CUPE 3903 Welcome Back BBQ – Oct. 3, 12 PM – 4 PM

Featured

Bargaining is heating up and we’re cooking on hot! CUPE 3903 is hosting the annual WELCOME BACK BBQ, October 3rd from 12-4 pm on the Roy McMurtry Green (Between Atkinson and Osgoode Hall).

Help bring out the new members in your department to introduce them to their union. This is a great opportunity to casually ask any questions about bargaining you might have as well!

There will be vegan, halal, and kosher food options. Accessible washrooms are available both in Atkinson and Second Student Centre buildings, and there will be seating available. Volunteers are still needed to help out on the day of the event, be it with set up, tabling and help cooking! If you can help please contact your lead stewards.

Matt Lomas – Lead Steward Unit 1 – cupe3903csu1@gmail.com
Chris Bailey – Lead Steward Unit 2 – cupe3903chiefstewardunit2@gmail.com

Bargaining Report Back: Week of September 25

BT holds Employer to account as third month of Collective Bargaining comes to a close 

Bargaining Report Back: Week of September 25

The Bargaining Team (BT) met with the Employer in a short online session on Wednesday, September 27. In addition to presenting the Unit 3 proposals designed to increase transparency in the hiring and costing of Graduate Assistantships, the BT continued to press the Employer to clarify their processes and policies relating to release of Union funds.

Unit 3 Proposals

Unit 3 members of the Bargaining Team (BT) presented  proposals to clarify the Graduate Assistant (GA) hiring and remuneration language within the Unit 3 Collective Agreement (CA). The proposals also aim to increase protections for both MA and PhD graduate students across various faculties. We continue to receive conflicting information from the employer about the process of hiring GAs; who is responsible for covering the group benefits cost associated with hiring a GA; and how GA pay is supplemented by other components of graduate funding enshrined in the CA. While we are confident that these proposals would improve the situation, we continue to be met with obfuscation at the bargaining table.

Employer commits to releasing outstanding CA funds for September 2023

Last week, the Bargaining Team (BT) argued with the Employer’s characterization of some Collective Agreement (CA) funds as “dated items.” The Employer’s position is that they are under no obligation to release funds which are attached to specific dates if the relevant CA is expired. The Employer used this interpretation to initially withhold their full contributions to the Ways and Means Fund and the Professional Development Fund. 

Ahead of Wednesday’s bargaining session, the Employer indicated via email that they will release the balance of these funds as a “friendly gesture.” While the BT is not averse to friendliness, it cannot be the basis upon which policies around funds are established or changed, particularly when those funds are designed to mitigate the financial hardships of our most vulnerable members. Nor can friendliness be the basis for this, or any, collective agreement between employers and workers.

Wage proposals forthcoming from the Employer

In response to last week’s rally for fair wages, the Employer has alluded to forthcoming wage proposals for each of the Unions whose members were affected by Bill 124. When asked by the Bargaining Team (BT) to clarify the timeline for such proposals, the Employer was unable to do so. They have also indicated that these proposals will come after a presentation on the University’s financial situation. Our members are struggling with the rising cost of living and the suppression of wages over the last several years, and we will insist that the University account for our needs alongside their financial interests and decisions.

BT fired up for CUPE 3903 Welcome Back BBQ

Members who want to get to know the Bargaining Team and join bargaining mobilization efforts should come out to the CUPE 3903 Welcome Back BBQ! It’s happening on October 3 between noon and 4 p.m. outside the Atkinson building. 

Get Involved: Upcoming Bargaining Meetings with the Employer

We have a busy month ahead. In keeping with the principle of open bargaining, all members are encouraged to attend bargaining meetings (the regular weekly meetings as well the meetings with the Employer).

Bargaining Meetings with the Employer – 

Check the website’s calendar closer to the bargaining dates for in-person location.  

Oct 11, 2023 10:00 AM–5:00 PM (in-person location TBD)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkcOGsqTguGdZwU2JVIfi2BhN1s0XthqDN

 Oct 18, 2023 10:00 AM–5:00 PM (in-person location TBD)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItc-6grTsvHNZScc2vXOTH0Qpjqh398mhs

 Oct 27, 2023 10:00 AM–5:00 PM (in-person location TBD)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctfu2tqDsjE9cSFrzy6vffqq_9hKXNlNJm

Bargaining Team Meetings

 Oct 2, 2023 01:00–3:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88961965124?pwd=YTVNaks4NnAxUlNKakt0a1ovRFBDZz09

Oct 10, 2023 02:00–4:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83844789491?pwd=QzBnaDZzby9VYjJYekJMekFhSXJoZz09

Oct 16, 2023 01:00–3:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83749454936?pwd=dHE4R1RIeUtBUExDUDIzTmdaSlNVZz09

Oct 17, 2020 Joint meeting of the Bargaining Team and Executive Committee

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89314435630?pwd=cEtUbWt5SXVZTVc0ZHd1ckI1dkVNQT09 

Oct 23, 2023 01:00–3:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82680781398?pwd=d1J2Zzh2VXBYZ1VjdFpUQ0lTSkZpUT09

Oct 30, 2023 01:00–3:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84211348026?pwd=V2lwYnpMbG1VdmRBWHB5bHhqK3Y0UT09

General Membership Meetings

Bargaining SGMM

Oct 12, 2:00-5:00 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsdeGgqzgvG9b15oyidFa7Gna36AQZPfIA 

October GMM

Oct 31, 2:00-5:00 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvcuyrqT0pE912bq-UA66a0STPK0nosG78 

 Accessibility of Bargaining Meetings 

For the regular bargaining team meetings, Zoom captions will be enabled. For the bargaining meetings with the Employer, CART will be available. If you require ASL interpretation or reimbursement for childcare/caregiver/attendant care or have any other requests for accommodation, please contact our Equity Officer, Nadia Kanani, at cupe3903equity@gmail.com.

Due to the high demand for ASL interpreters, we encourage members to provide, when possible, two weeks’ notice if ASL interpretation is required.

Bargaining Report Back: Week of September 18

BT pushes back on Employer withholding the Professional Development Fund and a significant portion of the Ways & Means Fund and continues other negotiations, approves Equity and Unit 3-specific proposals. 

Bargaining Report Back: Week of September 18

The Bargaining Team had another busy week passing proposals by the membership and presenting them to the Employer. At the meeting with the Employer on Friday, September 22, the BT presented Unit-specific and all-Unit Equity proposals. The BT received a “comprehensive package” of grievance proposals from the Employer that would both cut out steps from the current grievance process and allow the Employer to bring grievances against the Union. 

Employer’s Shifting Messaging on Process

We continue to make progress in approving and presenting proposals, but are being met with employer distraction tactics such as withholding funds or insisting that employer proposals must be accepted as a package. We have been responding to shifting messages from the Employer about how proposals will be presented. The Employer had previously stated a desire for the two parties to engage in a back and forth on the proposals thus far presented. In response, the BT began to formulate responses to individual proposals presented by the Employer. However, running directly counter to what they had previously stated, on September 22nd, the Employer presented the BT with an ‘all or nothing’ package on the grievance process. 

Equity Proposals 

We presented proposals that would see the extension of an 8th year in the priority pool for members of Unit 1 and Unit 3 under OHRC (Ontario Human Rights Code) grounds; would establish more transparency around course directorships with specific information on whether they were granted to those identifying as being in one or more of the designated employment equity groups; and would establish a Union Mentorship Fund where senior members of each unit within 3903 would be trained in connecting with newer members to support them in navigating York processes.

Unit 3 Proposals

The Unit 3 members of the bargaining team passed proposals by the membership that will be presented at the September 27th meeting with the Employer. These proposals clarify and ensure the timely payment of Graduate Assistants and prioritize the hiring of qualified MAs for GA positions.

Union Funds withheld by Employer

The BT is currently in discussion with the Employer around the releasing of the Union’s September 2023 funds. While most of these essential funds have been released to the Union, as per the Collective Agreement, the Employer has not released a significant portion of the Ways & Means Fund, nor any of the Professional Development Fund. The Employer wrongly cites past practices and wording in the Collective Agreement as the impetus for not releasing the funds. This is particularly troubling with respect to the Ways and Means fund, which is where many members go when they are experiencing serious hardship. Knowing how our members rely on the Ways and Means fund in dire circumstances, the last BT spent considerable time working out how to best apportion the 1% restrictions of Bill 124. Our strategy in the 2020-2023 round of bargaining was to increase Ways and Means more than other funds with members’ needs in mind.  The BT spent some time in the September 22 meeting pushing back on the Employer’s attempts to deny our members the full amount of their needed and due funds, and we will continue to push and ensure the rest of these funds get released as soon as possible. 

Data needed for some proposals to be complete

The BT is working hard to complete all the proposals we are bringing to the table as fast as possible while still allowing time for debate, member feedback, and coherent research and strategy. That process is being delayed as we wait on information requested from the Employer going back months. This includes Practicum Kinesiology and Integrated Physical Activity for Life (PKIN and IPAL) job description language that we were supposed to receive at the end of May, and employment equity data that was requested from the Employer in July in order to complete some of these proposals. 

Get Involved: Upcoming Bargaining Meetings with the Employer

We have a busy month ahead. In keeping with the principle of open bargaining, all members are encouraged to attend bargaining meetings (the regular weekly meetings as well the meetings with the Employer).

Bargaining Meetings with the Employer – 

Check the website’s calendar closer to the bargaining dates for in-person location. 

Sep 27, 2023 10:00 AM–12:00 PM (online only)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwuceirqzopE9Y_Hnn9PdQRDibBVjIoV68e 

Oct 11, 2023 10:00 AM–5:00 PM (in-person location TBD)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkcOGsqTguGdZwU2JVIfi2BhN1s0XthqDN 

Oct 18, 2023 10:00 AM–5:00 PM (in-person location TBD)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItc-6grTsvHNZScc2vXOTH0Qpjqh398mhs

Oct 27, 2023 10:00 AM–5:00 PM (in-person location TBD)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctfu2tqDsjE9cSFrzy6vffqq_9hKXNlNJm

Bargaining Team Meetings

 Oct 2, 2023 01:00–3:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88961965124?pwd=YTVNaks4NnAxUlNKakt0a1ovRFBDZz09

Oct 10, 2023 02:00–4:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83844789491?pwd=QzBnaDZzby9VYjJYekJMekFhSXJoZz09

Oct 16, 2023 01:00–3:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83749454936?pwd=dHE4R1RIeUtBUExDUDIzTmdaSlNVZz09 

Oct 23, 2023 01:00–3:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82680781398?pwd=d1J2Zzh2VXBYZ1VjdFpUQ0lTSkZpUT09 

Oct 30, 2023 01:00–3:00 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84211348026?pwd=V2lwYnpMbG1VdmRBWHB5bHhqK3Y0UT09

Accessibility of Bargaining Meetings 

For the regular bargaining team meetings, Zoom captions will be enabled. For the bargaining meetings with the Employer, CART will be available. If you require ASL interpretation or reimbursement for childcare/caregiver/attendant care or have any other requests for accommodation, please contact our Equity Officer, Nadia Kanani, at cupe3903equity@gmail.com.

Due to the high demand for ASL interpreters, we encourage members to provide, when possible, two weeks’ notice if ASL interpretation is required.

 

CUPE 3903 Childcare Fund

The CUPE 3903 Childcare Fund exists to help you with any costs you might incur in relation to your children. Please apply! We divide the fund evenly among all members who apply. You must apply each Fall to automatically be included in all three disbursement rounds in the academic year – Fall, Winter, and Summer. Members must apply to the fund in each academic year – so if you applied in the last academic year (Fall/Winter/Summer 2022-2023) you need to re-apply again now to be considered for the Fall/Winter/Summer 2023-2024 adjudications.

The Fall deadline is September 30th. If you miss the Fall deadline, you can still apply for the Winter and Summer disbursements. Funds are not distributed retroactively, so be sure to apply before the deadline (Fall – September 30th; Winter – January 31st; Summer – May 31st).

If you are eligible (you have a child under 13 or under 18 with additional needs), then please apply for the CUPE 3903 Childcare Fund! The fund is not specific to daycare – it is to help you with the various costs associated with children.

You can apply by filling out the online form found here: https://3903.cupe.ca/childcare-fund/

If you have questions about the fund please email the Childcare Committee at 3903childcare@gmail.com

Bargaining Team Report Back: Week of Sept. 11, 2023

Bargaining Team Report Back: Week of Sept. 11, 2023

This week, the bargaining team got feedback and discussed strategy with the larger 3903 membership and members of the Union executive. The foremost topics were the Union’s new equity proposals, the Employer’s stance on monetary proposals, Unit 3 issues, and meeting process and quorum.

BT brings new equity proposals before the membership, and discusses strategy on monetary proposals

This week we met with the membership during the bargaining SGMM on Sept. 12, 2023, and presented a holistic perspective on all the proposals from the Union and Employer sides.The bargaining team presented equity proposals to the membership around mentoring and assistive technologies funds. These proposals need to be voted on before they can be passed to the Employer, so we are asking members to please show up to the Sept. 21 GMM (see below for details). The meeting ended with members sharing ideas with the BT on how to approach future bargaining meetings, especially in regards to the Employer’s disciplinary proposals, and the Employer’s stance on not discussing monetary proposals until all non-monetary proposals have been presented. Low wages, Bill 124, and inflation have negatively impacted the 3903 membership, so we seriously hope that the Employer’s position does not represent an indication that they plan to stall on responding to our wages and funds proposals. We will seek clarification from the Employer on their position and continue to emphasize that our members cannot wait for remedies on the high cost of living.

All members count!

During the joint Bargaining team and 3903 Executive Committee meeting held this week, we followed up on some of the issues raised during the SGMM. To address quorum issues, the executive referred to existing by-laws which direct us to use the last available membership list from Summer 2023, until an updated membership number is received from the employer after the September payroll deadline. We brainstormed several ideas on how to engage with new incoming members through an expanded communication strategy. In the next month, we will be doubling our efforts to reach out to new members both through in-person mobilization and via our social media channels. We encourage all members to not only sign-up for weekly newsletters and keep an eye on 3903’s website in order to be fully updated on critical bargaining issues, but also join us in all SGMM’s, GMM’s, BT meetings, and Bargaining meetings with the employer.

Not backing down on Unit 3

Unit 3 (Graduate Assistants, or GAs) representatives on the bargaining team also discussed ongoing concerns about the lack of information shared by the employer on the Graduate Assistant Training (GAT) Fund. The GAT Fund, which is meant to incentivize the hiring of GAs, exists due to the Union’s past bargaining efforts, and in recent years, it has contributed to a marginal increase in GA hirings across the university. The employer has a history of misappropriating GAT Funds and continues to neglect the concerns of this unit. and in this round of bargaining the union aims to not only protect but also further fortify this fund. We will continue to follow up with the employer on our previous requests for details about how much it costs faculty to hire a GA. If you have any concerns around GA positions being informalized into non-unionized RA positions we request that you reach out to Unit 3 members of the Executive Committee or 3903 departmental stewarts.  Given the Employer’s efforts to excise Unit 3 work from the Union, we remain on high alert.

Joint Letter from the Cross-Campus alliance on Wage Reopeners

Back in August of this year, CUPE 3903 came together with the York University Staff Association (YUSA), York University Faculty Association (YUFA), and CUPE 1356 (representing Custodial, Grounds, Maintenance, Parking, Security and Transportation Services workers on York campus) to call on the University administration to do what other Ontario universities have done and renegotiate wages for workers affected by Bill 124. In the last round of bargaining, Bill 124 placed a 1% cap on wage increases and thereby violated workers rights to bargain freely (read more background on the CUPE 3903 website). This summer Bill 124 was struck down by the Ontario Superior Court because it violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In the coming days, the Cross-Campus Alliance will be meeting the administration to discuss the “wage reopener” added to the last round of Collective Agreements and re-negotiate the portions of those salary and compensation provisions that were limited by Bill 124. We will share more information on the same, once the employer responds with a joint meeting date.

We rely on the membership in our many efforts to bargain for a better future. We can leverage our combined strengths at various opportune moments and we hope you will consider joining one or more of the following scheduled meetings. 

Upcoming Bargaining Meetings with the Employer

CUPE 3903 is committed to open bargaining, which means all members are welcome to attend bargaining meetings (either in person or via Zoom). The next few meetings with the employer will take place on the following dates:

Friday 22 September, 10 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Hybrid). Location: Kaneff Tower, Room: 519

Register in advance:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0odOmhpzkuGNDmbOU8z52c9Rfx13eQ5NQk?os=ipad#/registration 

Wednesday 27 September, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (Online, via Zoom) 

Register in advance:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwuceirqzopE9Y_Hnn9PdQRDibBVjIoV68e?os=ipad#/registration

Upcoming 3903 Bargaining Team Meetings

As always, we encourage members to participate in our regular bargaining team meetings (without the Employer), all on Zoom. Here’s the link to join the next bargaining team meeting (also shared on 3903’s website’s calendar):

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 12:00-2:00 p.m.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85622995633?pwd=R1Q5ekNKRUVSLzhmRWhxWm1tL2I0UT09

Upcoming 3903 GMM

We encourage all members to participate in the 3903 GMM, online via Zoom. To receive your personalized link to the meeting, click on the pre-registration link below. Due to security and privacy concerns, we request that members not forward the zoom links they receive after registration.

Here’s the link to join the next bargaining team meeting (also shared on 3903’s website’s calendar):

General Membership Meeting: September 21st, 2:00pm to 5:00pm! | CUPE 3903

Pre Register here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAscuqqrjstH9dd7SN_4ys3M7sFp2ma-9in#/registration

Upcoming 3903 Joint Bargaining Team–Executive Meeting

As always, we encourage members to participate in our (now semi-)regular joint meetings with the CUPE 3903 Executive Committee. The next joint meeting will take place:

Tuesday, October 17, 3:00–6:00 p.m. (Registration link to be shared soon.)

Accessibility of Bargaining Meetings 

For the regular bargaining team meetings, Zoom captions will be enabled. For the bargaining meetings with the Employer, CART will be available. If you require ASL interpretation or reimbursement for childcare/caregiver/attendant care or have any other requests for accommodation, please contact our Equity Officer, Nadia Kanani, at cupe3903equity@gmail.com.

Due to the high demand for ASL interpreters, we encourage members to provide, when possible, two weeks’ notice if ASL interpretation is required.

 

Join the Rally for Fair Wages! September 20th, 12:10

A poster for the Rally for Fair Wages, showing several union members holding flags, as well as the rally information. Join us on Wednesday September 20 at 12:10 P.M. for a Rally for Fair Wages at York University

Despite the dramatic increases to the cost of living, wage increases for unionized workers at York University have been capped at 1% per year for three years due to Doug Ford’s unjust Bill 124. This law has now been struck down by the court as they found it violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Join us at the rally to call on the university to negotiate fair wage increases for staff, faculty and graduate student workers now!

We will meet at 12:10 P.M. at outside William Small Centre (near the Tim Hortons) and march together to Kaneff Tower where the president’s office is located. When we arrive in front of Kaneff Tower we will raise our voices to call on the university administration to do what other Ontario universities have done and renegotiate wages for workers affected by Bill 124.

Please help us plan for how many will attend by signing up here.

Here is a map illustrating the start and end points of the rally.

A map of Keele campus showing that the rally will meet at the West end of campus at the William Small Centre at 12:10, and end at Kaneff Tower at the East end of campus at 12:30.

LSTA and Conversion Program Announcement

CUPE 3903 would like to warmly congratulate these members for their success in the 2022-2023 Long Service Teaching Appointments (LSTAs) and Conversions exercises! LSTAs are a guaranteed work intensity over several years for senior contract faculty, while successful conversion applicants join YUFA as tenure-stream faculty.

Long Service Teaching Appointments (LSTA)

David Kyungwon Lee, LAPS
Elizabeth (Zab) Hobart, AMPD
Alireza Rafiee, Science
Richardine Woodall, LAPS/Glendon
Myles Wieselman, LAPS
Kirk Atkinson, LAPS
Eric Bronson, LAPS
Hui Wang, Lassonde
Andriy Pavlovych, Lassonde
Carl Wolfe, Science

Conversions

Valerie Florentin, Glendon
Lorin Schwartz, Education

If you are a member of Unit 2 and you are interested in preparing an application file for these job security programs, please consider joining one of the introductory workshops scheduled in September.

Bargaining Team Report Back : Week of Sept. 4, 2023

We have started a new school year, and we are happy to be back in the classrooms and labs with our students! As such, this was a good week for some reflection on where we stand in bargaining this round. With the new term getting underway, we look forward to more of our members joining us in our (bi)weekly Bargaining Meetings this week (Sept 11), the upcoming SGMM this week (Sept 12), the joint BT/Exec meeting (Sept 14), and the Bargaining meetings with the Employer: Sept 25 (11:00am 4:00pm – hybrid) and Sept. 27 (10:00am – 12:30pm – online only). Please join us for any and all of these opportunities for you – the membership – to direct us, your bargaining team, in negotiating the new Collective Agreement. (See below for specific information for each meeting.)

Continue reading

Bargaining Team Report Back : Week of August 28, 2023

Bargaining Team Report Back 

Week of August 28, 2023

There were two bargaining meetings scheduled with the employer this week on August 29 and August 31 from 10-5pm. During these two days of bargaining, both sides presented and discussed proposals. Most notably, the union presented our proposal for a wage increase and several increases to funds and benefits.

Bargaining with the employer August 29 and August 31

Employer proposals

The employer (ER) provided three documents.

Regarding disciplinary procedures (Article 8.03.1), the employer’s most recent proposal includes language intended to address CUPE 3903’s concerns that the changes would make it easier for a supervisor (e.g., department chair) to call a member in for a meeting—the first step in the discipline process—based on an unspecified “concern.” The current language in the collective agreement requires a formal “complaint” be made about a member’s job performance before such a meeting can take place. The ER’s new language attempts to make the proposed change more palatable by stressing that the meetings are to be held “informally.” But, most of the language remains unchanged since July 31. This proposal and the ER’s original proposals can be found on the CUPE 3903 website.

The ER’s second set of proposals would make substantive changes to Article 13 Evaluations in the Units 1 and 2 collective agreements. These changes would give the ER more control over the evaluations process by, for example, taking away a members’ right to choose their own informal evaluator and instead placing the choice in the hands of department chairs (or relevant academic administrators). The ER’s proposals would also give chairs greater power to initiate a formal job evaluation by disregarding the recommendation of an informal evaluator that a formal evaluation was not necessary.

The ER also proposed changing Article 13.07.1 of the Unit 2 CA to make the results of the core institutional questions from student course evaluations available to students. The ER suggested that this change would merely make the information shared with students uniform across all courses, since the results of student evaluations are already shared for YUFA members. 

All proposals presented by both sides can be found on the CUPE 3903 website

In answer to a query the employer changed the language on Article 15.01.3 – Unit 1; 15.01.8 Unit 2 and Article 11.01 – Unit 3 found here. This is in regards to persons with disabilities and accommodations.

CUPE Proposals

Unit 3 proposals

The Bargaining Team presented the Union’s proposal to Article 10.03 to ensure that the full value (“financial value”) of the GA contract would be laid out in the letter of offer so that members have a clear idea of the monetary value of the contract before accepting an offer.

The BT also proposed making the language regarding appointments to GA positions similar to the language of the Unit 1 CA, especially by substituting the term “notice of appointment” for the current “notice of assignment” and by the inclusion in the CA of a contract letter modelled on the Unit 1 letter of appointment. 

All-unit wage and fund proposals

The Bargaining Team also presented to the ER our monetary proposals, including demands for increases to our wage and funds. In recognition of the fact that Bill 124, enacted by the Ontario government in 2019, placed unconstitutional restrictions on CUPE 3903’s right to free collective bargaining in negotiating contracts for the three-year period covering September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2023, we proposed retroactive salary increases of 6% per year, over and above the 1% increases stipulated in the 2020–2023 collective agreement.

In addition, we proposed a 7% increase in years one and two of the next CA. In year three, we proposed an increase of 5% or the rate of inflation for the Greater Toronto Area, whichever was higher. Furthermore, we proposed that wages be indexed to inflation in this manner in subsequent years. 

We provided justification for the increases in the bargaining survey of union members in which 96%, 85%, and 76% of Units 1, 2, and 3, respectively, indicated they are struggling with the cost of living and 56%, 60%, and 44%, respectively, stated they have to supplement their income with other employment.

Finally, we proposed significant increases to funds that had been identified as needing significant increases, including the Ways and Means, Trans, SASSF, and Childcare funds, as well as increases to other all-units funds that would allow them to keep pace with inflation. The ER has not commented on these proposals to date.

All proposals presented by both sides can be found on the CUPE 3903 website

All-unit benefits proposals

The benefits package includes increases to existing benefits with an addition to orthodontics, endodontics, and major dental procedures for members and dependents.There is also a new preventative care article which would add $500 for fitness, health or wellness equipment.

The union’ sall-units benefits proposals to the employer found here

Upcoming Bargaining Meetings with the Employer

CUPE 3903 is committed to open bargaining, which means all members are welcome to attend bargaining meetings (either in person or via Zoom). The next few meetings with the employer will take place on the following dates:

Friday 22 September, 10 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Hybrid)

Monday 25 September, 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Hybrid)

Wednesday 27 September, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (Online, via Zoom).

Further details on the in-person locations for the hybrid meetings and Zoom links for all meetings will be included in a an upcoming bargaining report (and also shared on 3903’s website’s calendar):

Upcoming 3903 Bargaining Team Meetings

As always, we encourage members to participate in our regular bargaining team meetings (without the Employer), all on Zoom. Here’s the link to join the next bargaining team meeting (also shared on 3903’s website’s calendar):

Thursday, Sept. 7, 1:00-3:00 p.m. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85827952041?pwd=S3o0S2o0WlEvOHMvUXRaU05NRVlTQT09

Accessibility of Bargaining Meetings 

For the regular bargaining team meetings, Zoom captions will be enabled. For the bargaining meetings with the Employer, CART will be available. If you require ASL interpretation or reimbursement for childcare/caregiver/attendant care or have any other requests for accommodation, please contact our Equity Officer, Nadia Kanani, at cupe3903equity@gmail.com.

Due to the high demand for ASL interpreters, we encourage members to provide, when possible, two weeks’ notice if ASL interpretation is required.