In a paragraph marked with <p>, the author Fakiha Baig is credited for The Canadian Press.
The text was published on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 8:41AM EDT.
The union representing 3,000 striking academic workers at York University has come to a tentative agreement with the university after nearly two months of labor disruption. The union, Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903, mentioned that their contract faculty and assistants are eager to go back to work following the strike that started on February 26. Although the union did not achieve all their demands, they see this deal as the best possible outcome under the circumstances. The approval process for the agreement will be discussed during this week's Strike General Membership Meeting.
The union plans to continue the strike until the vote. Issues in contract negotiations include addressing an affordability crisis, job security, and workplace fairness. As part of the tentative agreement, the university agreed to raise wages while considering the one percent annual limit on salary increases for public sector workers from 2018 to 2021. The union expressed dissatisfaction with the final wage increases over the six-year period and the upcoming collective agreement renewal, stating they are below what they had requested and what their members deserve.
The union reached a deal with the university for a raised pay rate of 14.8 percent (or 17.8 percent including the 1% yearly increase during the Bill 124 time frame), which sets a high standard in the sector. Additionally, the university agreed to boost funding for various purposes, such as a mentorship program and support for racially marginalized members facing violence, harassment, or discrimination. The union expressed that these increased funds will have a positive, tangible impact on members with diverse needs.
York University stated that their campuses were open and most courses were still in session during the strike as they negotiated with the union. The university announced on Monday that they had reached a preliminary agreement with the union, but did not provide any additional comments. This information was first reported by The Canadian Press on April 15, 2024.
