We have now started table negotiations with UBC’s team representing the employer; you’ll see here posted both the Faculty Association’s and the University’s “Day One” proposals. These catalogue the particular objectives that we and UBC plan to discuss in this bargaining round. We will be sharing more details about our specific proposals and our specific objectives as we bring each to the table.
Five key notes for you as you read these:
- These proposals are a wish-list; there is no requirement that we give UBC what it asks for, or vice-versa.
- These proposals are bins—they hold and define issues we wish to make some progress on. How or whether we achieve these particular goals in any particular form remains to be seen.
- “Language”, ie., the terms and conditions of our work, is always where we start. Money comes much later in the conversation.
- Our alternative to a negotiated settlement is Interest Arbitration. UBC and the Faculty Association agreed many years ago to forego strikes or lockouts, so we either reach a deal at the table or we turn to an Arbitrator for an award. We have only gone to Interest Arbitration twice in the last 25 years, but in both cases the Faculty Association was very successful.
- Please contact us at any time! We speak for you, our members, at the bargaining table, and it is always helpful to hear from you as we do. [email protected].
Elizabeth Hodgson,
Chair & Chief Negotiator, UBC Faculty Association Negotiating Team
