Brock Alliance of Labour Leaders

BUFACUPE (1295, 2220, 4207)

IATSEOSSTF D 35

Overview of presentation▪Introductions▪BUFA report (including pension reform &

MCTU policy paper re: the future of Ontario Universities▪OSSTF report (including the Putting Students

First Act, Bill 115)▪CUPE report (including the Protecting Public

Services Act, PPSA)▪Future activities ▪Q & A

BUFA Report: Threats to Post Secondary Education▪Provincial Consultation Paper

–“transformational change agenda”

–Intrusions on pedagogy and research

–Threats to university autonomy and academic freedom

▸Strategic Mandate Agreements

–Identify institutional priorities

–Funding implications

▸How much will survive ex-Minister Murray’s departure?

BUFA Report: Proposed Pension Reform

▪The Problem: – unfunded liabilities & deficit reduction

▪Province’s proposed solution (2012 Budget)– 50/50 funding contributions–Move to jointly sponsored plans– Pooled asset “superfund” (Morneau Report)

▪Member education and communication–Complaints/grievances: academic freedom, travel

expenses, OHRE, Chairs’ responsibilities

Update

OSSTF Local Report

▪A high number of formal grievances and informal complaints already in 2012-2013

▪The issues involve harassment, administration of the University’s short term disability and vacation requests

▪Job evaluations are moving forward with the current list on track to be cleared up before the holidays

▪Member lunch & learns are going well and will continue next month

▪Planning a half day H & S training opportunity hopefully for before the holidays

▪10th Anniversary Holiday lunch on Friday, December 7th from noon to 1:45pm, tickets still available

OSSTF Report on Bill 115

▪Removes the right to collective bargaining

▪Removes power & responsibility from democratically elected local school board trustees

▪Broad sweeping power is given to the Minister of Education

▪Restrictions and deadlines are now unilaterally imposed by the Minister of Education

▪Removal of rights under the Ontario Labour Relations Act (OLRA)

▪Imposes restrictions on the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB), arbitrators, and the courts

OSSTF Report on Bill 115

▪Charter challenge initiated by CUPE, OSSTF, and others

▪Provincial web site outlines actions & strategies to fight back against the Bill

▪Unions at Brock are committed to joining forces to work together on fight back campaigns going forward

▪Our unit is supporting our OSSTF colleagues by staying informed, offering support for other units involved in sanctions, participating in Town Hall conference calls, contacting MPPs to “repeal the Bill”▪See www.ontla.on.ca for MPP contact info

▪See www.osstf.on.ca for further information on our Provincial activities

CUPE 4207 Report▪Significant number of grievances in all three

bargaining units▪HR dragging its feet on issues that could be resolved

relatively easily and denies requests that have never been denied in the past▪Likely a prelude to negotiations for our next Collective

Agreements▪Two units heading into bargaining in 2013▪Bargaining committees have started meeting and

have also started surveying the membership

CUPE Report Protecting Public Services Act

▪Sets the context for bargaining in the public sector, even though it has not yet been introduced into the legislature, similar in principle to Bill 115 which was directed at school boards

▪Mandates a wage freeze for at least 2 years, (possibly more), for all public sector employees in Ontario, all agreements must be two years

▪Empowers the government to veto Collective Agreements that have been negotiated if the Minister deems that they fall outside the mandate that has been established

CUPE ReportProtecting Public Services Act

▪Minister would have the power to impose Collective Agreements

▪Existing Collective Agreement provisions could be removed or changed by the Minister in order to promote “flexibility”

Future Activities

▪Union Presidents have been meeting monthly since October to work in Solidarity going forward

▪Unions have agreed to form two work groups to address some key challenges/concerns

▪The Fight Back work group will be meeting to discuss how we can coordinate locally, and with others, to fight back against the current governments outright attack on all public sector workers

▪The RWLEP work group will be meeting to discuss our common concerns with the current policy, how it is administered, and how we could move forward to better protect our members

Questions?