The most recent collective agreement expired on August 31, 2024.
Upcoming Bargaining Sessions
- November 20, 2024
- December 10, 2024
Past Bargaining Sessions
October 17, 2024(Cancelled by the employer)- October 23, 2024
- October 24, 2024
Updates
October 24, 2024: Collective bargaining is finally underway. We had planned and agreed to three scheduled meetings with the Employer, but only two meetings took place. The first meeting scheduled for October 17 was canceled by the Employer. No reason was given.
With two remaining meetings scheduled, we were informed that the bargaining session on October 23 would end early due to a scheduling conflict with the SMU Special Town Hall Meeting regarding the results of the employee engagement survey.
During the shortened first session, we established the bargaining logistics and scheduled six more bargaining dates. Two will take place this Fall with four more in the Winter semester. Our next two meetings this semester are scheduled for November 20 and December 10.
At the next meeting the following day, after a few delays at the outset, we exchanged non-monetary proposals. Our proposals are a culmination of the work we’ve done over the last year to identify, consolidate, and refine our collective interests and aims in this round of bargaining.
October 8, 2024: This summer, PT Faculty and TAs voted in favour of merging the two bargaining units. The university, however, was not in agreement so we will formally make an application to the provincial labour board to merge.
In the meantime (and after much planning and organizing that began in the fall of 2023), we have requested and secured three dates to start renegotiating our collective agreement that expired in August. The bargaining dates are October 17th, 23rd, and 24th.
May 14, 2024: The Employer provided us with some dates to start bargaining in June. However, since the Employer took over a month to send us some dates for consideration, most of the bargaining team already has other job commitments on those dates. The Negotiating Committee continues to plan, strategize, and consolidate our proposals with an eye to moving forward.
April 16, 2024: The Employer acknowledged receipt of the notice to bargain, and advised they would follow-up with tentative dates.
April 10, 2024: Pursuant to Article 25.01 of the current CUPE/SMU Collective Agreement, the CUPE Local 3912 Part-Time Faculty bargaining unit advised the Employer of our desire to commence bargaining to renew the Collective Agreement which expires August 31, 2024. We offered some dates when the Negotiating Committee was available to meet with the Employer and asked them to provide alternate meeting dates for consideration if they were unavailable on the dates provided.
March 28, 2024: Members to the SMU PT Faculty mobilization committee were elected
March 2, 2024: Results are in! We have a bargaining mandate. All of the proposals have been approved by the majority. Thank you to everyone who participated. Your comments and suggestions are appreciated!
February 20, 2024: As a result, from the discussion of the proposals at the information session, and from suggestions sent by members who couldn’t attend the meeting, a couple of new proposals have been added.
The final proposals were brought to the membership for approval on this date. Members have the opportunity to vote on each proposal that will be presented to the Employer. The poll closes on March 1st.
After the vote, the next step in the bargaining process is to give notice to bargain.
February 16, 2024: we had a hybrid information session to discuss the bargaining proposals. After feedback and potential revisions by the bargaining team to the proposals, SMU PT Faculty members will have the opportunity to vote online to provide a Bargaining Mandate for our goals.
February 12, 2024: The SMU bargaining team has finished preparing a draft of proposals for the next round of bargaining to negotiate our collective agreement.
Our Fall survey results indicated that wages, job security and benefits remained a core priority for most SMU PT Faculty members. Notably, CUPE 3912 members at SMU are the only employee group with no choice or options for access to health and pension benefits. With the support of CUPE National and by way of conversations with other unionized workers and locals on campus, the SMU negotiating team has been looking into options around access to benefits that we will present at a unit meeting where we will also discuss the bargaining proposals that the SMU PT Faculty Negotiating Team has developed.
January 30, 2024: The SMU bargaining team has been developing a series of different proposals regarding the salary scale (see Schedule A in the Collective Agreement) based on the results of the Fall 2023 Survey. Salary is the primary issue and number one priority for SMU PT faculty, and members are willing to strike for better pay.
While we were able to win some substantial increases last round, our stipends remain among the lowest in the Atlantic region, and the lowest for undergraduate universities in the country. We remain well below the median salary.
A survey was sent this day to SMU members for their feedback on this issue in order to guide our discussions and decision-making, and to consolidate our bargaining proposals. We’re stronger collectively, and we look forward to building our collective power together.
December 19, 2023: In January, we will be holding a membership meeting for SMU PT Faculty to present the top priorities the negotiating committee has identified for this round of bargaining through the survey, the review of past grievances, issues and complaints as well as a revision of the collective agreement. At this meeting you will have the opportunity to ask questions, offer opinions and express concerns so that revisions can be done before the membership votes to approve the bargaining mandate.
Once we have secured approval of these priorities, the negotiating committee will work on the contract language of the proposals, and will give notice to the administration of our intent to start negotiations. Together we can negotiate a strong collective agreement!
December 4, 2023: At the Special SMU Unit Membership Meeting we presented the Survey Results. We wanted to elect a Mobilization Committee, but we did not have a quorum so we will have another meeting in the Winter term to present the results again, and elect the committee.
November 24, 2023: The Bargaining Survey Results are in.
November 02, 2023: A Follow-Up Email was sent to members to remind them to answer the survey
October 19, 2023: The Bargaining Survey went out to help us put together our proposals.
September 21, 2023: Tanya Bilsbury and Neil Balan were elected as the new members for the SMU Negotiating Committee. We thank the other candidates who participated in the election and look forward to working with them as part of our mobilization efforts. To prepare for the next round of bargaining the negotiating team will gather information through members surveys and meetings, review of past grievances and the current collective agreement to identify the top priorities and needs of SMU members. We look forward to getting your input!