Office Building 4700 Keele St.,
Toronto Ontario M3J-1P3
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