Union votes in favour of a defence and strike fund
Jacqueline Perlin
Assistant News Editor
With the possibility of another strike looming over York, union members are preparing themselves to ensure a fair bargaining process.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3903, which represents contract faculty, teaching assistants, graduate assistants, and research assistants at York, voted October 26 in favour of creating a strike fund levy.
The special levy will collect 1.5 per cent from member’s pay cheques and will remain in place until a settlement is reached between the union and York, or until there is a strike or a lockout.
According to Karen Walker, chair of CUPE 3903, the local needs the levy to secure a fair bargaining process with the employer.
“[We] can’t go into bargaining without leverage,” says Walker, noting that without a contract at
this point, the employer could very
well lock the employees out or force concessions on the employees.
In order to ensure a fair bargain, CUPE 3903 requires a minimum of $200,000 to $400,000 in their strike coffers.
She explains this fund is especially necessary since the local is still in economic recovery from the last strike, which began early November 2008 and ended in January 2009.
“We are still in the process of paying [CUPE national] back,” says Walker. She explains that locals usually provide members for strike pay for the first 10 working days of a strike or lockout, and then CUPE National takes over the payment.
During the last strike, however, CUPE National asked to be reimbursed for the payments, driving the local into financial hardship.
“We’re predicting that we’ll have it paid back by December,” says Walker.
Nevertheless, Walker stresses the local is still in the beginning of the bargaining process, and is still reviewing and approaching the university with passed proposals.
