University remains hopeful negotiation will be reached
Jacqueline Perlin
Assistant News Editor
@jackieperlin
CUPE 3903 has moved to a strike vote.
The vote, which will be held March 12-16 in the Vari Link, came as a result of the union accusing York University of dragging out the bargaining process in order to weaken the employees’ bargaining position.
In their latest web update, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3903 accuses the university of delaying the negotiation process by informing the newly-appointed conciliator, Jim Breckenridge, that they are unable to meet at the specified times.
“Every indication suggests the Employer will continue to forestall negotiations, prolonging the process well into the summer and compromising our ability to negotiate financial relief for those members,” said the update, adding that “a strong mandate will help ensure that conciliation does not become yet another empty gesture.”
The update specified that both parties were asked to meet March 9 by Breckenridge, but despite the fact that March 9 was the original date scheduled for bargaining before the conciliator was appointed, the employer responded saying they were unable to meet.
This is combined with the employer refusing to meet with the union while they waited for the conciliation process to begin.
The university, however, says they are surprised that CUPE has moved to a strike vote.
“The university had spoken to CUPE representatives and they had articulated they would next talk with York representatives with a conciliator, and subsequently called for a strike vote before the opportunity to sit down with the conciliator,” explains Joanne Rider of York media relations, stating that it was the CUPE representatives that told the university the next time they would meet would be with the conciliator.
Rider adds that the university has proceeded with the agreed dates to meet and that there was only one date that posed scheduling conflicts. She says that as a result of the conflict, the university quickly proposed other dates to meet, and that the first meeting with the union accompanied by a conciliator—which happened March 12—was “positive.”
While it may appear that both sides sit on opposite ends of the bargaining spectrum, Rider maintains that despite a strike vote occurring at the moment, York remains hopeful that a negotiation will be reached.
The next date scheduled for a meeting between the two sides with a conciliator is March 15, but if CUPE votes in favour of a strike vote, the local must legally wait two weeks to potentially strike; this would place the strike deadline in early April.
