Volume 31, No. 5 Editor: Bob Rupert March, 2001. CUASA has priorities as negotiations start April 15 Negotiations for a new collective agreement begin in April. Most of our proposals have been approved by Steering Committee and Council. You'll get the details in April. High on our priority list are salary increases, computers and online service, protection against lay-offs, indemnification against legal liability, research/teaching/professional awards. The quality of CUASA's service to you depends largely on what happens in bargaining. The result is what we live with for the term of the contract. Our success in these negotiations depends on your support. That calls for us to keep you informed and for you to keep our negotiators informed. The parties had agreed to an intensive schedule of bargaining commencing April 12, 2001. However, management now says it will not be able to meet before April 16 at the earliest. Bargaining teams: CUASA - (Chair) Michael MacNeil (Law), Susan Jackson (Library), Alistair Tilson (retired - English), John Callahan (Business), Gerald de Montigny (SSW) and Pat Finn; Employer - David Van Dine (Chief Negotiator), Allan Maslove, Martin Foss and Tim Sullivan. CUASA Presses Grievance on Demutualization You will recall that the employer informed CUASA at a meeting of the Bi-lateral Benefits Committee on November 7, 2000, that management received a cheque in the amount of $882,000 from Clarica in late April/early May 2000 with respect to demutualization of LTD and Life Insurance (including optional life) policies. The effective date of demutualization was December 31, 1998. In response to management's proposed distribution of these funds, CUASA joined with other unions via CAUT and the CLC to seek a legal opinion from Sack, Goldblatt, Mitchell and filed a grievance on November 11, 2000. The legal opinion was received on January 4, 2001. While the document is confidential as it assesses the cases of a number of unions the following quotation applies to CUASA's situation: "... the ideal test case would likely involve a situation where the employees paid all or most of the costs of the premiums, the employer bore little or no risk in administering the plan, the collective agreement charged the employer with the obligation to arrange the coverage, and there were no dividends paid under the insurance contract". It seems that CUASA meets all the requirements for the "ideal test case". On December 5, 2000, following receipt of the grievance, management representatives met with CUASA for an exploratory discussion of possible resolutions to the grievance. Since that time, CUASA has been repeatedly told by several members of management that a formal offer of resolution would be forthcoming. After more than three months, no such offer has been received and CUASA now feels that the grievance should proceed to arbitration. To that end, a memorandum was sent to management requesting that all internal stages be waived and that the grievance be processed to arbitration immediately. CARLETON UNIVERSITY RACE AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAM A series of half-day workshops, sponsored by the President's office, is intended to promote inter-racial and intercultural dialogue and enhance awareness of how ethno-racial diversity can contribute to the goal of providing a rich and varied learning, working and living environment at Carleton. It is being offered to academic staff, support staff and senior administrators. The workshops will be facilitated by Charles Novogrodsky of Charles Novogrodsky and Associates. Space is limited and available on a first registered basis. The next available dates specifically for academic staff are: Monday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 1 from 9-12 or 1-4 p.m. You will receive confirmation of time and location. Register by contacting: carol_want@carleton.ca. For more information call Carol in Equity Services at 520-5622. MEDIATION WORKSHOP Introduction to Mediation, a 40 hour practice based course providing participants with an overview of the skills and processes of mediation is being offered 9:00 a.m - 4:30 p.m. on April 26, 27, 28, 30 and May 1. Human Resources has agreed to pay the $250 registration fee for academic staff who wish to take the course. Register by contacting: carol_want@carleton.ca. For more information call Carol in Equity Services at 520-5622. CUASA SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED The 2000/2001 CUASA Scholarship has been awarded to Ms. Judith Smith, a second year student with a grade point average of 12.0, registered in the Bachelor of Criminology/Criminal Justice program. In addition, three bursaries were provided through the CUASA bursary endowment.