Preparations for the next round of bargaining are well under way. The current collective agreement expires on June 30, 2013. Through preliminary discussions with the Employer, we expect to begin bargaining early in the new year with the goal of having a new agreement ratified before the expiry of the current one.

The Executive of the Association has approved the composition of two bodies. The Negotiating Team, consisting of seven members, will be responsible for bargaining the new collective agreement with the Employer. The Negotiations Caucus, consisting of the Negotiating Team plus an additional seven members, will be responsible for developing the long term bargaining strategy of the Association as well as the bargaining mandate for the current round of negotiations. Details about the individuals on the Team and Caucus will be forthcoming in the next Bargaining Update.

It is essential to maintain an open line of communication with our members as we develop our bargaining strategy for the future. Understanding the needs and desires of our members, as well as the criticisms of existing terms and conditions of employment permits the Association to maximize its impact at the table and achieve a settlement that is fair and balanced across all of our constituents.

To that end, we will again be relying on the Faculty Association Representative from each unit to attend bargaining update sessions and present that information to their colleagues at a collegial meeting for information and feedback. In addition, members will receive paper based Bargaining Updates, USFA e-Letters related to bargaining issues, and detailed reports at general meetings. Finally, representatives from the Team and Caucus would be happy to attend a collegial meeting of your Department and/or College to discuss the upcoming round of negotiations.

Are you interested in participating in the upcoming round of negotiations? Do you have a specific issue that you feel needs to be addressed? If so, please contact Jim Cheesman, Senior Professional Officer, at jim.cheesman@usask.ca or 966-5618.