Celebration and Reflection

By Tracy Whalen, Secretary

This final UWFA newsletter of the 2010-2011 year is one of both celebration and reflection. As many Members know, this February marked the thirtieth anniversary of the certification of our Association by the Manitoba Labour Board. Sandra Zuk, who was a negotiator for the UWFA team, communicated this memory to me:

One memory I have from the weekend marathon negotiations that resulted in agreement on all outstanding articles was everyone’s appreciation for the buffet of food set out at midnight Sunday by Gerry Sweet.  She dashed out to buy food and had the negotiation table laid out with juice, donuts, fruit, etc. when the teams returned from a caucus.  The gesture lifted all our spirits and gave us the energy to continue negotiating through the night, concluding around 7:30 a.m. Monday. We all watched the sunrise over Wesley Hall, where then President Robin Farquhar was camped out in his office to provide any direction as required by the Board team. Quite a night to remember!

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Taking a Look Back at the First Agreement

Thirty years ago, the Association was certified by the Manitoba Labour Board. On 16 September 1982, the first agreement between UWFA and the Employer was signed. When one looks at the first agreement and the one signed just last month, the similarities are striking. Though there have been substantial changes in the intervening years, the first negotiating team set the foundation for the strong Collective Agreement we have today. Sandra Zuk, who was one of the negotiators at the time, provided us with these photos of the bargaining teams.

UWFA Team - Front (from left): Sandra Zuk (Library), Claudia Wright (Chief Negotiator, Political Science), Geraldine Sweet (Geography); Back (from left): John Cote (Psychology), John Ryan (Geography), H. Vincent Rutherford (History)Employer Team - Front (from left): Robert Dyck (Chief Negotiator), Stephen Coppinger, Michael McIntyre; Back (from left): Larry Didow, A. Ross McCormack, John Clake, David Dyck

Message from the President

By Kristine Hansen, UWFA President

The end of term is now here, and we’re all busy marking, invigilating exams, dealing with anxiety-stricken students, doing a multitude of administrative tasks, and trying to squeeze in enough time for some progress on scholarly endeavours.  I wish everyone well in concluding the tasks of the fall term, and I wish you some well-deserved peace following that. The pace of UWFA’s work will continue unabated, at least until late December, and I am deeply appreciative of those UWFA members who carry out the Association’s work on top of their day jobs. Main Unit negotiations have required a very substantial time commitment from the negotiating team, and the Job Action Committee has been busy preparing for the possibility that we need to take action to back up our negotiators. Meanwhile, all of the regular UWFA work continues: grievance handling, dealing with various workplace issues that arise almost daily, and meeting with the Employer on Collective Agreement and other issues.

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Bargaining Update

Our first meeting with the University took place on Monday, October 4. The first meeting set the bargaining protocol and scheduled regular meetings. The bargaining protocol is not contentious and we have already agreed to meet twice weekly. All that remains to be decided is the exact timing of meetings. We will continue with the planned schedule until bargaining is completed.

Once we have agreed on the protocol we will exchange proposals beginning first with matters of governance. We expect to be able to begin the exchange on October 8.

The Association’s bargaining team consists of Wendy Josephson (chief negotiator), James Currie, Richard Jochelson, Linda Dixon and Lisa McGifford. Daniel Draper is providing administrative support to the team.

The University bargaining team is led by Laurel Repski.

Mandates, Negotiations and Keeping Your Cool

An Interview with Dr. Wendy Josephson, Chief Negotiator for the Main Unit Bargaining Team

By Dr. Roewan Crowe, UWFA Member-at-Large

Pictured: Main Unit Bargaining Team (left to right) Dr. Richard Jochelson, Dr. Wendy Josephson, Ms. Lisa McGifford, Dr. James Currie

RC:  Can you tell me about your role as Chief Negotiator for the Main Bargaining Unit? How long have you been in this role? What does the position entail?

WJ: The UWFA Executive appointed me as Chief Negotiator for the Main Unit at the end of January, so I’ve been in the role for just over two months.

The Chief Negotiator leads the Negotiating Team throughout the process of negotiating a collective agreement and speaks on behalf of the Association at the bargaining table. So far, I’ve been participating in the Collective Bargaining Committee’s consultations with the Main Unit membership about what Members would like to see in the next collective agreement. Once the iterative process of establishing a mandate from the Members has been completed, I will work with the rest of the team (James Curry, Richard Jochelson, and Executive Director Lisa McGifford) to draft proposals in contract language and lead the team in negotiations with the Employer’s bargaining team. It will also be my responsibility to keep the UWFA Executive informed about what’s happening at the table.

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UWFA Bargaining Updates

By Lisa McGifford, UWFA Staff Officer

Bargaining has begun for each of the three UWFA bargaining units (Main Unit, Collegiate and Contract Faculty). For more information, click the link below. If you have any questions, please contact the UWFA Office.

UWFA has buttons for each of our bargaining units. They are available from any Executive Member or at the UWFA office.

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