Since the last update to members, your bargaining committee met three times with Queen’s, on November 12, 26, and 27. We have one more scheduled date on Monday, December 2, but despite our proposal of sixteen different January bargaining dates over three weeks ago, Queen’s has not agreed to any.
We have now made a request for conciliation, which means the Ministry of Labour has appointed a conciliator to help the parties reach an agreement. At this moment it looks like we will bargain with a conciliator present in early January.
Below are some highlights of our recent negotiations:
- Queen’s submitted a monetary proposal to us on November 12, including:
- an offer to make some market adjustments for some Trades positions, but not close to what we are proposing
- No movement at all on the two-tier wage for Caretakers and Custodians
- Refusal to address wages lost to Bill 124
- Refusal to address inadequate staffing levels (“that would impinge on our management rights”)
- Proposal to change Hours of Work clause which would restrict opportunities to earn overtime and shift or weekend premiums
- Your bargaining committee’s response included:
- hold to the demand of a 6.5% wage increase for all as of July 1, 2024 to make up for three years of 1%s under Bill 124
- healthy wage increases for all three years of the new agreement on top of the 6.5%
- higher market adjustments for Trades
- elimination of the Caretaker two-tier wage
- We have made agreements on several non-monetary items, including union representation in discipline meetings, the process for shift changes, and workload.
We are working on developing a proposal tracker which will provide more details for those interested.
Are you ready to take action to show Queen’s you support the demands of your bargaining committee? Vote YES in the upcoming strike vote! Vote in-person at our membership meeting on December 10, or via email between December 10 and 13.
Please discuss this update with your co-workers and encourage them to participate in the strike vote!
If you are ready to take further action to support your bargaining committee’s demands, join our Contract Action Team by contacting John Dillon at vicepresident@cupe229.com.
In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee
Steve Senechal, Amelia Laranjeira, Cory Burns and Dave Knapton