Workers at Canadian Observatory on Homelessness join CUPE

TORONTO – The staff of a leading homelessness research and policy organization, the
Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, became members of the Canadian Union of Public
Employees (CUPE) following a Labour Board decision yesterday.

The workers, who are joining CUPE Local 3903, voted overwhelmingly to form a union on
April 5. Workers initiated the union drive because of low wages, inadequate benefits, and
concerns around a lack of supports as they perform emotionally taxing work.

The Observatory conducts research into solutions to homelessness and is affiliated with York
University, where CUPE’s membership already includes more than 3000 academic and
support workers.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union, with 750,000 members
across the country. CUPE represents workers in health care, emergency services, education,
early learning and childcare, municipalities, social services, libraries, utilities, transportation,
airlines and more.

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For more information, contact:
Craig Saunders, CUPE Communications | 416-576-7316 | csaunders@cupe.ca

https://cupe.ca/workers-canadian-observatory-homelessness-join-cupe?utm_medium=email&utm_source=CUPEToday

Launch of New Subsidized Staples Produce Box Program!

This week we are delighted to launch a new program, which makes available the order of weekly, home-delivered boxes of Toronto FoodShare fresh produce at subsidized rates to members experiencing acute financial hardship and food insecurity. For two weeks maximum per application, members can order a Staples Produce Box at the cost of $10 per week, which includes home delivery on a predesignated day each week and contains 5-6 units of seasonal staple vegetables and fruit for a 1-2-person household (e.g. potatoes, carrots, broccoli, apples, lettuce, lemons, etc.). The contents of the boxes change each week according to season and availability, but the freshness and ethical sourcing is guaranteed! 

This program is specifically intended for members who are having difficulty meeting their basic nutritional needs. Surveys of members that were conducted in summer of 2023 indicated that there are currently members who rely on food banks to support their needs. Thus, the subsidized Staples Produce Box program is meant to provide convenient, urgent, and short-term access to fresh, affordable produce to use in cooking. There are a limited number of boxes available each week, and priority will be given to first-time applicants. Requests which cannot initially be approved will be put on a waitlist for the next available spot. Participation is on a first-come, first-serve basis and requires timely e-transfer of the $10/box charge each week. 

If you would like to request a Staples Produce Box, please fill out the jot form linked below. You will hear back from us within 48 hours. 

Please fill out this form.

Inquiries can be sent to: 3903produceboxes@gmail.com 

On Friday April 20th, York University Administration sent the below attached email requiring members to take urgent action over this weekend to confirm resuming work.

We are concern by the quick turn around of this process, and the impact it might have on members. Though we have attempted to express this concern and highlight how this was not a discussed aspect of the back-to-work-protocol via both email and over the phone.

As such, we need to bring this required urgent action to the attention of membership. The University states that it is necessary that you complete an on-line form at: https://cupejobs.uit.yorku.ca/remediate/ by no later than NOON on Sunday, April 21 to confirm your return to work, or else be “considered to have abandoned their work”.

Please check your Employee email for the Employer’s communication. If you have not received the below communication from the University, or are experiencing technical issues, please reach out to Matt Lomas, Lead Steward Unit 1, at cupe3903csu1@gmail.com.

York University’s Communication:

“Dear colleagues,

We are very happy to welcome you back to work and are looking forward to working with you to complete the 2023/24 academic session and begin planning for the academic year ahead.

As of this evening, you will be able to access eClass in order to prepare your materials for the remediation period. All of the planning materials you will need to prepare for this are included below and should you have any questions, please reach out to your Dean’s Office for assistance.

The key requirements for employees in each of the CUPE 3903 Units 1, 2 and 3 are as follows, to help facilitate a smooth and efficient return to work, including engagement in remediation activities:

Confirming Return to Work

The start of the formal remediation period is April 22. In order to plan for the resumption of suspended academic activities, we request that you communicate your return to work and readiness to complete your winter term employment by Sunday, April 21 at: https://cupejobs.uit.yorku.ca/remediate

If there are any medical or other exceptional circumstances precluding your return to work, it is necessary that you complete an on-line form at: https://cupejobs.uit.yorku.ca/remediate/ by no later than NOON on Sunday, April 21.

Employees who do not confirm that they are returning to work or indicate they are unable to return to work with a supporting explanation by NOON on Sunday, April 21 will be considered to have abandoned their work. This is necessary given the short remediation period and the need to put in place alternative arrangements, if you are unavailable to do the work.

Unit 1 and Unit 2 Course Directors

You must submit a Remediation Plan using the Remediation Plan Template.

In creating your Remediation Plan, you are asked to review the Institutional Remediation Guidelines as  well as the Completion of Courses and Finalization of Grades from Senate Executive for important information about student rights, course completion options, alternate modes of course content delivery, and the finalization of grades.  Course Directors are required to complete a Remediation Workload Form which will provide the basis for assessing the remaining salary for work related to the completion of the course. The Remediation Workload Form is to be completed after the work for which pay is to be provided has been completed (more to follow on information about the submission of the Workload Form).

Unit 1 tutorial leaders, lab demonstrators, studio instructors and Unit 2 employees with marker/grader or other hourly paid assignments

It will be necessary for those of you with these work assignments to have your course director/employment supervisor approve a workload plan using the TA Remediation Workload Form (Unit 1) or the Type 2 Remediation Workload Form (Unit 2), for any activities required for the completion of your assignment . The plan will need to identify how it relates to the original Workload Form that you filled out with your course director/employment supervisor. The TA Remediation Workload Form and Type 2 Remediation Workload Form will provide the basis for assessing remediation pay and must be signed by your course director/employment supervisor and be submitted to your hiring unit/Faculty after the work for which pay is to be provided has been completed (more information about the submission of the Workload Form to follow).

Unit 3 graduate assistants

You will need to work with your supervisor to approve a workload plan using the Supplementary Graduate Assistant Workload Form. The Supplementary Workload Form will need to indicate how it relates to the original Graduate Assistant Workload Form that you filled out with your supervisor and will form the basis for assessing any remaining pay related to the completion of the assignment (more on information about the submission of the Workload Form to follow).

We are very excited to welcome you back and want to thank you for continuing to support our students. We are very grateful for your efforts and want to ensure you feel supported during this time.

Warmly,

Lisa Philipps
Provost and Vice-President Academic”

April 19th 2024 Ratification Vote Results

On April 19th, 2024, almost 1,600 members of CUPE 3903 participated in the ratification vote of a tentative Comprehensive Framework for Settlement.

In brief, Unit 1 (89.9%), Unit 2 (93.8%), and Unit 3 (90.0%) voted in favour of accepting the tentative agreement. Thereby, all three units have ratified the Employer’s latest offer respectively, and work will resume on Monday, April 22nd.

This ratification brings with it some important gains, most notably:

• We won retroactive pay (for both wages and GIA) despite an expired wage re-opener, and ensured eligibility for everyone who held a contract during the 2020-2023 collective agreement, regardless of current status, thus setting a new higher floor for future wage gains and fighting back the Employer’s push to restrict the eligibility!
• In total, we negotiated over the six years of the Bill 124 period (2020–23) and the renewal collective agreement (2023–26),wage increases of 14.8% (or 17.8% including the previous 3% increases of the Bill 124 period). 
• We achieved an 18% boost in Graduate Financial Assistance.
• Many of the all-units proposals we achieved this round are wins for equity! Highlights include:
  • A NEW $25,000/year fund to support racialized members experiencing racial discrimination, harassment, and violence; this is a proposal we have fought for unsuccessfully in previous rounds of bargaining!
  • A NEW Mentoring Fund of $10,000/year to provide mentoring, professional development, and other supports among the units, especially for employment equity groups.
  • Three additional weeks (for a Fall-Winter contract, from 12 to 15) of paid parental leaves for non-pregnant parents and adoptive parents, as well as increased unpaid parental leave
  • An increase of $10,000 to the operating costs of each of the two on-campus childcare centres (from $50,000 to $60,000) and a 3% per year increase in the Childcare Fund for members
  • A commitment from the employer to have regular discussions with the union about the workplace accommodations process and policies
• We fought hard and defeated the employers concessionary Job Stability Program, keeping the Long Service Teaching Appointments alive into the next collective agreement.
• We negotiated a back-to-work protocol that ensures everyone receives an automatic 90% of their remaining pay for the Winter 2024 term, with the ability to get the last 10% depending on individual remediation plans and the amount of work to be completed

Every striking member should feel unbelievably proud of the commitment you have shown to your fellow members, and the determination we have shown as a collective in our fight for a better workplace and more just future. 

The strike was an incredible feat, and because of this action and the hard work of many, we were able to secure some truly meaningful wins that will immediately improve the lives of both students and workers. 

At this moment, we are more organized than ever and we will continue to work towards a more inclusive, equitable and affordable York University. This fight does not end today!

With deep appreciation and unwavering solidarity, I present to you the comprehensive results of the ratification vote.

Official results

Ballot question: 

“Do you accept the Employer’s April 14, 2024 “Comprehensive Framework for Settlement” for Unit [x]?”

Overall turnout: 

• Total eligible voters: 2732
• Total votes cast: 1572
• Voter turnout: 57.5%

Unit 1 vote: 

• Yes: 937 (89.9%)
• No: 105 (10.1%)

Unit 1 turnout: 

• Total eligible voters: 1916 
• Total votes cast: 1042
• Voter turnout: 54.4%

Unit 2 vote: 

• Yes: 488 (93.8%)
• No: 32 (6.2%)

Unit 2 turnout: 

• Total eligible voters:  801
• Total votes cast: 520 
• Voter turnout: 64.9%

Unit 3 vote: 

• Yes: 9 (90%)
• No: 1 (10%)

Unit 3 turnout: 

• Total eligible voters: 15
• Total votes cast: 10 
• Voter turnout: 66.7%

If there is any discrepancy between the numbers posted here and the numbers posted in the CUPE 3903 office, the latter shall prevail.

April 18, 2024

Open Letter Regarding the Use of Strikebreakers at York University

We join our voices to firmly and unequivocally condemn the repeated invitations extended by York University to strikebreakers – aka “scabs”– during the 2024 CUPE 3903 strike (ongoing at the time of writing).

The use of strikebreakers is widely recognized as a way for the Employers to further shift the balance of power to their advantage, yet it prolongs labour disputes and negatively impacts the efforts for fair and just collective bargaining. In doing so, the University delivers a blow to all workers in Ontario, by undermining acceptable and adequate working conditions.

We remind the University the main mandate of the newly created Office of the Equity, People and Culture (EP&C) is to “to build a stronger, more equitable and healthier workplace environment at York University”. For this new division not to be just a façade, the University needs to abide by the principles it promotes.

Sonny Day President, York University Staff Association
Arthur Hilliker President, York University Faculty Association
Mackenzie Edwards Chairperson, CUPE 3903
Frank D’Agostino President, CUPE 1356
OHFA Executive, Osgoode Hall Faculty Association

Click here to read PDF version

SUMMARY OF THE MEMORANDA OF SETTLEMENT SIGNED ON APRIL 14, 2024

CUPE 3903 Units 1, 2, and 3

On Sunday, April 14, after six consecutive (and long!) days of bargaining, the CUPE 3903 Bargaining Team for Units 1, 2, and 3 reached a tentative agreement with the Employer. This deal will now go to the membership for ratification on Friday, April 19. (See the end of this summary for details.)

All three units of the Bargaining Team voted to recommend that members ratify this deal. The information below is designed to give members a summary of what is in each offer to inform your vote. 

You can also look through the complete tentative agreement documents here:

• Unit 1 Memorandum of Settlement
• Unit 2 Memorandum of Settlement
• Unit 3 Memorandum of Settlement

A summary chart of all the agreed-upon changes in the Memoranda of Settlement is also available: Changes to the Collective Agreements, 2023–26. 

You can also check out these wage calculator documents, prepared by a rank-and-file member, to get a sense of how compensation will be improved with the next collective agreement (and the gains we made over the course of the strike). 

Each unit will vote to ratify separately, although many of the gains are common to all three. 

Compensation

Wage Increases

For the 2020-2023 period, negotiated retroactively due to the unconstitutional wage freeze imposed by Bill 124, we have achieved the following increases in addition to the 1% already received:

• 2020-21: 1%
• 2021-22: 2%
• 2022-23: 3%

As we negotiated, this retroactive pay will apply to current and former employees who have left York University. Everyone who worked from 2020 to 2023 will be eligible for a retroactive lump sum payment.  The Employer will contact ex-employees by mail and email at the addresses it has on file so they can confirm their banking information. Former employees will have 90 days to do so, and midway through the process, the Employer will provide the Union with a list of those who have not yet responded.

For the period of the renewal collective agreement, we have negotiated the following increases:

• 2023-24: 3.10%
• 2024-25: 2.85%
• 2025-26: 2.85%

In total, then, we’ve negotiated increases of 14.8% (or 17.8% including the previous increases of the Bill 124 period). The cumulative, compounded increase over the six years is 15.7% (or 19.2%, inclusive).

Compensation for Graduate Students

For Units 1 and 3 members, Grant-in-Aid (GIA) will get the same retroactive and future increases as wages. 

Also for Units 1 and 3 members, we have negotiated an 18% increase for Graduate Financial Assistance (GFA), which is greater than the wage increase, and is effective September 1, 2024. This larger increase recognizes the specific financial pressures on graduate students. In light of the disproportionate burden of international tuition fees, we also made a case for even greater increases for international students but were unfortunately unsuccessful. 

Let us be clear: these wage and funding increases are neither what we aimed for nor what we deserve. Between the unconstitutional Bill 124 and record-high inflation, the cost of living has increased well past any level that could be meaningfully addressed by such small increases. Nonetheless, we recommend this deal because we believe it is the best we could achieve under the circumstances. Our wage increases are the best in the sector, which unfortunately would limit what we could achieve in arbitration. 

Other All-Unit Gains

Many of the all-units proposals we achieved this round are wins for equity! Highlights include:

• A NEW $25,000/year fund to support racialized members experiencing racial discrimination, harassment, and violence; this is a proposal we have fought for unsuccessfully in previous rounds of bargaining!
• A NEW Mentoring Fund of $10,000/year to provide mentoring, professional development, and other supports among the units, especially for employment equity groups
• Three additional weeks (for a Fall-Winter contract, from 12 to 15) of paid parental leaves for non-pregnant parents and adoptive parents, as well as increased unpaid parental leave
• An increase of $10,000 to the operating costs of each of the two on-campus childcare centres (from $50,000 to $60,000) and a 3% per year increase in the Childcare Fund for members
• A commitment from the employer to have regular discussions with the union about the workplace accommodations process and policies

Other gains include 1% increases to the following funds: Professional Development Fund, Equity Fund, Extended Health Benefits Fund, and Ways & Means Fund. We also increased the employer contribution to executive service (which pays the honoraria for the executive committee) for the first time in over a decade, and reduced the number of steps in the grievance process from four steps to two, so that members can have their grievances heard and processed more quickly. 

We regret to report that—aside from a modest increase to the healthcare spending accounts of post-retirees—we did not win improvements to the benefits plan. The employer held firm to its position that our benefits are best of any similar union in the province; it was unmoved by the reality that the cost of medical care has increased along with the cost of living and that, as a result, existing benefits have progressively gotten members less and less care. Even our proposal to add coverage for essentials like hearing aids was denied. We pushed hard until the very end but received only dismissive comments from the employer. 

Unit 1

Unit 1 focused most of its bargaining power on increasing remuneration (see the Compensation section above) but also achieved the following:

• Clarifying language defining the duties of marker grader positions (Tutor 3) to help mitigate abuses
• Minor improvements to the workload language to clarify that course directors must clearly establish grading timelines
• Minor improvements to the UHIP Fund and Graduate Student Bursary Fund

Unit 2

Job Stability

With the support of the other striking units, Unit 2 successfully fought back against the Employer’s attempt to impose on us their version of the JSP (Job Stability Program). However, defeating this program did mean some losses in existing job stability programs. Ultimately, this is what we were able to achieve:

• 18 total Long Service Teaching Appointments (LSTAs), spread between 2024-25 and 2025-26 (down from 21 in the 2020–23 CA) 
• 6 total conversion appointments in 2024-25 and 2025-26. 
• Return of the Time-Limited Severance Program (TLSP) for long-serving members looking to retire, with applications open between May 1 and October 31, 2024 

We regret that we were unable to get any uptake from the employer on the Special Renewal Contracts (SRCs). And in order to secure renewal of the TLSP, a successful program under our previous CA, we dropped our attempt to renew the underused Transitional Continuing Appointment (TCA) program.

Regarding restructuring, we were unable to get the employer to value long-serving members impacted by the administration’s decisions on enrollment and program change. We did accept the offer of severance payments for PKIN instructors looking to exit York, but eligibility for these payments is limited and the amounts are insufficient. Nor does a one-time severance payment address the fact that the goal should be to help members who have worked at this university for decades to find their place amid restructuring, not show them the door. 

Other Provisions

Here are the other gains in the Unit 2 collective agreement:

• New workload protections for Type 2 work (e.g. tutorial leader, lab demonstrator, etc.) that limit the hours of work to 135 per appointment. This brings Unit 2 to parity with Unit 1 members doing similar work. 
• Modest increase of $200 to post-retirement health spending accounts, bringing the yearly amount up to $2200. 
• A commitment from the employer to look into the feasibility of extending email access for retirees
• Increased incumbency period for members who are requested to design a course
• A new process to award experience credits (seniority points) to members involved in certain forms of service to the university community

Unit 3

Getting the employer to engage in Unit 3 issues is always exceedingly difficult. This is not surprising, given York’s history of trying to destroy protected, unionized work for graduate students doing research or clerical work at York University. In this round, the employer refused to acknowledge they had been lying about the cost of hiring a Graduate Assistant since 2016 and had misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars meant to be used for that purpose. We will continue to pursue these issues through arbitration. The Employer remained implacably opposed to our main goal, which was to increase the number of GA positions.

Consequently, Unit 3’s gains are minor:

• Renewal of the Graduate Assistant Training Fund (GATF): 40 allocations per year at $4000 per allocation (up from $2000)
• Unit 3 members will now receive a written offer of appointment that includes details of their contract, rather than, as previously, just an email with no contract!
• Minor improvements to the posting language to clarify the financial value of Unit 3 contracts

Back-to-Work Protocol

In the last few days of bargaining, we negotiated a back-to-work protocol for all members who return to work on the first day after ratification; the protocol ensures everyone will receive a minimum of 90 percent and up to 100 percent of their remaining remuneration for the Winter 2024 term:

• 90% of remaining salary and GIA, to be paid as soon as practicable
• Payment of the remaining 10 percent is dependent on submitting a remediation plan (Unit 2), the number of students remaining in courses (Units 1 and 2), and the amount of work completed (all units)
• The protocol also requires that the assignment of work aligns with a member’s approved Accommodated Work Plan  

Ratification Vote

For more information about and to register for the online Special General Membership Meeting at which the Bargaining Team will explain the new Collective Agreements, please refer to the following https://3903.cupe.ca/event/sgmm-ratification-vote/?instance_id=1457. The Meeting will take place on Friday, April 19, 12:00–2:00 p.m. As per our Union’s bylaws, voting will begin during the meeting (by 1:00 p.m.) and will continue for two hours after the meeting. 

IMPORTANT NOTE!! To receive your e-ballot from Simply Voting for the ratification vote, you MUST REGISTER FOR THE SGMM. You don’t have to attend the SGMM to vote, but the registration list for the meeting will be used as the voters’ list and will be sent to Simply Voting once the meeting starts. New registrations will be accepted up to the close of the poll at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, but please register well ahead of the meeting because any registrations after the meeting starts will need to be transferred individually to Simply Voting, which will delay your receiving your ballot. 

On Sunday, April 14th, the Bargaining Team for CUPE 3903 units 1, 2, and 3 voted to endorse tentative renewal collective agreements to send for ratification by the membership. Endorsement reflects that the Bargaining Team believes that these are the best deals that we will achieve. Although the Bargaining Team recognizes that not everything we wanted in this round of bargaining was achieved, we have obtained some notable gains that make this deal worth endorsing. The Special General Membership Meeting for Ratification will be April 19th from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.

In order to best facilitate the vote, the SGMM will be held online only. All members must register here in advance to receive your ballot. 

In order to register, you will need to provide your employee number (not your student number), which will be kept confidential. Your employee number is on your monthly pay stub. If you don’t know your employee number, please click here for instructions.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the meeting.

During the meeting, the Bargaining Team will present the Employer’s latest offer and explain their recommendation of it.

The presentation will last for up to one hour, followed by another hour of discussion (1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.). Ballots will open at the beginning of the meeting, and be available for two hours after the meeting ends – closing at 4:00 p.m.

Each unit’s members will vote separately on each of their own offers.

All three units of the Bargaining Team voted to recommend that members ratify this deal. The information linked here is to give members a summary of what is in each offer to inform your vote.

Click here to read the Bargaining Team’s summary of the tentative agreements.

You can also look through the complete tentative agreement documents here:

• Unit 1 Memorandum of Settlement

• Unit 2 Memorandum of Settlement

• Unit 3 Memorandum of Settlement

If members vote by a simple majority (by unit) to ratify the Terms of Settlement (the Employer’s offer), the strike will end and members will return to work Monday, April 22nd. If members vote by a simple majority (by unit) to reject the Terms of Settlement, the strike will continue.

Members should note that the strike is still underway until members decide otherwise.

Please click here to register before the vote opens on the 19th to ensure that you have enough time to receive your ballot and to vote.

Agenda:

12:00 p.m. Presentation by the Bargaining Team of the Employer’s latest offer

1:00 p.m. Discussion and questions for the Bargaining Team / voting opens

2:00 p.m.  Meeting ends/ Zoom room remains open / voting continues

4:00 p.m.  Period to receive ballot closes

4:30 p.m Counting Begins

The results of the vote will be announced as soon as all the ballots are counted.

Members are not obliged to attend the entire meeting in order to vote on the Employer’s latest offer, but members MUST register for the SGMM in order to receive a ballot. Register well in advance of the meeting to ensure an easy voting process. We strongly encourage members to attend and listen to the bargaining report before voting, if possible. Members may receive their ballot anytime between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

E-voting Period, Procedure and Eligibility

Voting Period: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Procedure: YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THE SGMM IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A BALLOT. You can register here. It is crucial that you register as far in advance as possible. On April 19th, during the SGMM (after the bargaining team report), members will receive an email from SimplyVoting with their ballot. The ballot will go to the email that you registered for the meeting with.

Email Melvin Chan at sectreasurer3903@gmail.com if you registered for the meeting but did not receive your ballot after the vote has opened. Please check all your email accounts and spam folders before writing to us. You will have until Friday, April 19th (4:00pm EDT) to vote.

Eligibility: All members with active contracts are eligible to vote. Political members are also eligible. A political member is someone who has had a valid contract within the past 12 months.

There will be CART closed captioning of this meeting. For other accessibility needs, please contact the Equity Officer, Nadia Kanani, at cupe3903equity@gmail.com

Bargaining Team Reaches Tentative Agreement!

After a long, intense weekend of bargaining in which both sides exchanged multiple passes, the Employer delivered what it characterized as its final offer to the Union on Sunday afternoon. At 9:00 p.m. Sunday, the CUPE 3903 Bargaining Team agreed to sign a Memorandum of Settlement with the Employer and to send the deal to the membership for ratification.

In our last pass to the Employer, delivered at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, we had continued to push for improvements for all three units. In response, the Employer’s final offer contained some meaningful improvements, including an additional 0.25% in the second year of the retroactive wage period, an increase to Graduate Financial Assistance (GFA) for Units 1 and 3, an additional six LSTAs (Long Service Teaching Appointments) for Unit 2, and, for all units, a guarantee of at least 90 percent remediation pay for completing Winter 2024 contracts. (The final 10 percent will be subject to a remediation process based on the work remaining to be completed and, for Units 1 and 2, the number of students remaining in tutorials and courses.)

Over the weekend agreement was also achieved on a number of crucial funds: the Mentorship Fund, the Child Care Centre Fund (finally bringing amounts for both Lee Wiggins and the Co-op up to a workable number), the UHIP fund, and the support fund for Racialized Members Experiencing Violence, Harassment, and Discrimination. These gains in funds will make a tangible positive impact on members across a broad spectrum of needs.

After months of work and motivating by the Union, the Employer finally accepted our proposal to create a Mentorship Fund. The Employer also introduced a new proposal, a Letter of Agreement on a Severance program for PKIN instructors.

Although we didn’t achieve everything we wanted to in this round of bargaining, we have obtained some notable gains that make this deal—the best we could get under the circumstances—worth endorsing. Our final wage gains over the six years of the Bill 124 period (2020–23) and the renewal collective agreement (2023–26) are well below both what we were seeking and what our members deserve. But at 14.8% (or 17.8%, inclusive of the 1% per year already earned during the Bill 124 period), they are sector leading in many ways and that itself is an achievement.

The CUPE 3903 Executive Committee is currently working out the logistics of the ratification vote, which will be held at this week’s Strike General Membership Meeting. (Date and time to be confirmed.) As per the Union’s Bylaws, voting will take place during the SGMM, at which the Bargaining Team will explain the tentative agreements, and for two hours afterward. Our strike will continue until the membership votes to ratify. Thank you to all the members who have held the lines for the past seven weeks and who joined us in bargaining this weekend, including for our marathon 16-hour Zoom meeting on Saturday. And thank you to our incredible and devoted staff for their support and advice throughout this process, particularly during our final push this weekend. The Bargaining Team looks forward to discussing the tentative agreements with members this week and to our eventual return to work. 

Bargaining Team report April 13, 2024

The employer indicated that they would join us at 11:15 AM.  Before they joined us, we made a plan for the process of the day and collected questions for our staff about what kinds of protections members would need to see in back-to-work protocols.

The Employers joined us as planned to share their latest pass. It contained little movement or improvement on wages (0.1% in the first year of the renewal agreement), but it did contain some agreement on a number of crucial funds: the Mentorship Fund, the Child Care Centre Fund (finally bringing amounts for both Lee Wiggins and the Co-op up to a workable number), the UHIP fund, and the Support for Racialized Members Fund. These gains in funds will make a tangible positive impact on members across a broad spectrum of needs.

After months of work and motivating by the Union, the Employer finally accepted our proposal to create a Mentorship Fund. The Employer also introduced a new proposal, a Letter of Agreement on a Severance program for PKIN instructors. We spent the afternoon going over the Employer’s pass and then creating a new pass, which was presented in the late afternoon.

We responded with a pass at 4:45 PM, which involved the difficult decision to withdraw some significant proposals where we saw no response over multiple passes and motivations. We withdrew our remaining benefits proposals and the U1 fellowship proposals in order to get to a fair deal that would best meet the needs of our members.

We did keep firm on the GFA, raising it slightly to balance the drop of other proposals. We also provided multiple counters for the Employer, including coming down on wages by 0.5% (0.1% in the first retroactive year, and 0.4% in the first renewal year); moving on our ask for Ways and Means; proposing $2500 per year for Post-Retirement Benefits; and offering two options of possible LSTA proposals.

In response to our 4:45 PM pass, the Employer promised a further pass at 8:45 PM. We spent the early evening conceptualizing our Return to Work Protocol.

The Employer joined us at 8:45 PM, and they showed us their latest pass, which included an ATB increase of 0.25% in the third retroactive year. With movement, finally, on executive service, as well as agreement to the Time-Limited Severance Program, we are starting to see the possibility of a pass that we would consider bringing to our members. Much depends on what can be agreed to in the Return to Work Protocols, where we need to see a simple process for members to be fully compensated. The individualized approach to compensation that was part of the 2018 protocols was an administrative headache, only seeing completion recently, so the BT aims to push back against this.

With a view to emphasizing the remaining proposals that would most benefit our members, the BT spent the next few hours making our next pass, which we sent to the employer around 1:30 AM on April 14th.  After taking time to consider where movement had stalled despite the BT’s best efforts throughout, we made the tough choice to further refine our package and dropped several proposals. Having repeatedly motivated and explained our proposal for workplace accommodations for racialized members experiencing racial discrimination, harassment, and violence, and having first moved to make it a pilot project, and then a Letter of Agreement, with no uptake from the Employer, we determined it was time to consider a different strategy to ensure that proper accommodations programs are developed for racialized members of CUPE 3903.

Also, after multiple concerted efforts to preserve the technological protection proposal, it was cut to hone the package in on the most critical member concerns.  Nevertheless, we still think our pass would be one that our membership would be proud of accepting and contains significant, meaningful gains. Now, what remains is to see if the employer will follow through on their purported priorities.

Bargaining on April 14th is scheduled for 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. All members are welcome. You can register for the meeting in advance with your employee number by using the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0uf-morz0jHtLmgMOEH4qwM5h2f4PVTAkw