The Ontario Labour Relations Board has certified the McMaster University Staff Association as the legal bargaining agent for non-academic staff (excluding members of The Management Group). The OLRB sent the certificate declaring MUSA's bargaining status Feb. 18.

“Recognition as a trade union by the OLRB means that the staff association becomes the legal entity for negotiating the workplace relationship with our employer, McMaster University,” says MUSA president Barry Diacon.”We all hope and expect that legal bargaining rights will help make the lives of non-academic staff better and provide more assurance about the future.”

According to Diacon, McMaster is the sixth University to have an in-house staff bargaining unit. “With around 1,550 members, McMaster's is one of the largest.”

Certification follows a Jan. 20 agreement between MUSA and the University which resolved issues that arose during a March 1999 certification vote. The University administration and MUSA will now have to negotiate a contract.

MUSA is planning a drop-in in March. The certificate and the OLRB decision are posted on MUSA's Web site.