AUFA and AU scheduled a full day of bargaining for June 23. A few days before the date, the employer cancelled the morning portion claiming a scheduling conflict for the employer co-chair, Margaret Kierylo.
Left with a half-day, the AUFA bargaining team proposed to the employer that the parties use that time to begin discussions around monetary items, inviting the employer to present their initial proposals. The employer, through their external lawyer and lead negotiator Chantel Kassongo, rejected this request, suggesting a couple of other articles for discussion. The AUFA team took the position that little progress could be made on those articles without seeing the employer’s full proposals.
After consideration, the AUFA team decided to cancel the afternoon portion of the day. In his email to Ms. Kassongo, AUFA’s bargaining chair stated AUFA’s position: “We are of the position that we cannot make any significant progress on outstanding articles until the entirety of your package is in front of us. Monetary and non-monetary are not so easily separated. The employer's continued unwillingness to present its monetary proposals is hindering the progress of bargaining”.
The AUFA bargaining team sees no justifiable reason for the employer to continue withholding their monetary proposals. The employers at University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge and Mount Royal University have all tabled their monetary proposals. At those tables monetary and non-monetary items are being considered simultaneously. Non-monetary proposals cannot be fully evaluated without the context of the financial parts of the agreement. AU’s insistence on hiding its monetary items undermines trust at the table and impedes the bargaining process.
The bargaining team has heard AUFA members’ frustration at AU’s lack of openness. Wage and benefit issues are important to members and not knowing what the employer is proposing has many feeling angry and upset.
AUFA has offered three potential dates in July and August for bargaining. We have not yet received a reply from the employer about those or alternate dates.
We will continue to impress upon the employer that our members want to see AU’s proposal in its entirety. We will keep you updated.
Jason Foster, Chair
AUFA Bargaining Committee