CUPE Local 1975 University of Regina Negotiations in Still in Trouble

CUPE members David Hyde (left), Brad McKaig and Chuck Lytle, all from Saskatoon, listen to speakers at Monday's rally at the University of Regina.

Lack of negotiations leaves workers frustrated
Tim Switzer,, Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Though they have agreed on several issues, the province's two universities and support workers are still at odds on a new collective agreement.

Approximately 200 of the workers, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 1975, gathered in the University of Regina's Administration Humanities building Monday for a rally to show their unity to the school's board of governors who were meeting upstairs.

"It's very frustrating," said local president and negotiations chair Don Puff. "We're at almost two years since the agreement ran out."

The workers have been without a contract since Jan. 1, 2004 and have not been at the bargaining table since Oct. 26.

The 1,800 caretakers, food services workers, clerical staff, security officers and others voted 76 per cent in favour of taking a strike mandate in September but, because the union has an outstanding issue still before the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board, they cannot legally move forward with any strike action.

The two sides are set to go back to the table on Dec. 20 and 21 though the LRB hearing is set for Dec. 21 and may change the bargaining plans.

Still at issue is the universities' compensation package. They have offered zero per cent raises over three years with $500 signing bonuses for both 2004 and 2005 and want to include pay equity increases in the agreement. The union says pay equity should be handled at a separate job evaluation table and recently won in arbitration over the issue. The universities, however, have taken that decision to judicial review.

Though they are still a month away from any negotiating, U of R associate vice-president academic Stephen McClatchie said they are still confident they will reach an agreement at the table.

Puff said they have no plans to withdraw complaints from the LRB so they are able to strike. To date, they've only put together a strike aversion committee if they do find themselves in a legal strike position.

"We have to be careful," he said. "There's things that you can't do. So while they're doing some planning, all the planning at this point is around strike aversion."

McClatchie said they have a plan in place if the union does eventually walk out.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2005