In our last bargaining update, we presented the case for a bargaining mandate with respect to salaries that is based on the Employer’s lead-payer strategy for compensation at the 75th percentile of a group of seven comparator institutions. Based on the salary data that is currently available (i.e., 2010-11), the average salaries by rank for University of Saskatchewan faculty members fall well below the 75th percentile, and we propose to insist that the Employer honour the commitment to achieve that salary target. The lead-payer strategy also applies to the benefits package that accompanies salaries, and we are collecting information from our comparators to see how our benefits stack up. Perhaps not surprisingly, the benefits for faculty members at the University of Saskatchewan have fallen behind our comparators, so there is also a need to improve the benefits package as well.
In this update are a number of benefits and financial items that could be included at the next round of negotiations. These are the items that are apparent to us, and they are not meant to be an exhaustive list of issues. Rather, they are meant to be a starting point for the development of a bargaining mandate with respect to benefits. Please offer us your opinions regarding the issues outlined below, and please let us know about other issues that we may have missed. This is your collective agreement and successful negotiations require the support and engagement of members on the issues that are most relevant and important to them. (Read More)