University of Victoria students may be greeted by picketing support staff when classes return in early September.
Last month, mediation between two unions B次元官网网址� CUPEs 917 and 951 B次元官网网址� and the university on essential service levels failed. Three days of hearings (Aug. 21, 22 and 24) have been set for both parties to plead their cases to the Labour Relations Board before it adjudicates essential services and staffing levels.
B次元官网网址�(UVic) came with a long list of jobs they deemed essential,B次元官网网址� said Doug Sprenger, president of CUPE 917. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 be specific. LetB次元官网网址檚 just say our list of (essential jobs) was short, and their list was long.B次元官网网址�
Kane Kilbey, UVicB次元官网网址檚 associate vice-president of human resources, said in a July 20 notice posted online: B次元官网网址淚t continues to be the universityB次元官网网址檚 desire to reach a negotiated settlement at the earliest possible opportunity. We remain hopeful that this can be achieved without a major disruption.B次元官网网址�
The two CUPE unions, which represent some 1,500 non-teaching jobs such as tradespeople, food service staff, childcare workers, and office and library staff, are negotiating in concert with one another. They have both been without contracts since March 31, 2010.
Students wonB次元官网网址檛 face disruptions in the classroom, but could find limited cafeteria or library services, depending on essential services levels set by the labour board.
Sprenger says they want to respect studentsB次元官网网址� education as much as possible, but noted theyB次元官网网址檒l be providing information to students in September on what to do when faced with a picket line.
B次元官网网址淲e think that students returning to the University of Victoria have a very strong interest in getting this labour dispute resolved, and feel itB次元官网网址檚 an important time to resolve it,B次元官网网址� Sprenger said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a time when all eyes are on the university and students anyway, regardless of any disruptions.B次元官网网址�
Loree Wilcox, CUPE national servicing rep, told the B次元官网网址 last month the unions and UVic were B次元官网网址渢oo far apartB次元官网网址� for any negotiation progress to be made.
According to CUPE, there remain nine areas of dispute between the union and the employer, including job security, benefits and inflation protection.
Late last week, CUPE B.C. said in a press release, B次元官网网址淭he B.C. Liberals are (fast-tracking) a new plan to slash jobs and money from B.C.B次元官网网址檚 already hemorrhaging college and university budgets.B次元官网网址�
CUPE says the provinceB次元官网网址檚 administrative service delivery transformation project could mean privatization of union jobs at post-secondary institutions.
B次元官网网址淚t appears the plan is to be implemented for the 2012-13 school year. What is not clear is exactly how many jobs are at stake,B次元官网网址� the press release reads.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Advanced Education who asked not to be identified wrote in an email that CUPEB次元官网网址檚 concerns are premature.
B次元官网网址淣either the government nor the institutions have any predetermined idea of how savings and improvements will be achieved,B次元官网网址� the spokesperson wrote.
kslavin@saanichnews.com
