We have started a new school year, and we are happy to be back in the classrooms and labs with our students! As such, this was a good week for some reflection on where we stand in bargaining this round. With the new term getting underway, we look forward to more of our members joining us in our (bi)weekly Bargaining Meetings this week (Sept 11), the upcoming SGMM this week (Sept 12), the joint BT/Exec meeting (Sept 14), and the Bargaining meetings with the Employer: Sept 25 (11:00am 4:00pm – hybrid) and Sept. 27 (10:00am – 12:30pm – online only). Please join us for any and all of these opportunities for you – the membership – to direct us, your bargaining team, in negotiating the new Collective Agreement. (See below for specific information for each meeting.)
In our bargaining team meeting this past week (Sept. 7), we reflected on where bargaining stands. We have passed many important proposals to the employer, including our all-units monetary asks on wages, benefits, and funds, and some of our all-units equity proposals. All of these proposals have been identified as key proposals by you (our membership) and/or highlighted by our staff as important for our Collective Agreements. In addition to the all-units proposals, we have passed a few unit-specific ones as well. Please see this link to see all current proposals: Bargaining Proposals page.
We also discussed the Employer’s proposals, which can be found on the same link above. For the most part, the Employer’s proposals seem invested in breaking the strength and protections of our union, given their focus on discipline and other employer powers. As we have already stated unequivocally in our bargaining parameters, we are not interested in concessions; rather, 3903 members need immediate and meaningful gains to address financial and social inequality.
The bargaining team also discussed the formatting and organization of the proposals we have passed to the employer, with a view to ensuring that the bargaining process is as clear as possible for members. Finally, we discussed next steps in bargaining to win! More specifically, we laid out a plan for unit-specific proposals, and our counter-proposals to the Employer.
Upcoming Bargaining Meetings with the Employer
It is necessary that you, as a member of CUPE 3903, participate with us in this process! Please join us in the following meetings in order to direct us.
CUPE 3903 is committed to open bargaining, which means all members are welcome to attend bargaining meetings (either in person or via Zoom). The next few meetings with the employer will take place on the following dates:
Monday 25 September, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (Hybrid) Register in advance:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYofuCqqTsjGdcv1zxYK4X80b3PkawB1MDW?os=ipad#/registration
Wednesday 27 September, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Online, via Zoom) Register in advance:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwuceirqzopE9Y_Hnn9PdQRDibBVjIoV68e?os=ipad#/registration
Further details on the in-person locations for the hybrid meetings and Zoom links for all meetings will be included in a an upcoming bargaining report (and also shared on 3903’s website’s calendar)
Upcoming 3903 Bargaining Team Meetings
As always, we encourage members to participate in our regular bargaining team meetings (without the Employer), all on Zoom. Here’s the link to join the next bargaining team meeting (also shared on 3903’s website’s calendar):
Tuesday, Sept.12, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83751736935?pwd=SUQrRnI0UFVTalJUMkdQQkZEMGdZUT09
Upcoming 3903 Bargaining SGMM
We encourage all members to participate in the Special General Membership Meeting on Bargaining, all on Zoom.
Tuesday, Sept. 12, 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Preregister here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcodeCspjkpEtcUWhP2FvknnQrp2OHb4KUQ?os=ipad#/registration
Upcoming Joint Bargaining Team and Executive Committee Meeting
As always, we encourage members to participate in our (now semi) regular joint bargaining team and executive committee meetings (without the Employer). Here’s the link to join the next bargaining team/exec meeting (also shared on 3903’s website’s calendar):
Thursday, Sept. 14, 2:00-5:00 p.m.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88257819259?pwd=RzExZk40cm4rZWhoazBleU9rUmNPZz09
Upcoming 3903 General Membership Meeting (GMM)
We encourage all members to participate in the 3903 GMM, all on Zoom.
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Preregister here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAscuqqrjstH9dd7SN_4ys3M7sFp2ma-9in?os=ipad#/registration
Accessibility of Bargaining Meetings
For the regular bargaining team meetings, Zoom captions will be enabled. For the bargaining meetings with the Employer, CART will be available. If you require ASL interpretation or reimbursement for childcare/caregiver/attendant care or have any other requests for accommodation, please contact our Equity Officer, Nadia Kanani, at cupe3903equity@gmail.com.
Due to the high demand for ASL interpreters, we encourage members to provide, when possible, two weeks’ notice if ASL interpretation is required.