Union, university fail to reach agreement
by Corey LeBlanc coreyleblanc@thecasket.ca


      The St. F.X. Association of University Teachers (AUT) and university administration are still without a collective bargaining agreement.
      The sides most recently sat down with a provincial conciliator last Thursday and Friday.
      “We were able to resolve a number of outstanding issues, but despite our best efforts we could not come up with an agreement,” St. F.X. communications and marketing manager Cindy McInnes said Monday.
      McInnes added no date has been set for further discussions.
      The 408-member union has been without a contract since June 30, 2009, when their three-year pact expired.
      The St. F.X. AUT membership includes not only professors, but also part-time instructors, librarians, lab assistants, clinical associates in the nursing department, along with Coady and Extension department staff members.
      In an interview last month prior to the start of conciliation talks, union president David Lynes said one of the commitments St. F.X. administration made when the first contract was negotiated was eventual faculty wage parity with other institutions in the Atlantic region.
      The union agreed to phasing-in wage parity for assistant, associate and full-time faculty members over a six-year period. The targeted date to reach the goal was 2011.
      Lynes added the university’s faculty is one of the lowest paid not only in Atlantic Canada, but also across the country.
      “They have been promising to do something about this for a long time,” Lynes said.
      Although that issue was a high priority for members, there were other issues.
      Lynes said lab instructors are also considerably underpaid compared to their colleagues across Canada.
      “We really want to do something for them.”
      Lynes said administration has “attempted to restructure the salary grid,” but it only applies to new employees.
      When reached early Tuesday afternoon, Lynes said “conciliation ended when the employer tabled its final offer.”
      “We are continuing to work towards an agreement,” Lynes added when asked what did not meet the union’s expectations with the university’s “final offer.”
      When asked about the union’s thoughts on the university’s distribution of an outline of its most recent offer to the union’s membership Monday, Lynes said, “at this point, that’s really all I have to say.”
      Last week’s talks followed three days of conciliation earlier this month.
      As part of the conciliation process, job action cannot be taken until mid-February.
      A legal strike or lockout can occur 14 days after the provincial labour minister receives the conciliator’s report, which details the process.
      “If the conciliator determines that an agreement will not be reached, he or she declares an impasse. The law then requires the conciliator to file a confidential report with the Minister of Labour and Workforce Development,” Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour communications advisor Kevin Finch said in an email.
      During the countdown period, the employer is not permitted to increase or decrease rates of wages or alter any other term or condition of employment,” he said.
      Finch said the conciliator may request the sides attend a meeting during the countdown period in a further attempt to “reach a settlement and avoid a work stoppage.”
      Although the conciliation process has reached an impasse, the sides are free to continue their negotiations.
      “The department’s conciliator continues to maintain contact with the parties and is available to meet at anytime the parties’ request,” Finch said.
      If the parties are unable to reach a settlement, Finch said there are conditions that must be met before either party may proceed with a legal work stoppage, including the expiration of the 14 calendar day countdown.
      “Any union wishing to commence a strike must have conducted a secret ballot vote where the majority of affected members have voted to support strike action,” Finch said.
      The St. F.X. AUT membership took a strike notification vote from Dec. 6 to 10, with 82 percent of those who cast their ballots giving the executive the power to take strike action. Seventy-eight percent of the membership who were eligible voted.
      Union representatives have said no strike has been chosen and job action may not necessarily take place at the 14-day deadline.
     Students anxious
      In an email interview, St. F.X. Students’ Union president Sandy MacIntosh said his organization has taken a “neutral stance” throughout negotiation process.
      “However, having not reached a deal through conciliation, we are starting to put greater pressure on the administration and the St. F.X. AUT to come to an agreement as soon as possible.
      “The academic success of all students is our top priority,” MacIntosh added.
      The president said the students’ union has a game plan in the event of any disruption.
      “Obviously, we are not looking forward to the potential of a strike or lockout, but if it does come to this we will do our best as a students’ union, to support students throughout the duration of the class stoppage,” MacIntosh said.
      “We are looking to increase our programming for students to aid them in staying on top of their studies in the event of a strike.”
      MacIntosh said most of the feedback from students at this point is questions about what will happen if a strike or lockout occurs.
      “We are doing our best to provide answers to students and disseminate this information to the entire student body,” he added.
      Although students’ union representatives have not been at the negotiating table, MacIntosh said they have been in communication with both sides.
      “We have gotten updates as much as we can.
      “We are, right now, the main communication vehicle to the students regarding updates on the negotiation process,” MacIntosh added.
      If students have questions, comments or concerns, MacIntosh said they can email TheU@stfx.ca
      McInnes reminded students classes are continuing at this point and there will be “no disruption in services.” She added students are encouraged to continue to “focus on their academic and other activities.”
      McInnes said the university’s goal remains “reaching a negotiated agreement.”