APUO Bulletin

Rédacteur / Editor: Frans De Bruyn, département d'English Department
Vol 04-02, 26 mars / 26 March 2004

Début des négociations collectives

Commencement of collective bargaining

Après une série de séances de formation préliminaire, l’APUO a maintenant rencontré l’employeur pour entreprendre l’étape officielle des négociations d’une nouvelle convention collective. Les parties ont convenu d’appliquer la négociation raisonnée et, au cours de la première étape du processus, chacun doit présenter à l’autre une liste d’enjeux et d’intérêts dont il veut discuter à la table. Pendant l’étape suivante, il y a échange des faits pertinents aux enjeux proposés pour discussion. Les deux parties discutent ensuite des enjeux et intérêts en particulier.

After a series of preliminary training sessions, the APUO has now sat down with the employer to begin the formal phase of negotiations for a new collective agreement. Under the format of interest-based bargaining agreed upon between the parties, the first step in the negotiation process is for each side to present to the other a list of issues and interests that it wishes to discuss at the table. The next step is an exchange of facts relevant to the issues proposed for discussion. Then the two sides get down to discussion of specific issues and interests.

Ce numéro du Bulletin diffuse un sommaire des enjeux ou problèmes que chaque partie a présentés à la table pour considération. Pendant les négociations collectives habituellement, les points à négocier sont présentés comme positions auxquelles chaque partie tient avec plus ou moins de rigidité, tandis que les négociations raisonnées visent à exprimer des points qui posent des difficultés aux buts, besoins et valeurs de l’organisme dans l’ensemble. Au lieu de demander une augmentation d’un certain pourcentage de l’échelle salariale, par exemple, l’APUO présenterait la question de la rémunération comme un intérêt ou une préoccupation générale. L’APUO pourrait, dans ce cas, défendre l’intérêt en affirmant qu’il est souhaitable d’accorder des augmentations d’échelle et de rémunération comparables à celles d’autres institutions d’enseignement pour essayer de résoudre les problèmes d’équité et de moral du personnel, et pour intéresser du personnel qualifié et le maintenir en poste.

This Bulletin contains a summary of the issues or problems that each side has brought to the table for consideration. In traditional collective bargaining, the areas to be negotiated are presented as positions, to which each side adheres more or less rigidly, whereas in interest-based bargaining the aim is to express points of difficulty in terms of the overall goals, needs, and values of the organization. For example, instead of demanding a salary scale increase of a certain percentage, the APUO would present the question of remuneration in the form of an interest or overall concern. The interest in this case might be stated by the APUO as a desirability to provide salary and scale increases that are competitive with other educational institutions, that address problems of fairness and staff morale, and that attract and retain qualified personnel.

Voici un sommaire des enjeux et intérêts échangés entre les deux parties. Chaque partie a regroupé ces enjeux selon leur complexité en général, c.‑à‑d. en tenant compte de la longueur de la période, et des détails qui seront probablement nécessaires pour résoudre la question. Il y a eu 10 séances de négociation jusqu’à maintenant et neuf autres sont prévues jusqu’à la fin d’avril. Afin d’accélérer le processus, il est probable qu’un nombre d’enjeux moins complexes seront considérés distinctement et de façon moins officielle en sous-groupes formés des deux équipes de négociation.

The following is a summary of the issues and interests that have been exchanged by the two sides. Both parties have grouped their issues roughly in terms of their complexity, that is, the length of time, and detail likely to be required in resolving them. To date, there have been ten negotiating sessions, with nine more planned to the end of April. It is also likely that, in order to speed up the process, a number of the less complex issues will be dealt with separately and in a less formal manner by sub-groups of the two negotiating teams.

APUO Issues

The APUO issues/interests are grouped in three categories. The first includes issues of some complexity; the second, less complex or technical issues; and the third, issues particular to librarians.

Catégorie I / Category I

Préoccupations normatives / Normative concerns

1. Charge de travail: charge d’enseignement / Workload: teaching loads

2. La «transparence» / “Transparency”: collegial consultation on important administrative decisions

3. Promotion to faculty positions for language teachers

Préoccupations financières / Financial concerns

1. Salaires / Salaries: (a) internal equity and anomalies, (b) scale increases

2. Avantages sociaux / Benefits

3. Avantages sociaux pour les retraités / Retiree benefits: equal access to health benefits for all retirees

4. Dépenses professionelles / Professional expenses reimbursement: level of support

5. Ordinateurs, logiciels, et services / Computers, software and services

Catégorie II / Category II

1. Permanance et promotion / Promotions and tenure: transparency of decisions and process

2. Retraite / Retirement: early retirement, gradual retirement, compensation for teaching after retirement

3. Propriété intellectuelle / Intellectual property: application of 35.2.2.2

4. Responsabilité civile / Legal liability: protection for members carrying out their responsibilities

5. Congé parental et familial / Parental and family leave

6. Nominations / Appointments: procedures involving directors of programs, replacement professors, and contract renewals

7. Affichage des heures de bureau / Posting of office hours

8. Solution aux conflits / Dispute resolution: improve current process

9. Invalidité prolongée / Long-term disability: 40.2.1.2

10. Dégrèvement fiscal / tax relief: application of income-tax relief provisions for research costs and other duties

11. Emeritus: appointment criteria and procedures

12. Sabbatiques / Sabbaticals: application of 26.1.3 after 6-month sabbatical

13. Régime de pension / Pension plan: representation of member interests

Catégorie III / Category III: Librarian Issues

1. New category of librarians: “contract librarian”

2. New promotion model: bring librarians closer to the faculty model

3. Ranks: clarification of ranking for newly-hired librarians

4. Workload

5. Support staff designation

6. Replacement budget for librarians taking professional leave

7. Anomalies fund: ensure that long-term employees are treated equitably with respect to newly-hired employees

8. Absence from campus: clarification of right to work off-site, elimination of ongoing confusion caused by closure of the University

9. Position sharing

10.Incentives for administrative positions: to ensure that our members are adequately compensated for taking on such tasks

Employer Issues

The Employer’s issues/interests are grouped in two categories. The first includes issues of some complexity, and the second lists less complex or technical issues.

Catégorie I / Category I

1. Differential progress through the ranks: recognition of individual contributions and performance

2. Teaching associate positions

3. Role and duration of initial tenure-track contract

4. Formal evaluation of teaching

5. Compensation and benefits

Catégorie II / Category II

1. Representation of designated groups in the academic staff, especially gender and visible minorities

2. Sexual harassment: changes in policy affecting the Collective Agreement

3. Outside professional activities: impact on life of departments and faculties

4. Role of Chairs under clause 20.4(f)

5. Distribution of workloads across terms and day/evening schedules

6. Professional designations upon tenure (in relevant disciplines)

7. Counsellor issues

8. Posting of positions by electronic means

9. Confirmation of RULE (regular full-time post-Ph.D. university-level experience) upon hiring at Associate and Full Professor levels

10. Evaluation of librarians upon departure of immediate superior

11. Submission of course marks in cases of supplemental and deferred exams

12. New title for Article 26: sabbatical leave

13. Conversion of Chairs’ stipends into sabbatical leave eligibility

14. Availability of members to share in life and workloads of units

15. Librarian issues