Membership Overwhelmingly Supports Our Negotiating Team
The Executive Committee thanks everyone who attended the special general meeting yesterday. The turnout was excellent and will greatly empower the USFA negotiating team as they attempt to seek a new Collective Agreement. The motion passed yesterday was:
BE IT RESOLVED: "that the Executive Committee is authorized to call for a strike vote in a manner and at a time they see fit and in accordance with The Trade Union Act."
Don't Believe Everything You Read
Unless the information comes directly from the USFA, be skeptical. For example, exceedingly misleading information was contained in the January 3, 2007 newsletter from the Human Resources Division. This is a fairly standard tactic by employers in these sorts of situations. If you have questions or want clarification of anything you read or hear, please contact the Association.
New USFA Website - www.usaskfaculty.ca
We are in the process of moving the USFA website to an external server. This will be completed in the very near future. Our new website will be updated regularly and have all the latest information on job action and negotiations. We will also continue to communicate by Bulletin and Newsletter.
Contingency Trust Fund
The balance in this fund is just under $2.5 million. Its sole purpose is to support job action including wage support while on strike, should that be necessary.
A New Collective Agreement is Our Goal
How we get there is now up to the Board of Governors. The USFA Executive Committee will closely monitor developments at the negotiating table. A decision to call for a strike vote will not be an easy one to make, but we are resolved to do this if there continues to be no progress at the table. The Association is a participatory democracy and direct consultation with our members is of paramount importance. Your attendance at future meetings is essential. Let's hope the next meeting will be to ratify a Collective Agreement that addresses our very serious issues.
The Power of CAUT
We are in constant contact with Michael Piva and other experts at the national office, and will seek their sage advice as we proceed in our efforts to get a new Collective Agreement. Michael's speech yesterday was inspiring, especially his comments about building "intellectual capital" through collective bargaining. This is exactly what the USFA negotiating team is attempting to do. Fieldstones and mortar are important, but they are just empty rooms without faculty and students.