University of Manitoba faculty wants province to leave wage talks alone – Winnipeg
The College of Manitoba School Affiliation (UMFA) desires to depart negotiations on a brand new take care of college as much as their group and the college that employs them — not the provincial authorities.
Simply days earlier than members are set to vote on strike action, the union is talking out towards what it calls “continued interference” by the governing Progressive Conservatives in ongoing talks with the College of Manitoba.
“It’s actually unhappy,” UMFA Vice President Erik Thompson laments.
“(College of Manitoba President Michael) Bennaroch acknowledges we have to be paid extra with a purpose to recruit and retain good professors, however we want the flexibleness to cut price freely.”
The School Affiliation licensed a strike vote earlier this month in the hunt for wage will increase — one thing members haven’t seen for half a decade.
The province’s Public Companies Sustainability Act was handed in 2017 but it surely was by no means put into laws, although the province held out the opportunity of amending it.
Nonetheless, teams such because the Canadian Union For Public Employees say it continues to have an effect on contract talks.
Thompson says it’s not the primary time the PC’s have swayed negotiations between these two events.
“(In 2016), it precipitated the College to take a wage supply off the desk. On this case, they’re giving a mandate which the college might select to disobey, however we’d prefer it if they simply took their palms off collective bargaining.”
President Bennaroch stated in a U of M Senate assembly final week that the mandate consists of wage will increase capped at .75 per cent within the subsequent two years and one per cent the 12 months afterward.
UMFA says it desires salaries extra consistent with related establishments throughout the nation, in addition to extra equitable hiring, tenure and promotional processes.
“I assume the College is frightened of getting its authorities grant decreased by the quantity they’d pay to us,” Thompson explains.
He says that’s what occurred in 2020 when college acquired a $2,000 stipend after the Act was deemed unconstitutional.
Opposition events within the Manitoba Legislature additionally imagine the PCs are overstepping.
Thompson doesn’t see any level within the province’s involvement.
“The College is financially wholesome. They banked over $90 million final 12 months, regardless of the challenges of COVID-19,” he stated.
“Tuition has elevated, however the pay of professors and instructors has not.”
In an announcement to International Information, the province says it’s staying an arms-length away from the method.
“Authorities is just not the employer and is clearly not on the bargaining desk making presents and counter-offers. We urge each the College and UMFA to proceed bargaining in good religion, instantly and never by way of the media,” a spokesperson says.
“For nearly 40 years, governments of various political stripes have set broad public sector bargaining mandates, given their tasks to all Manitobans over public funds. Mischaracterizing this conventional position, or inaccurately attributing particular bargaining proposals to authorities, is just not useful.”
International Information has additionally reached out to the College for remark.
The Union’s members will vote on a possible strike Oct. 16-18, and outcomes are anticipated to be made public on Tuesday, Oct. 19.
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