Daily News

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

[img_inline align=”” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/presidentletter.jpg”]

February 28, 2001

[img_inline align=”” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/benefitsletter.jpg”]

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

[img_inline align=”” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/lettuitionplan2.jpg”]

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.

February 22, 2001

[img_inline align=”” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/newletter2.jpg”]University Letter Re: Extension of Freeze Period… see University MUSA talks continue for explanation of letter

February 22, 2001

This is the full, unedited text of an e-mail sent today to members of the McMaster University Staff Association from Ron Lodewyks, chair of the . . .

February 21, 2001

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/barber.jpg” caption=”D. Barber”]Board of Governors chair Doug Barber has been appointed to the position of Distinguished Professor-in-Residence in the Faculty of Engineering. The . . .

February 21, 2001

Bargaining teams for the University and the McMaster University Staff Association return to the table this afternoon. The talks will be conducted with a mediator present. In a letter sent to all employees today, University President Peter George said that he is "hopeful that the outstanding issues will be resolved and that a labour disruption will not occur." George writes that the University "must and can do a better job of creating a supportive, high-quality work environment" and that it is committed to making improvements. He also acknowledged that "mistakes have been made in the past which have created legitimate concerns." As of 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, MUSA may legally call for strike action, provided a strike vote has been taken with its membership and the result of that vote authorizes the union to call a strike. Once a strike vote is taken it would be possible for the union to call a strike at any time. Postscript: Today the University bargaining team distributed its job security and hours of work proposals to members of the McMaster University Staff Association. (END OF STORY)