Due to the strike at the UofS and UofR, I expect the Star Phoenix and Leader-Post won’t be ranking the UofS as highly next time. Who would be eager to work for them at this point, when their anti-union style has brought about a strike that has lasted 3 weeks, and looks likely to continue until the next at the very least? It’s CUPE 1975 on the picket line now standing up for employees who will get a raise that’s a fraction of the one the administration gave themselves this year. Which UofS union will be out next when their contract is up for re-negotiation?
{ 2007 11 22 }
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KC | 22-Nov-07 at 10:41 am | Permalink
Have you even read the Universities’ latest offer Saskboy? Now that the withheld performance incriments can be grieved if they are withheld unreasonably I have no idea how we can still blame the University for the continued strike.
Saskboy | 22-Nov-07 at 12:03 pm | Permalink
The University gives an offer of less money than before? That’s not moving closer together KC. You need to get an idea.
KC | 22-Nov-07 at 1:28 pm | Permalink
Thats not true Saskboy. See: http://www.usask.ca/hrd/memos/docs/trew_letter_to_cupe_november_21_2007.pdf
Methinks a blindly pro-union disposition might be confusing you about the real facts. Maybe do some research rather than buying the CUPE line.
KC | 22-Nov-07 at 1:30 pm | Permalink
Or hey dont take my word for it. Read the bloody offer yourself: http://www.usask.ca/hrd/memos/docs/cupe1975_final_offer_cba_nov21_2007.pdf
Saskboy | 22-Nov-07 at 3:20 pm | Permalink
Or hey, don’t take my word for it, take it from Trew who gets paid more if the strike goes on longer, opposed to me [who would get paid more if it ends now].
Saskboy | 22-Nov-07 at 3:40 pm | Permalink
“But would the union accept slightly less than 17% (which remember is 5% above the provincial average remember)”
I have to ask you KC, have YOU read the offer. If you did, you’d know that 17% is hardly what is really being offered. ~8% is what everyone would get over 3 years, and the rest is contingent upon receiving a positive evaluation [Which costs ~$3000/day to challenge the possibly subjective negative results of], AND accepting a “provision realignment” AKA a “CUT” to benefit coverage to get the .9% increase in UofR funding to the plans.
Instead of taking 17% as the gospel truth from the UofR/S, you could do the bloody math.
KC | 22-Nov-07 at 4:10 pm | Permalink
Saskboy - If performance increments are handed out over the next several years like they are handing them out now like 99% of the CUPE members at UofR and 100% at UofS will get 17% so that is effectively the raise amount of the raise. The .5% who now–now that the University has made that significant compromise in its latest proposal–have the opportunity to grieve the decision to withhold the increment. That is an incredibly significant concession. The only people who wont get the increment will be underperformers, who even with a right of appeal were unable to prove that they werent… and even THEY get an 8% raise (only 4% below the provincial average) anyways. Thats a pretty bloody good deal so yes I have no problem repeating the 17% mantra because in effect that is what is being offered. 17% being 5% above the provincial average MORE than cancels out the benefits cut so it is more than fair.
As for listening to the negotiator. Whether or not he is uncredible or biased if I have a document that is written by him addressed to the union, and that document contains an offer of terms to the union I am going to trust that document. CUPE 1975’s website as of this hour still says that the union is offering the 4.5%, 4.75 and 5 when the universities letter that I linked to above indicates that the university is offering 5% each year. So I have to ask who is really misleading people.
I just want school to get back to normal and after EXTENSIVELY reviewing everything that each party is offering on their respective website I can only conclude that the University made significant concessions yesterday. The fact that you are now starting to really suggest that the University is acting unreasonable is just unsupported by the facts as made available by the parties.
BTW the cost of the grievance process and the fact that the union has agreed to allow employees to grieve withheld increments actually strengthens the univerity’s claim that it doesnt want to just withhold money and that it really only cares about employee merit. If the university loses money by withholding increments because it is forced to endure the cost of dealing with the grievance than clearly it is not just trying to save money. It gives the appearance that it really only cares about a high perfoming workforce.
Saskboy | 22-Nov-07 at 8:45 pm | Permalink
“So I have to ask who is really misleading people.”
Oh come on. I’m not willing to trust that Trew and company erred in their numbers. What have they done that’s trustworthy?
And then you criticize CUPE for being slow to update their website after Trew didn’t correct his error until after CUPE had published their complaint?
“I can only conclude that the University made significant concessions yesterday.”
If they are willing to make concessions, then why did they turn down a return to work within 48 hours, and mediation?
KC | 23-Nov-07 at 9:57 am | Permalink
You should trust Trew and University’s letter clarifying the offer because it has legal significance. They can’t just make offers like that without their being $#!+ to pay later. 24 Hours later and CUPE is STILL telling its members that the Universities are offering 4.5, 4.75 and 5.
As for mediation, the University has MADE its concessions. The grievable performance reviews should have neutralized that issue. There should have been nothing TO send to mediation. I’d sympathize with the reduced benefits IF the employees weren’t getting 5% above the provincial average in wage increases which MORE than makes up for any benefit reduction.
… But I see you just dont care based on your latest post and are going to continue to use your soapbox to blame the party that is actually making concessions here. Oh well. Christmas is coming. My exams will go ahead as planned. Maybe the empty spot under some people’s tree will teach them that it takes two to compromise and sometimes we don’t get everything we want.
Saskboy | 23-Nov-07 at 12:46 pm | Permalink
KC, perhaps when you end up in the same position one day, you’ll understand that you’d rather take a stand to fix a problem, and point out the mismanagement employees and students are subjected to, rather than giving up health coverage when there’s not even an economic reason to do so.
“They can’t just make offers like that without their being $#!+ to pay later. ”
Oh really? I don’t think the error in the offer was a mistake. Why? Because just a couple months ago there was a job posting that was more than $300/month in error. When the UofR had a candidate willing to take the position, they said, “oops, that starting salary is actually $300 less than we advertised, do you still want it? You know, we can’t give you the higher price because it’s a unionized workplace.”
Saskboy | 23-Nov-07 at 12:50 pm | Permalink
“My exams will go ahead as planned. Maybe the empty spot under some people’s tree will teach them that it takes two to compromise and sometimes we don’t get everything we want.”
And aren’t you cocky? You’re sure exams will continue as planned, and next semester will roll on as usual? For your sake I hope so, since it’s unfortunate that 3rd-parties are suffering. I won’t even wish you get a lump of coal in your stocking like you’ve wished on others. I just think it’s really unfortunate that the majority of the 3rd-parties affected by this strike are doing nothing to end it, and some even are ensuring it continues at their own detriment. At least the Social Work students are standing up to the UofR’s bullying of CUPE.
KC | 23-Nov-07 at 1:21 pm | Permalink
The College of Law at UofS has assured its students that the exams will go ahead as planned NAoyes I am fairly confident that they will. There isnt really any
Everyone wants to see the strike ended but not all of us see the repsonsibility as being solely as being with management. Yes the pay raises gave CUPE some ammo in the dispute and yes the union had a strong case while the management was offering no right of appeal for witheld performance increments but now that things have changed. Management ahs effectively (given the right of appeal and the percentage of people who get the increment) given 17% and 8% to those who underperform. The former is above the provinces gdp per capita growth so effectively CUPE members are taking more than their share of this provinces economic growth.
I refuse to let pro-union ideology get in the way of really evaluating the positions of the respective parties. This is not the early 20th century and CUPE workers are not working for pennies a day.
Lee-Anne | 23-Nov-07 at 8:22 pm | Permalink
Saskboy, if someone doesn’t want to take a job, they don’t have to, if it’s less money than what was advertised I understand that would be disappointing. but you still have a choice. People make mistakes, sheesh cut them some slack.
Saskboy, you should advocate for people who are working for minimum wage doing the same kind of work as some of these CUPE workers. I really think people that work for unionized workplaces, don’t appreciate what they have. Yes, I agree that wages should reflect inflation, but many jobs in Regina do not, especially the lower status jobs. Heaven forbid you should work for a non government organization and even if you have a degree, you are still living below the poverty line.
Everyone needs to work in a minimum paying job where you work really hard, but still have no benefits, no raises, no sick time, no pension plan. It’s particularly rough for those who work part-time as well as they have no perks at all.
I’ve worked both in government positions and minimum wage jobs, the benefits are without a doubt second to none in government positions. I miss having the dental plan because it’s costs an arm and a leg to have anything done on your own.
People rarely appreciate what they have, until it’s gone.
Saskboy | 23-Nov-07 at 8:27 pm | Permalink
Lee-Anne, I do advocate improvements for minimum wage workers. I think that dental and optical ought to be included in medicare, and that income tax ought to be taken after you make 20,000 instead of the Conservative’s 10,000 (as of 2009).
Raising the minimum wage has all kinds of problems that economists can explain, but those three things I suggest are paid by the tax payers most able to shoulder the burden, without causing inflation.