Daily News

posted on March 2: Negotiation Update

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

MUSA, University bargaining teams back at the table at one o’clock today

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)

MUSA support staff set to strike at 6 a.m. today

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.

posted on March 3: MUSA and University meet

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.