Bargaining Bulletin #25

April 3, 2012

To: Heads Up – Vancouver and Okanagan
From: Lisa Castle, AVP, Human Resources
Cc: HR Advisors & Associates
Re: Bargaining Bulletin #25 – Collective Bargaining 2010/11: Update

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide you with an update on developments in collective bargaining at UBC. An overview of collective bargaining (including information on the bargaining units) is available at http://www.hr.ubc.ca/collective-bargaining/.

Late Friday, Human Resources learned that CUPE 2278 appeared to be preparing for strike action by calling a meeting of its strike coordination committee for last evening, and advising of upcoming workshops for picket captains.  In the event the Union wishes to engage in strike activity, it is required to give the University 72 hours’ notice (calendar days including statutory holidays).

Consequently, the University has intensified its efforts to prepare for strike activity by working to convene the Ad Hoc Senate Strike Preparedness Committee, chaired by Dr. Anna Kindler, Vice Provost Academic, as the designate of the Provost and Vice President Academic, and the Strike Operations Committee.  In addition in the next day or so, Human Resources will issue the Strike Guide for Managers, and a memorandum regarding the responsibilities of non-union staff.  More communications will be forthcoming this week.

While resources have been committed to these preparations, we await the opportunity to return to the bargaining table with this Union.  The Union’s apparent movement towards job action is perplexing given the candour of the discussions at the table on both occasions last week, the inflexibility of the Provincial Government’s Net Zero mandate (4 agreements have been settled at UBC under this mandate) and the University’s inability to table a modest monetary offer under the Cooperative Gains mandate until our bargaining and savings plans have been approved by the Provincial Government sometime this month.

Thank you for your interest.  We will continue to provide updates as the process unfolds.

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