As reported in NN#10 [1], MUNFA requested that the Province appoint a conciliator to facilitate the here-to-fore glacial pace of negotiations with the university administration. A conciliator was appointed on June 15, and full-day meetings with the administration’s negotiating team were held at an off-campus location on July 4, 5, 10 and 11.
We are pleased to report the Parties have agreed on Articles 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, and 16.We made some important progress on broadening the scope of the definition of scholarship to reflect the diversity of publicly engaged and community-based research carried out by our members (Article 11). In addition, the parties are closer to agreement on Article 24.
However, there was very little substantive progress on the other Articles that MUNFA considers the most important for us (Articles 12, 23 & 23a, and 27) [2]– Articles that we passed to the employer over seven months ago. Indeed, during this round of conciliation, the employer refused to consider or discuss the reasonable and thoughtful proposed revisions that we tabled on the critical issues of equity, precarious employment, academic freedom, and intellectual property.
So, what happened? Here are the facts…
| July 4th
MUNFA passed Art. 1, 5, 7, 23, 23a, & 24 |
July 5th
MUN passed Art. 4, 7, 13, 14, & 30 |
| July 10th
MUN passed Art. 11, 12, & 24 |
July 11th
MUNFA passed Art. 11, 12, & 24 |
It should be noted that the employer also has all of the outstanding proposals from MUNFA to which they must respond (see list below).
It has been one year since MUNFA informed the administration that we wanted to re-negotiate the Collective Agreement. We had hoped that both the pace and progress of negotiations would have been better, but alas, they are not. Indeed, the next round of conciliation is not scheduled until August 29thand 30th, primarily because some of the administration’s bargaining team is unavailable. We hope that on the eve of the 2018-2019 Academic Year, the employer will be more motivated to negotiate efficiently, effectively, and in good faith.
Yours in solidarity,
MUNFA’s Negotiating Committee:
- Jon Church (Chief Negotiator), Medicine
- Alison Coffin, MUNFA Executive Officer (non-voting)
- Dan Duda, Library
- George Jenner, Earth Sciences
- Kurt Korneski, History
- Leroy Murphy, Business
- Dave Peddle, Grenfell Campus
- Nathalie Pender, Grenfell Campus
- Nicole Power, Sociology
- Richard Rivkin, Ocean Science
List of outstanding proposals from MUNFA to which the employer must respond:
- Article 1 – Framework and implementation
- Article 3 – Duties and Responsibilities of Faculty Members
- Article 4 – Duties and Responsibilities of Librarians
- Article 5 – Reduction in Duties and Responsibilities
- Article 12 – Procedures and Criteria for Promotion of Faculty Members
- Article 17 – Tenure track appointment and tenure for Librarians
- Article 18 – Procedures and criteria for promotion of Librarians
- Article 19 – Disciplinary measures and non-disciplinary relief from Duties
- Article 20 – Complaints, Grievance, and Arbitration
- Article 22 – Leaves
- Article 23 – Term Appointments
- Article 23a – Miscellaneous Appointments (tentative title)
- Article 24 – Counselling Faculty Members
- Article 26 – Miscellaneous Working Conditions
- Article 27 – Intellectual Property
- Article 28 – Academic Staff Members with Delegated Administrative Responsibilities
- Article 29 – Employment Equity
- Article 30 – Cooperative and Field Education
- Article 31 – Salaries and Benefits
- Article 32 – Distance Education