On September 15, 2023, York University president Rhonda Lenton wrote to YUFA stating that the Employer would like to explore the terms of a wage reopener on an expedited basis.

YUFA is disappointed that to-date the Employer has not provided a proposal, nor a date when a proposal might be submitted.

President Lenton in her annual report released this week notes the “excellent faculty” at the university and the “continued dedication” of community members. The recognition would be meaningful if the Employer also acted on the fact that YUFA members have seen their wages decline significantly in real terms during the past three years.

Other universities in Ontario, including the University of Toronto and the Toronto Metropolitan University, have taken steps to provide for retroactive salary increases for faculty members once provincial legislation limiting wage increases to one percent a year was ruled unconstitutional by the courts.

YUFA will continue to keep members informed.