In the next two weeks YUFA members will have an opportunity to review and approve the bargaining proposals package for the current round of collective bargaining. A Special Membership Meeting called for this purpose will be held on June 6.  To date, the parties have met four times during which the employer has only presented its non-monetary package and has been informed that YUFA’s package should be ready by mid-June.  

It is expected that among the key priorities for YUFA will be meaningful wage gains and increases to benefits and other monetary items such as Professional Expense Reinbursement (PER) allowances. We will also be proposing that our annual ‘progress through the ranks’ PTR increment be meaningfully increased after falling far behind the levels for comparable faculty groups. Other important priorities include – but are not restricted to - addressing workload and equity concerns and fixing the fractious and often dysfunctional grievance and dispute resolution process between the parties.

At the last meeting between the parties the bargaining team heard a presentation from Provost Lisa Philips and VP Finance and Administration Carol McAulay about the university’s multi-year budget Plan. The employer did not follow up with any presentation of its monetary proposals and VP McAulay and Provost Philips indicated they could not remain for further discussion and exchange.

After the financial presentation the employer made the highly unusual proposal that the parties hire a mediator to try to expedite the bargaining process before either of the parties have presented their main package of monetary proposals. YUFA has responded that, while we strongly believe that third party assistance can be helpful in allowing the parties to conclude negotiations, we would prefer first to follow the usual process of two-way exchanges - where the parties discover where the key differences lie – before bringing in the services of a mediator. It is widely understood that it is most productive and efficient to use mediators at a stage of negotiations when the parties have been able to seek understanding of each others’ positions and have tested the waters with counter-proposals and offers of compromise.

The bargaining team is committed to keeping members informed as negotiations proceed and calling meetings at key junctures in the process. In the meantime, please consider attending the Special GMM where YUFA’s final bargaining package will be approved.