Tuesday, January 6, 2009

York negotiations ongoing

Ah, good to be back, and good to see the mountain of paper on my desk! But never fear, loyal reader(s), I have my right wing* pundit** eye trained mercilessly on CUPE's activities. (From now on, bearing in mind my schedule, this blog will be updated weekly, unless events warrant.)

Talks are ongoing in the glacial York strike. Those on the outside of the bargaining room are left to pore over leaked bargaining updates, trying to divine the intentions of the bargaining teams. Naturally this blog is most interested in the question of contract length. (I generally consider leaks to the York Strike blog reliable, but please set me straight if I shouldn't.)

Here we read:

Fund Protection: There will be no diminution in the per employee amount in the funds listed below during the term of this collective agreement as a result of an increase in the number of employees in the bargaining unit as at October 1, 2009 and October 1, 2010. The basis on which growth in the number of employees will be measured is the number of employees as of October 1, 2008. For example, if the per employee amount available is $10 based on 100 employees as of October 1, 2008, the fund will be supplemented by $100 in the second year of the Collective Agreement. If the number of employees is 90 as of October 1,2010, no supplement will be required and the fund will be $1000.
So it sounds as though the new collective agreement is to be in place through 2010, implying a three-year deal!

But don't get your hopes up. We read here:

NEW [Letter of Intent 13]
Class Size and Teaching Support

In Recognition of the importance of class size and formats conducive to sound pedagogy, the parties agree, as expeditiously as practicable following the ratification of the 2008-2010 collective agreement ...
which makes it sound like the agreement is for two years.

Generally, reading these bargaining updates, it sounds like the most contentious issues are not being discussed, so the ambiguity may be deliberate.




* In my last five federal votes, I voted for four different parties, including Green and NDP.

** Pundit, n. 1. Initiate: someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field. (Google)

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