September 23, 2005 Source: University of Toronto:
http://www.news.utoronto.ca/bin6/050923-1654.asp Administrative staff ratify new contract 94.7 per cent in favour of three-year agreement Sep 23/05 by Elaine Smith (about) (email) Administrative staff represented by United Steelworkers, Local 1998, voted Sept. 19 to ratify a new three-year collective agreement with the University of Toronto. Of the 1,671 members who cast votes, 94.7 per cent voted in favour of the agreement, hammered out Sept.12 after a weekend of intense negotiations. The previous agreement expired June 30. On Sept. 8, union members voted in favour of strike action if no deal was reached by Sept. 12. Professor Angela Hildyard, vice-president (human resources and equity), said the university administration was pleased with the outcome of the vote. “We are very pleased that we’ve reached a collective agreement that we think is responsive and responsible,” she said. “It’s a three-year agreement, so it will also bring some stability for us.” Allison Dubarry, president of Local 1998, also expressed satisfaction. “I’m pleased,” she said. “Obviously, there is always more that can be done, but I think we were able to get a contract without concessions. The membership got us the contract, because they demonstrated they were clearly behind us. They made it clear they wanted a fair deal.” Dubarry said she was especially pleased by the wage increase of three per cent for each year of the agreement and by improvements to the pension plan. The new agreement provides for a pension based on the highest average earnings in an employee’s three best years up to the Canada Pension Plan maximum salary multiplied by 1.6 per cent, rather than 1.5 per cent. “The median salary for our members is about $46,000, so for about half our members, getting the multiplier up has huge implications,” she said. Hildyard also lauded the agreement’s provisions for up to three days annually of professional development for staff, its sensitivity to return-to-work issues for staff who have been ill and improved accommodations for staff with disabilities. Christina Sass-Kortsak, assistant vice- president (human resources), echoed her sentiments. “The agreement shows our strong commitment to career development for administrative staff,” she said. “In the language, it’s clear what we’re aiming for is to provide staff with the kind of development they need to have fulfilling careers at the university. That’s linked directly to the Stepping Up plan’s objective of recruiting and retaining excellent staff and being an employer of choice.” Sass-Kortsak also highlighted the new language on accommodation. “It’s important that we are very committed to accommodating the disabilities that employees at the university may have or may acquire and that we’ve put in place language to help us to work together to maximize opportunities for staff who might have disabilities,” she said. “It’s part of our broader commitment to equity.” Other provisions of the agreement include: • Elimination of two steps on the current 10-step wage grid, allowing employees to reach the top step in their pay scale groups sooner • Improved vision care, with a maximum of $250 over 24 months • Pregnancy leave increased by one week; leave for primary caregiver and adoption increased by five weeks; two additional days of bereavement leave • Simplification of the grievance procedure
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