New deal at Power Precast in Ottawa; University of Saskatchewan researchers join PSAC
Equity wage hikes in new deal at UBC
VANCOUVER — The University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 2950, which represents clerical, library and theatre workers, ratified a new collective agreement on April 23.
“Our members prioritized and achieved equity wage adjustments for Chan Centre workers, because we know this world-class facility’s global reputation is due in large part to the work of Chan Centre staff, and those staff should be fairly paid for their work,” says Karen Ranalletta, CUPE 2950 president.
Among the elements addressed in the new agreement is a provision for up to five days of paid domestic violence leave for members or their dependants. The agreement also addresses wages of several classifications of workers at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, says CUPE.
The parties concluded bargaining only days before B.C.’s provincial health officer announced social and physical distancing rules to combat the spread of COVID-19.
As a result, CUPE 2950 needed to find new ways to ratify their tentative agreement amid rules preventing both in-person union meetings and a conventional ratification vote, says the union.
“CUPE members recognized the gravity of the COVID-19 crisis early on, and our focus in the past weeks has been helping UBC transition its workers and students to online and remote platforms,” says Ranalletta.
CUPE 2950 represents more than 1,500 library, clerical and theatre workers at UBC, including those working at Point Grey campus, Robson Square, and those who work for the Faculty of Medicine at various hospitals across the province.
New deal at Power Precast in Ottawa
OTTAWA — Members of the United Steelworkers union (USW) at Ottawa-based Power Precast Solutions ratified a new collective agreement on April 22 that provides wage increases, opportunities for skills training, better winter clothing, along with improvements to sick days and control over mandatory overtime.
A tentative agreement was reached with the company in March but because of restrictions due to of COVID-19, a virtual meeting to review the deal replaced the usual face-to-face membership meeting, followed by electronic voting, says the union.
Wage increases are a minimum of 7.5 per cent over three years, with several job classifications receiving special adjustments, the highest reaching 13.9 per cent, says USW.
The 30 workers make pre-cast concrete products for infrastructure projects, with some components weighing up to 40 tonnes.
Employees are members of USW Local 8327 and joined the union in 2018.
University of Saskatchewan researchers join PSAC
SASKATOON — The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) welcomed 120 research associates, professional research associates, professional associates and research scientists employed at the University of Saskatchewan on April 24.
After an organizing drive that began in the fall of 2018, the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board certified PSAC as their bargaining agent following a vote by secret ballot which confirmed support for unionizing, says the union.
The senior researchers will be a part of the existing PSAC Directly Chartered Local 40004, which includes 1,200 graduate student workers and postdoctoral fellows at the University of Saskatchewan, says PSAC.
“Unionizing these senior researchers is the first step to addressing the issues of precarious employment, intellectual property rights and respect and inequality across the university for this group of employees,” says Joanne Ernest, president of PSAC, Local 40004.
