posted on April 5: University delivers final offer: Asks MUSA to recommend acceptance to membership
The bargaining teams from the University and the McMaster
University Staff Association (MUSA) met again today (April 5).
The University's team, with Karen Belaire, vice-president,
administration, met with MUSA's team in the morning to
exchange articles and clarify issues. In the afternoon the
University moved forward with a final offer.
“We have placed our final offer on the table,” said Karen Belaire.
“We have been working very hard to address the issues that
MUSA has raised and I am confident that we have put together a
fair and reasonable package that addresses the concerns of the
members. The entire University community wants a settlement
to be reached and we believe that by tabling the University's final
offer we can achieve this goal. We have heard the concerns and
we have done our best. Both teams have worked long and hard
and I want to thank everyone for their efforts.”
The University's final offer is linked to this Daily News
story and a
bullet point overview of some of the articles in the document
appears below:
Summary – McMaster University Final Offer
Term of the Agreement
7 The agreement will expire April 30, 2003
Monetary Offer
The University's compensation proposal appears in Article 21
and provides for the following across-the-board increases:
7 June 1999 2.0%
7 June 2000 3.2%
7 June 2001 1.5%
7 June 2002 2.5%
In addition to the across-the-board increases above, individual employees (for those members not above maximum) will see increases from the implementation of the salary grid (a minimum of 2% and a maximum of 5%) and an increase from the first step (up to 2%). Therefore, with the across-the-board increase, individual increases will range between 11.2% and 16.2% over the term of the contract that runs from June 1999 until April 30,2003.
Salary Grid
7 Creation of a salary grid.
7 Annual movement through the salary grid resulting in wage
increases of up to 5% each year in addition to the negotiated
across the board increases
7 Implementation of the salary grid in September 2001 and
movement on the grid in September 2002
Overtime
7 Overtime is applicable on all authorized hours worked in
excess of an individual's regularly scheduled, full-time shift
7 Right to refuse to work overtime when adequate notice is not
given and it is not an emergency situation
7 On call, call back and log-on pay
Hours of Work
7 Retention of current flexible time-work arrangements
Shift Premiums
7 A premium of .50 cents per hour for working on weekends.
This is new for MUSA members
7 An increase in the shift differential from .40 cents per hour to .50
cents per hour on all days of the week
Benefits
7 NEW – adoption leave – supplementary benefits for up to 14
weeks
7 NEW – Paid personal leave day
7 Paternity leave benefit increased to two weeks
7 Bereavement benefits expanded in time off and extended family
members
7 The University has offered MUSA a choice of semi-private
hospital coverage or the current Ontario Dental Association fee
schedule, payment for cataract implant lens and an additional
$250 towards vision care or an additional .3% rate of pay
increase in year four of the contract.
Employee Rights
7 Employee right to union representation during differences with
employer
7 Recall rights up to 24 months including some benefits
7 Employee rights that enhance job security including long-term
paid notice in case of layoff
Probationary Employment
7 The employee will be advised of the employer's expectations of
successful job performance that they must meet by the end of
the probation
Health and Safety
7 The provision of safety shoes to a maximum of $100 per
annum
7 The provision of safety glasses to a maximum of $250 every
two years
No Strike or Lockout
7 The article states that during a strike or lockout by another
union employees covered by this agreement will not, except in
cases of emergency, be required to be redeployed (ie moved
from one area of activity to another)
Association Representation
7 Official recognition for up to 40 MUSA representatives
7 The negotiating committee will have 6 members
7 Paid release time will be granted for representing the
Association on committees, representing employees in
grievances, and attending meetings at the invitation of the
employer
7 All employees are entitled to 1 hour each fiscal year to attend
the Annual General Meeting of the Association
Joint Working Conditions Committee
7 Equal representation with the University
This summary document links to the University's final proposal
by click ing
here. Hard copies will be available in Human
Resources on Friday afternoon.