Our current collective agreement expires on June 30, 2013. Both the USFA and Employer are committed to settling the next agreement prior to expiry of the present one, so it is likely that we will be at the table in early 2013. As a consequence, preparation for the next round of bargaining by the USFA has already begun.
The USFA Executive is committed to reaching out to our members to understand your desires and perspectives with respect to terms and conditions of employment. We believe that a much greater effort is required to solicit your views, uncover common themes, and present them as proposals at the table. However, we can only achieve that goal if members are prepared to spend some time and effort on evaluating the issues and providing us with their feedback. In addition, it should come as no surprise that once the Employer recognizes that our proposals at the table have the support and force of our members, such proposals are much more likely to be considered seriously.
Our strategy for improved communication and dialogue is to make our Faculty Association Representatives (FARs) an integral part of the communication process. Over the next nine months, we will generate Bargaining Updates that outline the many and varied issues that could form the bargaining mandate for the next round of negotiations. We will schedule a number of meetings with the FARs to explain and discuss the Updates, and then ask each FAR to distribute them to members of their unit, coordinate group discussion regarding the issues, and provide feedback regarding the proposals and any other issues that may arise.
By now, you should have received our first Bargaining Update which outlines University of Saskatchewan faculty salaries relative to our comparators. Contained within that update is a request by the USFA Bargaining Team to consider, evaluate and support our bargaining mandate for salaries and benefits for the upcoming round. Your feedback and support is critically important, and we look forward to the knowledgeable and creative perspectives of our members.
Should you wish to make your position known directly to the Negotiations Team, please feel free to contact Jim Cheesman, Senior Professional Officer, at 966-5618 or e-mail him at jim.cheesman@usask.ca