BUILDING ON PREVIOUS NEGOTIATIONS
It is surely a truism that negotiations are a process. On the one hand, each particular round of negotiations has its own emphases and rhythm(s). On the other hand, there are always outstanding issues left over from previous negotiations; negotiations NEVER achieve everything.
Some of these “leftovers” are crucial to our union and shared profession. They define the direction and manner in which we intend to defend and improve the academic sector. In my view, the key leftovers can be summed up as “Equity, Equity, Equity”. For instance:
1. Getting to and staying at a more equitable
salary grid with, overall, nationally average salaries and a career-relevant
grid (last round’s grid structure presented by Peter Williams and agreed to by
the membership). Both nationally average
salaries and a grid structure that is actually achievable in most members’
life-course are attainable in the next contract because we did negotiate an integrated
grid with equal step amounts throughout with which numerous relatively
disadvantaged groups made the biggest increases.
2. Employment Equity. This is an absolute necessity for a Canadian
university seeking to enter the 21st century and to be funded by
government agencies. It was blocked by
the Board’s side last time. Since then,
changes in administrative personnel may indicate a willingness to attain a
clear statement. At any rate, it is
crucial to attain.
3. Further real gains for, especially, part-time
employees. Currently, part-timers are
paid, per three hour course, 1/10th of a Lecturer step 1. A fraction of 1/8th and
getting proportional benefits (or compensation in lieu of
benefits) are key leftovers.
4. Job security and clear transition procedures
from part-time to CLT positions need to be instituted and the transition from
long-term CLT to full-time needs to be renewed and strengthened.
5. And there are others…. For instance,
according to work done by the AUFA Women’s Cttee, academic women’s full-time salaries by rank/experience appear
to be slightly less than one grid step behind men’s.
There is one key issue which emerged towards the end of our last negotiations and had not been central to our deliberations. The issue of governance, of our (re)gaining professional control over academic matters, is crucial – especially around Senate and Academic Planning, on the one hand, and departmental and research budgets, on the other hand. We need to have an AUFA-wide debate on various possibilities for claiming control over our shared profession and workplace.
Achieving national normality on money matters (Is there anyone who can sustain an argument based on scholarship, teaching and service that we don’t deserve normality?) will allow both the Board and us to focus on making Acadia a leader in non-monetary (and small-monetary) working conditions, including governance, and will enhance our ability to recruit top notch academics and students in a situation of (Oh, for Acadia to get there!) stability and fresh directions.
Jim Sacouman