August 10, 2007
Talks between Memorial University administration and the Memorial University Faculty Association (MUNFA) which represents Faculty, Librarians and other Academic Staff, have broken down after more than 12 months of bargaining. The union is now in the position to hold a strike vote. Without a breakthrough in salary negotiations soon, a strike appears to be imminent.
MUNFA’s proposal would see Academic Staff receiving an increase of 10 to 15% over three years. The Memorial University administration’s offer consisted of a 0,0,3,3 % increase over four years and an additional one-step increase on the salary grid on the last day of the contract. Since MUNFA is not a public sector union the Memorial University administration’s salary offer does not need to be limited in this way.
The offer from MUN administration is insignificant in light of the fact that salaries for Academic Staff at Memorial are currently 10% to 15% behind those of comparable Canadian Universities. Because Academic Staff are recruited nationally and internationally as well as locally, Memorial’s salaries must be comparable.
Other Canadian Universities have recently completed negotiations with salary settlements ranging from 10% to 25% over two to four years. If MUNFA were to settle for the administration’s offer, Memorial University Academic Staff salaries would be 15% to 30% behind other Canadian Universities at the end of the contract.
For Memorial University to continue offering excellence in teaching and scholarship, the salaries must be competitive at the national level.
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CONTACT: Dr. Sean Cadigan or
Tel: (709)737-8642
Fax: (709)737-3703
