BARGAINING NEWS! December 5, 2024
CUASA’s Negotiating Team met again with the Employer on Thursday, December 5th. Both teams had over a week to consider proposals and prepare counters. Non-financial articles under negotiation concern workload, leaves, health and safety, equity, and grievances. Unfortunately, the Employer returned to the table with no practical additions or concessions.
The Negotiating Team has made clear that since CUASA began our bargaining consultation with the membership last year, workload has been an issue of grave concern for academic staff. And further, that the situation is only getting worse. CUASA members across departments continue to report being asked by administration to “do more with less”. What is becoming exceedingly clear to CUASA’s Negotiating Team is that the Employer has a very limited understanding or appreciation for the ever-increasing workload realities faced by academic staff at Carleton. In fact, we are facing an employer that seeks to increase our already heavy workload.
CUASA is engaged in finding ways to address the complex issues our sector faces including finances. Failure to acknowledge the workload concerns of academic staff only keeps us from finding sustainable solutions. The university advertises that The Carleton Advantage is that that they “constantly strive for innovation in research, teaching, learning, and to enhance our existing programs, as well as develop new ones” yet they seem to have forgotten whose labour makes up that striving. CUASA members are the researchers and teachers that will determine if Carleton thrives or fails. Ensuring that our workloads are manageable is what will allow for the continued delivery of high-quality education and research excellence.
Financial messaging from Carleton’s administration bears some scrutiny. At the October 10th Board of Governors (BOG) Meeting the Associate Vice-President of Financial Services reported that “ … Carleton University continues to have a stable financial position … With ancillary financial performance being strong, sufficient reserves to manage unexpected costs, and remarkable growth in our research enterprise, Carleton University will continue to successfully meet the financial challenges ahead” (p. 112). At the BOG reporting level things are going pretty well but financials have been presented very differently to the larger Carleton community.
On November 8th Carleton sent out an Operating Budget Update that suggested the “university’s financial sustainability” would require undertaking “significant” unnamed measures. The change in outlook from the October BOG report, when they were certainly already aware of the federally imposed cap on international students, is explained in the budgeting choices that Carleton was about to announce.
When, on November 22nd, Carleton announced its Volunteer Retirement Incentive Plan as a part of its Financial Sustainability Framework it became clear that the first “significant measure” was to reduce the number of faculty at Carleton. Faculty they will not commit to replacing in any capacity, at any date. The action required “on all our parts” in the November 8th update is clearly putting the primary burden of budget adjustments on academic staff at Carleton.
We return to the bargaining table December 10th. The Negotiating Team is fully committed to bettering the working conditions of CUASA members. This will require that the Employer’s team recognizes the work we do, its importance to the future success of the institution and the increasing strain workload is putting on academic staff. We encourage members to continue to let the administration know that you expect them to help safeguard the future of the institution in ways that protect the Carleton community and the quality education CUASA members provide. If you would like to send your suggestions to Carleton anonymously please fill out this survey and CUASA will share them on your behalf. .
Bargaining sessions with the Employer are scheduled for December 10th, 11th, 16th and 18th.
Watch your email and the CUASA website for bargaining updates going forward!
The 2021-24 Collective Agreement remains in force until a new agreement is concluded by both parties, or until a lockout or strike. CUASA will continue to regularly inform its members on collective bargaining.
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