CUPE lumbers on toward settlement

Chelse McKee, staff

While other campus unions like the Canadian Auto Workers and the University of Manitoba Faculty Association have settled their contracts with the university’s administration, CUPE 3909 remains in the throes of negotiation.

CUPE 3909 is comprised of two units, unit one representing students working as graders, teaching assistants, and part-time instructors at the university. Unit two represents academic, non-student contract workers employed part-time with the university working as sessionals instructors or librarians.

Unlike unit one, which is currently in talks over their contracts, unit two’s contract does not expire until later on this year, but, as per their contracts, they had their wage re-opener, which is scheduled for the third year of their contracts talks, in December.

The wage re-opener discussions finished with a 2.5 per cent increase and a $100 bonus for the members, although the bonus was designated only for persons currently with a base rate wage. The offer, approved by 83 per cent, was only voted on by less than five per cent of the membership in December. The lack of members, CUPE stated on their website, was a result of last minute notification of the vote and member’s inability to be on campus.

Unlike their settling CUPE 3909 counterpart, unit one is still in negotiations. Their contract expired in August of last year.

Although CUPE 3909 president Jason Kelly said in September 2007 that conducting contract negotiations with all unions on campus was a “strong position to be in,” he now says that UMFA’s settlement could hamper CUPE’s goals of opportunistic wage increases.

“[The university is] offering us what they’ve offered everyone else and we’re hoping to get more. The trend has to be that UMFA has 2.5 and what UMFA has, nobody gets higher, but we’re hoping to do something around that.”

In a report released to the Manitoban by CUPE 3909, they describe the university’s attitude in the negotiations as “shameful, mean-minded, and disdainful.” Although Kelly says he has not read the report through and that it is still in the process of editing, he did confirm that the university’s attitude has been “not respectful.”

“We don’t feel like they’re really respecting the job, like they’re respecting the job we do.”

John Danakas, director of public affairs, said that the university is hopeful for a quick resolution.

Kelly said that a majority of the issues in the negotiations have been resolved and that only monetary and other minor issues are left.

“They want to settle. We want to settle. We just can’t seem to settle, I guess.”