Welcome back!

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AUFA will be returning to more frequent blog posts this autumn. This blog post provides a quick summary of key activities AUFA has been involved with over the summer months.

Bargaining

AUFA and AU last met to bargain on June 1. A bargaining date scheduled for June 23 was cancelled. AUFA proposed three sets of additional bargaining dates in July and August but received no reply from AU. In late August, AU proposed further bargaining on September 14 and 15, dates which AUFA has accepted.

A key issue that is negatively affecting bargaining is that AU has still not provided AUFA will a full proposal. To date, AU has not provided any language on the following items that AU indicated in March that it wished to bargain on:

  • Article 3: Academic Appointments

  • Article 6: Salaries and Economic Benefits

  • Article 13: Professional Development

  • Article 14: Annual Research Leave

  • Article 15: Research and Study Leave

  • Article 16: Other Leaves

  • Article 26: Equity

  • Schedule A: Salary Scales

  • Schedule B: Benefits

  • Letter on Discretionary Benefits Fund

  • Letter on Market Supplements

  • Letter on Overload

AU’s unwillingness to table a complete offer means it is very difficult for AUFA to meaningfully respond to the few proposals that AU has tabled. It is a bit like trying to buy a car when the salesperson won't tell you either the price or the features of the car.

A meeting with government officials in late August revealed that AU’s unwillingness to table an offer is not the result of government policy. The government’s bargaining mandate to AU was issued in October of 2020 and other PSEs have tabled full offers.

If AU continues to refuse to table a full offer, AUFA may need to involve the Alberta Labour Relations Board in order to make progress. In the meantime, the existing contract continues to operate. Ultimately, if AU does not wish to bargain in good faith, that leaves AUFA with little option but to take job action.

New Member Calls and Fall Member Survey

Over 40 new members have joined AUFA since January. The Membership Engagement Committee (MEC) has begun the process of contacting new members as we become aware of their hiring. Each call includes a brief orientation to AUFA and AU. Some new members also also reaching out on their own. MEC expects to run its bi-annual member survey in November.

Solidarity Pickets

Twelve AUFA members joined hundreds of health care workers on a solidarity picket on August 11. Health care workers were concerned about the government’s wage rollback demands.

Job Action Preparation

The Job Action Committee continues to prepare against the possibility of a work stoppage during this round of bargaining. In late June, volunteer callers canvassed AUFA members to update our list of non-AU phone numbers and email (which will be necessary for communication during a work stoppage).

A member consultation on whether any AUFA work constitutes an essential service was also completed. A recommendation will be forwarded to the AUFA executive for decision at its September meeting.

Your Turn

AUFA’s bargaining team is interested in hearing the views of the AUFA membership about AU’s unwillingness to table a full offer. To that end, we have created a short survey.

David Powell, President

Michael Voaklanderbargaining, labour board, bad faith, MEC, Solidarity