At the end of last week, CUPE Local 3906 conducted a strike vote amongst our Unit 2 membership, which includes Sessional Faculty and Hourly Rated Music Faculty. The vote returned a result of 83% of voters in favour of authorizing the bargaining team to call a strike if talks break down at the bargaining table.

The employer’s bargaining team filed for conciliation on November 21st, requesting that the Ontario Labour Relations Board send an officer to help us move closer to an agreement. This marked an escalation in the bargaining process that brings us closer to a legal strike or lockout. They filed for conciliation because they believed our members to be apathetic and disorganized enough that they could force a 5-year deal which leaves Sessionals behind your counterparts at other universities well into the future. The result of this strike vote clearly demonstrates that their assumptions were not true and their move had completely backfired on them. Instead of taking the scraps they have offered, your bargaining team will be walking into the next bargaining meeting with considerably more leverage, with or without a conciliator.

The union’s proposals are reasonable and well within McMaster’s means. The bargaining team is simply requesting that McMaster catch up with peer institutions after over a decade of austerity. More details on our last offer can be found in our most recent bulletin.

What’s Next?

The union has maintained throughout this process that it is ready to come back to the table at any time, with or without a conciliator. The parties have been assigned a conciliator from the Labour Relations Board and will schedule dates to meet as soon as we can. We will be sharing updates as soon as new developments occur at the bargaining table.

Join the Strike Committee!

Now that a strike vote has passed, the Contract Action Team will be transformed into the Strike Committee and will begin planning for a potential strike, assigning duties and acquiring the necessary materials. We encourage all members who want to be more involved to email President@cupe3906.org to join the Strike Committee, there is no minimum level of commitment and all assistance will be appreciated. As bargaining continues, we may also be hiring members in paid book-off positions for various functions of the Committee.

Thank you to all those who participated in the vote, you have strengthened us all by chanelling our voices into one. For more information, please contact:

Mason Fitzpatrick, President, CUPE 3906 – president@cupe3906.org

Brad Walchuk, Lead Negotiator, CUPE 3906 – brad@cupe3906.org

Make sure to keep an eye on bettermac.ca for bargaining updates as they come

McMaster has walked away from the bargaining table. What now? Below, we outline the collective bargaining process for you. Right now, we are approaching conciliation and will soon be working with a provincially appointed conciliator to help the parties work through an impasse and help to secure a fair agreement from McMaster. Please click on the image for a larger version.

Since late August of this year, your bargaining team has been working diligently to get the best possible deal for you. We continue to survey and canvass our members and depend on your continued engagement. We’ve heard you loud and clear: our members demand better wages and improvements to job security.

Today, McMaster walked away from the table without proposing a counter-offer and has stated that they will file for conciliation. What’s worse is they denied improvements to job security and demanded a 5 year contract. This is unacceptable. 

Wages

Over the last 13 years our wage increases averaged 1.5% (per year), well below the 2.75% inflation average over the same time period. Even still, our wage proposal (8.3% Year 1, 3% Year 2,  3% Year 3) has been viewed by the employer as untenable. Sessionals deserve a contract that mitigates the losses during a decade of austerity. The employer’s most recent offer included an average of 3.45% in wage increases over 5 years. While the employer’s latest wage proposal may technically be in line with sector averages, we would still be left behind colleagues at comparable Universities by 2029.

Job Security

The employer has made their point: they prefer “flexibility” over job security.  Your precarious working conditions and your experience teaching is of little concern to them. They would rather be able to replace you with someone who they think is better than you.

Length of Contract

The contract McMaster wants is 5 years long. We would be locked into this contract with no chance of improvement until 2029. McMaster knows that a longer contract term that does not line up with other bargaining units will minimize our power. However, we made it clear: the offer McMaster made does not entitle them to 5 years of labour peace.

The Facts: McMaster Does Not Respect Our Work

The proposal we offered is fair, however McMaster has decided to file for conciliation. Conciliation involves intervention from the Ministry of Labour to assist with the bargaining process. Why did they file for conciliation? McMaster’s lead negotiator implied that we did not change our offer at all. In reality, we made substantial changes to reach a good deal for our members quickly! As much as we understand that guaranteed TA support is important to many of our members, we retracted that from our offer to show we are serious about making a deal.

Next Steps For Bargaining and Mobilizing

The employer stated they will file for conciliation next week. Filing for conciliation marks an escalation by the employer and brings us closer to a legal strike or lockout. We are still open to negotiations with or without a conciliation officer. The employer is able to return to the table at any time throughout this process, and we hope that they do.

Your Bargaining Team and the Contract Action Team will be ramping up mobilization efforts, reaching out to members and asking you for support and participation as the process evolves. We will be visiting you after your classes, speaking with you after your office hours, calling you and emailing you to keep you in the loop every step of the way.

Your participation in this process is vital. Please show your support by signing our bargaining petition.

McMaster heavily relies on Sessional Faculty in order to function as a university. That is why it is important for them to keep you tied into an abnormally long contract without job security and only meager wage increases. Your bargaining team shares your frustration and will continue to fight for a better contract.

Your bargaining team met with the employer’s bargaining team on November 5^th. We would like to give you a brief update on where negotiations stand so far.

McMaster finally made a serious monetary proposal, including increases to wages and benefits.

–   McMaster’s offer is for a 5-year contract. Your bargaining team believes that securing a 3-year contract is strategically important for future bargaining leverage. A 3-year contract means that in 2027, Sessionals will be able to combine their bargaining leverage with TAs and Postdocs, which means we will be much more likely to secure a far better contract for members in all three units.

–   McMaster’s latest wage proposal will keep Sessional Faculty pay well below wages at UW, Western, York, Queens, U of T, and Ottawa for at least 4 years (see the bar graph below for comparison). These other universities have been able to gain significant wage increases in previous years by having a mobilized membership ready to strike for a better contract, and by combining negotiations with other bargaining units.

–   McMaster is effectively trying to buy their way out of a three-year contract because they also know that combining our bargaining leverage with TAs and Postdocs would put them at a disadvantage in 2027.

–   After originally proposing no increase in benefits money, McMaster has met our demands for the first three years of their proposed contract.

–  McMaster has not moved on job security or TA support.

For more details on McMaster’s latest offer, please see the chart below.

Dear CUPE 3906 Unit 2 members (Sessional Instructors),

Your bargaining team met with the employer’s bargaining team at McMaster on October 4^th and October 11^th. We would like to give you a brief update on where negotiations stand so far.

Our bargaining priorities have not changed:

• Compensation & workload: wages, class size and TA support
• Stronger job security: seniority and first consideration
• Enhanced benefits: support for mental and physical health
• Equity and respect: material support for members in equity-seeking groups and more transparency and communication about departmental changes and restructuring
• Contract expiration date: align the Unit 2 contract expiry date with Units 1 and 3 (2027)

McMaster’s current offer is still subpar. After meeting with us several times, they have still only offered us crumbs:

• Sub-inflationary wage increase: only 2.75% in the first year ($8277.92 per semester 3-unit course), and 2.5% for the following 4 years ($86, $8696.98, $8914.40, $9137.26).
• No job security: still, no attempt to reduce precarity in the university sector such as the right of first refusal.
• Crushing workload: still, insufficient support for increasing class sizes and administrative duties.
• Inequity and disrespect: still, trying to erode the Union’s ability to fight for you in addressing workplace problems and disciplinary action.

This weak contract is also long. McMaster wants to lock us into an agreement with a sub-inflationary wage increase for five years. What you can do:

• In order to demonstrate to the employer that the membership is together on our demands, we need to send them a united message. Let them know we need a fair deal: https://forms.gle/PkT6Rnp6CgSJ3HaA7
• To become a unit 2 steward, contact Hamed leadsteward_sessionals@cupe3906.org
• Join the Contract Action Team (CAT) to help with outreach to members during bargaining: https://forms.gle/WLSdAkZeKATHKiqg7

The Bargaining Team’s next steps:

• Our next bargaining date is October 25^th. Stay tuned for an update on https://bettermac.ca/unit-2-bargaining-updates/

In solidarity,

Your Unit 2 Bargaining Team

Your bargaining team met with the employer’s bargaining team at McMaster on October 4^th and October 11^th. We would like to give you a brief update on where negotiations stand so far.

Our bargaining priorities have not changed:

• Compensation & workload: wages, class size and TA support
• Stronger job security: seniority and first consideration
• Enhanced benefits: support for mental and physical health
• Equity and respect: material support for members in equity-seeking groups and more transparency and communication about departmental changes and restructuring
• Contract expiration date: align the Unit 2 contract expiry date with Units 1 and 3 (2027)

McMaster’s current offer is still subpar. After meeting with us several times, they have still only offered us crumbs:

• Sub-inflationary wage increase: only 2.75% in the first year ($8277.92 per semester 3-unit course), and 2.5% for the following 4 years ($86, $8696.98, $8914.40, $9137.26).
• No job security: still, no attempt to reduce precarity in the university sector such as the right of first refusal.
• Crushing workload: still, insufficient support for increasing class sizes and administrative duties.
• Inequity and disrespect: still, trying to erode the Union’s ability to fight for you in addressing workplace problems and disciplinary action.

This weak contract is also long. McMaster wants to lock us into an agreement with a sub-inflationary wage increase for five years. What you can do:

• In order to demonstrate to the employer that the membership is together on our demands, we need to send them a united message. Let them know we need a fair deal: https://forms.gle/PkT6Rnp6CgSJ3HaA7
• To become a unit 2 steward, contact Hamed leadsteward_sessionals@cupe3906.org
• Join the Contract Action Team (CAT) to help with outreach to members during bargaining: https://forms.gle/WLSdAkZeKATHKiqg7

The Bargaining Team’s next steps:

• Our next bargaining date is October 25^th. Stay tuned for an update on https://bettermac.ca/unit-2-bargaining-updates/

In solidarity,

Your Unit 2 Bargaining Team

Dear Unit 2 members,

Your bargaining team met with the employer’s bargaining team on August 28th. We would like to give you a brief update on where negotiations stand so far.

Our bargaining priorities:

• Compensation & Workload- Wages, Class size and TA support
• Stronger Job Security- Seniority and first consideration
• Enhanced Benefit- Support for mental and physical health
• Equity and Respect- Material support for members in equity-seeking groups and more transparency and communication about departmental changes and restructuring
• Contract Expiration Date- Align the Unit 2 contract expiry date with Units 1 and 3 (2027)

McMaster’s current offer:

• Sub-inflationary wage increase- Only 2.5% in the first year, and 2.25% for the following 4 years
• No Job Security- No attempt to reduce precarity in the university sector
• Diminished Benefits- Status quo on dollar amounts, contingent on rushed negotiations
• Inequity and Disrespect- Proposed fewer meetings between union and management, while removing any obligation for specific management decision-makers to attend. This makes it more difficult for your union to resolve members’ workplace problems before they become significant or legal issues
• Lock into a Longer Contract- Proposed a 5-year contract, ending in 2029

Next Steps:

• We are now working to schedule the next dates to meet with the employer for negotiations.
• We will continue to negotiate for a real wage increase for McMaster sessional instructors.
• The Contract Action Team (CAT) will be door knocking to talk with members about what you can do to help the bargaining process.

For more information on Unit 2 bargaining, visit bettermac.ca

If you’re interested in getting more involved in the union or bargaining process, do not hesitate to contact us!
To become a unit 2 steward, contact Hamed leadsteward_sessionals@cupe3906.org
To join the Contract Action Team, contact Mason vicepresident@cupe3906.org

In solidarity,
Your Unit 2 Bargaining Team

These priorities are:

• Compensation & Workload- Wages, Class size, and TA support
• Stronger Job Security- Seniority and first consideration
• Enhanced Benefit- Support for mental and physical health
• Equity and Respect- Material support for members in equity-seeking groups and more transparency and communication about departmental changes and restructuring
• Contract Expiration Date- Align the Unit 2 contract expiry date with Units 1 and 3 (2027)

The first Negotiation Session occurred on August 28.

The outcome of these contract negotiations will impact your job.

The only way to stop McMaster rolling back previous gains and secure some wins of our own is to make sure they feel the pressure from the whole membership to deliver a fair contract.

Contract Action Team

The Contract Action Team (CAT) exists to support the work of the Bargaining Team. The goal of the CAT is to inform, engage, and mobilize the entire membership of CUPE 3906 in support of the Unit 2 bargaining effort. We need to have an actively engaged membership to secure the best possible deal for our Unit 2 members. If you think you might be interested in getting involved in the CAT, email Walter at mobilizer@cupe3906.org or Varsha at bargainingcochairs@cupe3906.org

Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants (in lieu) will take a strike vote in our ongoing negotiations with the university. 

Have Questions about the Strike Vote?