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What’s Bargaining Anyway?
CUPE 3903 is a labour union that is powered by members like you. One of the most important ways that we, as CUPE 3903, advocate for our interests as members is through collective bargaining. Collective bargaining is a process that occurs every three years, where the union’s Bargaining Team and representatives from our employer (that is, York University’s administration) have a series of meetings where they negotiate a new collective agreement.
Why Bargaining Matters
A collective agreement is a contract that determines things like how much money you make, what benefits you are entitled to, what protections you have, and so on. Bargaining only ends when you—the membership—vote to accept a new collective agreement presented by the Bargaining Team. If the membership feels like our needs are not being met, there are a variety of responses we can take, including third-party mediation or a strike mandate vote.
It’s crucial for you to make your voice heard throughout the process, so that you can help the Bargaining Team advocate for your needs! CUPE 3903 believes in open bargaining, which means any member of the union is permitted to be a part of the bargaining process or attend bargaining meetings as observers. We fought hard for open bargaining, and it helps to make the bargaining process fair and democratic. Take advantage of this opportunity! Every CUPE 3903 member should pay attention and feel empowered to participate.
Bargaining & You
The Bargaining Team takes its directions from you. To help give them insight into what the membership needs, they ask for everyone to fill out the bargaining survey. This will help the Bargaining Team figure out what priorities matter most to the membership, which can help inform bargaining proposals. Stay up to date with bargaining by coming to union meetings or getting more involved directly in union activities.
As bargaining progresses, the membership will determine what the “red lines” of this bargaining round are. You can think of a “red line” as a minimum threshold that the employer must meet for the membership to be willing to accept a collective agreement.
Getting What We Bargained For
The bargaining process is at its best when as many members of CUPE 3903 as possible get engaged and provide the Bargaining Team with active feedback. Making sure you and fellow workers fill out the survey is the best way to identify potential problems and come up with solutions through the collective bargaining process.
Unfortunately, while we approach bargaining with an intent to find solutions, we can’t always guarantee that York will do the same. Rather than coming to the bargaining table with the genuine aim to reach a fair agreement, they might refuse to make any compromises, purposely misread or misunderstand our proposals, or use tactics meant more to bully than to fairly negotiate.
The best way to mitigate these possible issues is to have an engaged membership that is unwilling to let our employer walk all over them. This includes letting the Bargaining Team know what is worth fighting for, being an active member in union activities, and—if a strike mandate vote is needed—voting keeping in mind the Bargaining Team’s recommendations. That way, we can let the university know that we are serious about what we want and willing to take action if they refuse to play fair.
Do you have input for the Bargaining Team? Send them an email: bargaining@cupe3903.org!