Daily News

March 2, 2001

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March 2, 2001

Talks between the University and MUSA took place until 5:45 a.m. this morning (March 2). The MUSA bargaining team delivered a monetary demand to the University's team at approximately 2:00 a.m. Both teams have agreed to return to the table at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 3. "We now have a complete proposal including a wage demand," says Mark Haley, assistant vice-president of human resources and a member of the University's bargaining team. "The wage demand is very expensive but we continue to be committed to achieving a collective agreement ." The University tabled a response to MUSA's monetary demand. MUSA has called its members out on strike as of 6:00 a.m. today. (END OF STORY) See also: Notice to Students: In the Event of a MUSA Strike and Notice to Students Living in Residence:In the Event of a MUSA Strike and Two information hotlines available during strike

March 1, 2001

Members of the University and MUSA bargaining teams are back at the table with the mediator this afternoon. The parties met until early this morning and agreed to resume talks at one o'clock today. The teams continue to work on many issues including a response from MUSA on a monetary offer presented by the University in December. Last night members of McMaster's University Staff Association voted in favour of a strike. A total of 1,387 of MUSA's 1,650 members voted. Almost 71 per cent of those who cast ballots voted yes, 29 per cent voted no. See also: NEW March 1! MUSA Strike Vote Results (END OF STORY)

March 1, 2001

McMaster's 1,650 support staff will be on strike as of 6 a.m. tomorrow if no "real progress in negotiations" is made by 2 a.m. on Friday, March 2. The strike action was communicated to MUSA members in an e-mail sent to them (by the MUSA bargaining team) just after 1 p.m. today (March 1). "The MUSA team is concerned that if no real progress is made by 2 a.m. (Friday, March 2), then we will be asking our membership to take job action. Members should consider that, unless they hear otherwise, MUSA will be on strike as of 6 a.m. on Friday, March 2." The MUSA bargaining team announced their strike action at a meeting with the University team this afternoon. "We're extremely disappointed with MUSA's decision to take this course of action. We came to the table this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. to bargain and now know that the union had both informed their membership and intended to inform the media at 2 o'clock that they planned to go on strike," says Mark Haley, assistant vice-president human resources and a member of the University's bargaining team. "We know that there are a number of tough issues on the table, but we have worked hard and we remain committed to continuing to work hard to reach a collective agreement." Haley is concerned that a number of issues still remain unresolved, but he is particularly disturbed that the union would ask its members to strike when it hasn't presented either its membership or its employer with a wage demand. "Solutions cannot be found on the picket line. These are issues that need to be resolved at the table and MUSA is simply refusing to do this." McMaster's initial monetary offer to MUSA was a 10 per cent increase over four years. To date, MUSA has not indicated how much of an increase it is seeking for its members. The University has contingency plans in place for a strike. "We have based our planning on four principles which will guide our provision of services and operations: the health and safety of all members of the McMaster community, the education and support of students, the delivery of health care and the continuation of core communications infrastructure," says Peter Sutherland, co-chair of the University's Contingency Planning Group. "Ensuring the health and security of all University employees and visitors to campus is paramount." Classes will continue and many services currently available to students will continue to operate, although hours of service may be modified. The McMaster University Staff Association represents research nurses, clerical and secretarial staff, library assistants, laboratory technicians and student counsellors. The association was certified last year and has been negotiating its first collective agreement with the University for almost a year.

March 1, 2001

MUSA and the University came to terms tonight (March 1) on a list of accommodated positions. This means that MUSA has agreed that some of its members may provide service during a strike. The positions and areas are listed below in the text of a document signed by MUSA and the University.

March 1, 2001

The bargaining teams for McMaster and the McMaster University Staff Association met on Saturday afternoon (March 3). "We had an opportunity to discuss some compensation issues and agreed to meet again on Sunday morning," says Roberta Shaw, a member of the University's bargaining team. The University also offered to extend the time MUSA has to decide whether it wishes to pay to maintain benefits for its members. Shaw says, "The University had originally asked MUSA to decide by noon on Friday. We've now extended that by 48 hours." Benefits are a part of an employee's normal compensation package. The University has offered MUSA the option of paying the cost of the benefit plan for its members during the strike. The cost is approximately $260,000 per month. This decision can only be made by MUSA. People trying to get to campus on Saturday once again faced delays because of picket lines.

February 28, 2001

Members of McMaster's University Staff Association have voted in favour of a strike to back their bargaining team in its negotiations with the University. The results, which were made available last night (Feb. 28), indicated that almost 71% of those who cast ballots voted yes, 29% voted no. A total of 1,387 MUSA members voted. Total MUSA membership is 1,650 which means 59.5% of its members voted in favour of strike action. The University and MUSA returned to the bargaining table late last night. Discussions continued through the early morning. University bargaining team member Dave Tucker says, "We will be at the table whenever MUSA wants to talk and we will stay at the table until we have a deal or until the union walks away again." The University team is committed to achieving a first collective agreement. In a letter sent to MUSA president Barry Diacon, Mark Haley, assistant vice-president human resources and a member of the University's bargaining team, says the University "would work very hard with MUSA to attempt to resolve all of the outstanding issues in dispute in an effort to reach a collective agreement and avoid a strike." The letter also outlines the University's position with respect to the provision of salaries, benefits, etc., in the event of a strike. A second letter to Diacon spells out the University's commitment to the health and safety of all University employees and visitors. To view the two letters, click here. In an open letter to students, to be published in Thursday's Silhouette, University President Peter George asks for students' patience, good judgment and goodwill in the event of a strike. He also says that everyone at McMaster will work to ensure that the students' academic year is not put at risk. "We all recognize the importance of your education and the need to complete your year as scheduled and will do everything in our power to achieve this goal." To view the open letter, click here. See also: MUSA answers members' questions about strike vote (END OF STORY)

February 28, 2001

Classes will continue at McMaster and most services provided to students will be available in the event of a strike by the 1,700 members of . . .

February 28, 2001

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February 28, 2001

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February 28, 2001

The McMaster University Staff Association sent the following e-mail message, a list of freqently asked questions, to its members late yesterday: 1. If I vote . . .

February 27, 2001

In an e-mail to its members yesterday afternoon, the McMaster University Staff Association announced it will hold a strike vote authorization tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 28). See also: Support staff at McMaster eye strike (from Hamilton Spectator, Feb. 27, 2001) The union is holding information meetings today between 12 and 1 and 1 and 2 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Gilmour Hall, and 1 to 2 p.m. in JHE-376. The poll locations for Wednesday's vote are as follows: CAMPUS POLLS Chester New Hall: 8 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Robinson Memorial Theatre Lobby Health Sciences Centre: 12:45 p.m.-5 p.m.,Ewart Angus Centre TRAVELLING POLL St. Joseph's Hospital: 9-10 a.m.,Fontbonne Conference Room F134 Henderson Hospital: 10:30 a.m.-12 noon, Conference room A, back of cafeteria **NOTE: time change General Hospital: 12:30-1:30 p.m., Pillars Conference Room (main hospital, level 1, cafeteria) ** NOTE: time and room change. Chedoke Hospital: 2 p.m.-3 p.m., Nash Lecture Hall, Wilcox Bldg. Health Sciences Centre: 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m.,Ewart Angus Centre Staff or photo identification is required for voting. There will be a registry at each of the polls, and members' names will appear on only one of the registries. All members with a campus mailing address (i.e. Main St. W.) MUST vote at the campus pool. All members who do not have a campus mailing address MUST vote at the travelling poll. (END OF STORY)

February 27, 2001

An informal gathering of friends, family and colleagues will be held to celebrate the life of John “Butch” MacDonald, head of shipping and receiving at . . .

February 27, 2001

Dear Readers, Issues of job security have proven to be a significant part of the negotiations between the University and the McMaster University Staff Association. In an attempt to explain the University's latest proposals in these areas, the following information has been provided by the University's bargaining team. Priority placement remains the first option for an employee whose position is declared redundant. Displacement A key demand from MUSA has been to introduce bumping or displacement. The University has significantly enhanced its initial displacement offer to make seniority more meaningful. The proposal also creates a bigger job pool for those within the displacement program. In order to displace, an employee must have the qualifications for the job, and the person whom they would displace must have less seniority. The changes are based on MUSA's recommendations. The displacement steps would be completed in the following sequence in order to minimize disruption within the workplace: 1. Displacement or bumping into a position within the redeployment unit* at the employee's own pay grade. 2. Displacement within the redeployment unit to lower pay grades. 3. Displacement into a job within one other redeployment unit. 4. Displacement into positions held by the least three senior employees in the bargaining unit. *The redeployment unit is a grouping of budget envelopes as agreed to in the collective agreement Recall Rights The University originally proposed that employee recall rights continue for 12 months. The current offer extends that term to a minimum of 18 months. Employees with more than five years seniority will have recall rights for 24 months. The proposal also expands the employee's right to find an appropriate position while on recall. An employee would be able to reject the first position that is available if that job does not match the hours of work, pay level and employment category of his/her previous position. The employee's seniority would continue to accrue while on recall. If an employee chooses to accept a temporary university position while on recall, the recall clock is frozen until the end of the temporary posting, and is then restarted. If an employee is on recall, tuition/bursary assistance will continue for the remainder of the academic year. Priority placement continues to be the first step for an employee whose position is declared redundant. Any employee whose job is declared redundant will continue to have the right to be appointed to another position within the University when they have the qualifications for the position. A vacant position would only be advertised after all employees on priority placement or recall have been considered for the position. The above changes significantly enhance job security for employees in the MUSA bargaining unit. (END OF STORY)

February 26, 2001

Editor's note: This information was posted late yesterday. The details presented here are unchanged from previous versions. However, based on feedback we have received, we . . .

February 26, 2001

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February 26, 2001

The University bargaining team learned at approximately 9:15 this morning that the McMaster University Staff Association will hold a strike vote as soon as possible. University bargaining team member Dave Tucker says they were advised by the MUSA negotiating committee that "a single vote for the purpose of authorizing a strike would be held as soon as possible." MUSA has requested the University's assistance in conducting the vote and in getting polling information out to members. The strike vote is not scheduled for today or tomorrow. Tucker says the union's bargaining team advised them that the employer's proposals "were not reasonable," and they were unable to proceed (with negotiations). The union's team informed the University it saw no way around the impasse. Postscript: See also: Notice to Readers: Further Explanation of Monetary Proposal

February 23, 2001

The University and the McMaster University Staff Association were back at the bargaining table again last night (Thursday, Feb. 22). Both sides agreed to suspend talks at about 2 a.m. and will return at 2 p.m. this afternoon. "The latest session was encouraging," says Roberta Shaw, a member of the University's bargaining team. "We were able to discuss key issues including seniority, how people are hired, priority placement and recall procedures." However, Shaw says the University's team is disappointed that there still have been no talks about money. "We need to discuss how people get paid and how much they get paid. The union is not prepared to do that and although we're hopeful that a collective agreement can be reached before the union's deadline of Feb. 27, it will be impossible to reach a deal if the union doesn't put its financial demands on the table." MUSA has received the letter it requested from the University extending the freeze period past Feb. 27. It assures the association that negotiations can go beyond that date with the confidence that working conditions will not be altered until a collective agreement comes into effect or until a strike or lockout commences. See also: MUSA answers questions about negotiations in e-mail to members (END OF STORY)

February 22, 2001

The University and the McMaster University Staff Association (MUSA) returned to the table yesterday afternoon (Feb. 21) and bargained throughout the night with the last session running from 3:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. "I think last night was the most productive session we've had," said Dave Tucker, a member of the University's bargaining team. "People on both sides of the table were listening, being thoughtful and negotiating." MUSA asked the University for an extension of the freeze period past Feb. 27, which is when the union is in a position to call a strike provided a strike vote has been taken with the membership. The freeze period means that working conditions may not be altered and that current conditions will remain in effect until a collective agreement comes into effect or until a strike or lockout commences. "We have absolutely no difficulty in giving MUSA a letter which states that the freeze remains in effect and the signed letter of agreement will be in their offices this morning," said Mark Haley, assistant vice-president human resources and a member of the bargaining team. "In return, the University asked MUSA for a minimum of 24-hours notice if a strike was to be called but they were unwilling to give us that notice period." Issues discussed last evening include seniority, layoff and recall, appointments and promotions and the University's team delivered a number of proposals on these issues to MUSA. The MUSA team will be considering them today and both teams will return to the table this evening. "We are encouraged by the discussions we had and look forward to this evening's session," said Dave Tucker. "We are also hoping that MUSA will table their monetary proposal this evening because, without knowing about their monetary needs for basic rates of pay, it will become increasingly difficult to discuss other issues that have a monetary component." Editor's note: MUSA president Barry Diacon and negotiating team chair Ron Lodewyks have both been contacted for a comment for this story. (END OF STORY)

February 22, 2001

The McMaster Musical Theatre production of Anything Goes hits the stage of Robinson Memorial Theatre tonight at 8 p.m. The Cole Porter musical, directed by Fiona Waddell, will run Feb. 23, 24, 28 and March 1, 2 and 3 at 8 p.m., and March 3 at 2 and 8 p.m. For ticket information, call ext. 27871.