In the late evening of April 13th, Arbitrator Eli A. Gedalof issued an award in the matter of a multi-party interest mediation-arbitration pursuant to the March 18, 2024 Memorandum of Agreement regarding Bill 124 wage reopener. The award was issued to York University Faculty Association, York University Staff Association, Osgoode Hall Faculty Association, and CUPE 1356.  

The main features of this award are as follow:

• Arbitrator Gedalof awarded across-the-board increases to Article 25.03 Base Salaries, Article 25.09 Overload Rates, and Stipends for positions in Appendix P of 9%, staged as follow:
  •  2021 2% (which is inclusive of the previously agreed General Wage Increase of 1%)
  •  2022 3% (which is inclusive of the previously agreed General Wage Increase of 1% )
  •  2023 4% (which is inclusive of the previously agreed General Wage Increase of 1% )
    
    
•  As indicated this award also captures a retroactive increase to stipends tied to Appendix P position for members who have served in such positions during the period covered, and for overload pay for those who received overload during this period;
  
  
•  The staging achieved by this award means members who have left the bargaining unit in 2021 or 2022 will nonetheless receive compensation;

• The retro payment will be made in connection with a regular salary payment before the end of July 2024;

• For employees who have given notice of retirement effective July 1, 2024, the Employer will arrange for the retro payment to be paid before the end of June 2024. Members who are retiring as of July 1, 2024 will get their pension entitlement adjusted to reflect the increase to base salary and the retro lump sum payment, provided they have not hit the Year’s maximum limits under the Income Tax Act. With the complex hybrid nature of the pension plan, the retro payment cannot be used to change current pension calculations. However, our retirees will receive the wage increases they were entitled to had it not been for Bill 124. 
  
  
• When taking account the way the retroactive payments are distributed over the three-year period, the compounding effect makes the gains close to the cumulative 10%, that University of Toronto Faculty Association got (not negotiated in the context of Bill 124, but widely referenced as a benchmark). While our award is 9%, the amount we will receive will be closer to 9.26%. This award is more inclusive and equitable as it further extends to former members of the bargaining unit still employed in 2021 and 2022.

This award is a win for YUFA members! Thank you to all those who worked very hard to achieve this settlement. The strong solidarity among the campus unions, YUSA, OHFA and CUPE, was integral in securing a fair redress.