The bargaining teams met again today. The CEC team introduced counter-proposals on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, as well as a proposal on “Truth and Reconciliation.” These proposals conclude their responses to the full equity proposals tabled by faculty.
Today, the employer team proposed language on respectful workplaces, dates for union release time, and the assignment of coordinator duties. They did not address faculty concerns around structural changes in relation to harassment and discrimination, and dismissed the need for joint union-employer committee work to be recorded on SWFs. In addition, the employer team continued in their questioning of the legitimacy of faculty demands rather than dealing with the substance of these concerns.
Over the course of February, members gathered in record numbers in their Locals to discuss the results of their general membership surveys, to listen to one another about the issues of concern they face in their work, and to use this information to set their priorities for this round of negotiations. These ranked demands will go forward for consideration at the provincial demand-setting meeting on April 9 and 10. These demands largely reflected key themes around workload, academic decision-making, precarity, equity, job security, and wages and benefits.
On August 5, the bargaining team for full-time and partial-load college faculty completed a scheduled three days of bargaining with the College Employer Council. During these days, the bargaining team presented all demands not related to issues of compensation.
