Two Concordia unions reach agreements-in-principle

The Concordia University Library Employees’ Union (CULEU) and the Concordia University Union of Support Staff – Technical Sector (CUUSS-TS) both reached agreements-in-principle with the university during collective bargaining last week.

CULEU and CUSS-TS have been without a collective agreement for more than four years.

The CUSS-TS came to an agreement in principle Sept. 5, which was only tentative and had to be ratified by the union members before it could be made official. On Sept. 11, with a vote of 99 per cent, the new contract was adopted. At a General Assembly on Sept. 12, the CULEU voted to accept the new agreement, with 97 per cent in favour.

The agreements, which expire May 2015, include wage increases of 10 per cent over six years and dental and vision insurance coverage for members.

According to university spokesperson Chris Mota, the next step in the process will be to have it approved by the Concordia Board of Governors.

“Both parties will sign the agreements together and after that signing, we will post the agreements,” she explained.

CULEU President Irene Fernandez explained that while she and the members are relieved to have negotiations settled, the process was often frustrating.

“I can’t jump up and down and yell hooray,” she said. “This has been a long haul […]There’s so much that was discussed and negotiated that just went out the window.”

Fernandez went on to say that she hopes bargaining relations at Concordia will improve and that the remaining 12 unions still in negotiations will soon come to a conclusion. Among these unions still without contract are The Concordia University Support Staff Union and the Concordia University Professional Employees Union, who are still in negotiations to renew collective agreements.

“We hope other unions who have not yet to come to an agreement will do so and that we bring a little peace to Concordia,” she said.

 

 

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