2023-24 Bargaining

October 10, 2022

Huge thanks to everyone who answered our call for Bargaining Assistance Team (BAT) volunteers. The response was great, with 9 CUPE 2424 Executive Board members being joined by 10 enthusiastic members at large to comprise the BAT.

Please welcome your 2023 Bargaining Assistance Team:

Name (Department)

• Andrew Yuill (OD Arts & Social Sciences)
• Erenia Hernandez Oliver (Computer Science)
• James Simpson (Housing & Residence Life)
• Jennifer Links (Political Management)
• Jerrett Clark (CUPE2424)
• Karen Martin (Admissions)
• Lenore Gale (Sprott)
• Leslie MacDonald-Hicks (Animal Ethics & Biohazards)
• Margaret McLeod (Library)
• Margaret Tannahill-Wade (Math & Statistics)
• Margo Pasley (CUPE National)
• Mathew Schatkowsky (TLS)
• Patrick Fairs (Systems & Computing Eng.)
• Salman Khan Pathan (FMP)
• Samantha Shortt (TLS)
• Sarah Cleary (Law & Legal Studies)
• Sarah Ripley Phulesar (Advancement)
• Spencer Hamilton (Awards)

The BAT currently meets twice monthly with a mandate to identify problems and priorities to be addressed in collective bargaining next year. The BAT will develop a membership bargaining survey where members will be able to provide their input directly.

The current Collective Agreement will expire June 30, 2023.

April 11, 2023

2023 Negotiating Team

We are very happy to announce the members of our 2023 Negotiating Team as appointed by the CUPE 2424 Executive Board for the upcoming round of collective bargaining. The team has an astounding 109 years of collective Union experience, including 25 rounds of collective bargaining, and I am personally very excited to be at the bargaining table with this highly accomplished group.

Your Negotiating Team members are:

• Jerrett Clark (President – CUPE 2424)
• Sarah Cleary – Alternate (Grievance Committee – CUPE 2424, Law and Legal Studies)
• Shaundel Dottin-Agim (Racial Justice, Jobs Committees – CUPE 2424, Undergraduate Recruitment)
• Lenore Gale (VP Internal – CUPE 2424, Sprott School of Business)
• Taylor Kociszewski (CUPE National)
• Karen Martin (Zone Officer – CUPE 2424, Undergraduate Admissions)
• Sarah Ripley Phulesar (Grievance Committee – CUPE 2424, University Advancement)
• Margaret Tannahill-Wade – Alternate (Mathematics and Statistics)

NOTE: The CUPE 2424 collective agreement is set to expire on June 30, 2023. The Bargaining Assistance Team (BAT) has just completed its review of the membership bargaining survey and will be narrowing down our priorities over the coming weeks. The Negotiating Team will then begin drafting proposals for membership approval at a membership meeting in late May – early June. Stay tuned for regular updates.

May 31, 2023

Our General Membership Meeting is coming up on Tuesday June 20^th, 2023, from 12:00PM – 2:00PM. The Union’s negotiating team will present bargaining proposals for membership approval for the upcoming round of contract negotiations.

The meeting will be in hybrid format so members can join virtually via Zoom, or in-person at Nicol Building 4010.

Per Article 22.10 (Union Meetings) of our Collective Agreement, members are allowed a two-hour lunch break to attend general membership meetings. Please give your manager notice in advance that you plan to attend.

August 09, 2023

Your negotiating team continues to ramp up for bargaining with the first confirmed dates now set for August 23 and August 25.

Part of the preparations at this juncture include negotiations with our employer around bargaining protocols. These include: outlining the detailed processes the parties will employ when exchanging proposals and counter-proposals, sharing information, meeting virtually or in person, and inviting subject matter experts.

The Union and University negotiating teams are also working to confirm subsequent dates for September and October. We will keep you updated once negotiations have begun and continuously thereafter.

Be sure to follow our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages for special bargaining updates, photos, and videos

August 22, 2023

The bargaining committees for Carleton University and CUPE 2424, the union representing over 1,000 administrative, technical, and library workers, will commence collective bargaining on August 23, 2023. This round of bargaining is aimed at achieving a renewal agreement, for the current collective agreement which expired on June 30, 2023.

Jerrett Clark, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2424

“We are looking forward to meeting with the University’s team and beginning the hard work of negotiating our next contract. We believe there is common ground to be found in our mutual interests and shared commitment to the institution as a place to learn and work. We are dedicated to negotiating in good faith and with respect toward a settlement that reflects the realities of modern work and life in the post-secondary sector, and at Carleton.”

Lorraine Dyke, Vice-President (Finance and Administration)

“Carleton University deeply values the important work of all CUPE 2424 members and the critical role they play in the success of our University community. Our goal is to achieve a negotiated agreement that both reflects our commitment to these employees and the current post-secondary environment in the province. We look forward to continuing to meet and work with CUPE 2424’s bargaining team over the coming months.”

The parties are scheduled to meet on the following dates: August 23, August 25, September 13, September 15, September 26, October 12, October 18 and October 19, 2023.

August 28, 2023

Dear members,

The Union and University negotiating teams met over two full days on Wednesday and Friday last week. These were the first bargaining dates since our Collective Agreement (CA) expired on June 30. This is fairly typical in our context with preparations continuing over the summer months following the expiry of the CA while the parties coordinate bargaining dates between their respective teams. The current CA remains in effect.

There has been agreement on a number of minor proposals so far and the tone at the bargaining table has been cordial. The parties have only exchanged non-monetary proposals so far, including the Union’s proposal around flexible work arrangements and remote work, which remains outstanding. Monetary proposals, including salary and benefits increases, are being reserved until later as is usually the practice in collective bargaining.

The negotiating teams currently have six more scheduled dates for September and October, with more to be confirmed. The process of collective bargaining can be lengthy, often taking many months. You can find a detailed guide to the collective bargaining process in Ontario here. In summary:

• The union and the employer have a legal duty to meet and to bargain in good faith, and to make every reasonable effort to conclude a collective agreement.
• If the employer and the union reach a new agreement on their own, that agreement has no effect until it is ratified by a vote of Union members.
• If the union and the employer cannot reach an agreement on their own, they may ask the Ministry of Labour to appoint a conciliation officer to help resolve their differences.
• This may result in an agreement but if not, the conciliation officer will report the outcome back to the Ministry of Labour, usually resulting in something called a “no-board” report (i.e. the Ministry will not appoint a Board of Conciliation)
• After the minister sends this notice, the union and the employer continue to have a duty to bargain in good faith and attempt to reach an agreement, but this also starts a 17-day clock to when employees may legally strike, subject to a strike vote by the Union membership

We will continue to keep you updated as we progress further into bargaining.

September 28, 2023

The Union has been in bargaining with our employer for a total of 6 full days so far. We are still negotiating non-monetary items (e.g. flexible/remote work arrangements, workload) and we expect this will continue for several more dates before moving onto monetary items (e.g. salary, benefits).

We have continued to make progress on smaller items while our biggest priorities remain unresolved. The Union will soon be launching a flexible/remote work check-in survey which is currently under development, so please be sure to provide your input when that time comes.

The next bargaining dates are scheduled for October 12, 17, 18, and 19 and members can expect another update promptly afterwards.

October 23, 2023

The Union met with our employer over three full days last week, concluding 10 days of bargaining so far.

Two more dates are set for October 30 and 31 when we expect to table monetary proposals before the parties break until November 29.

Thank you to our nearly 700 members who completed the flexible work check-in survey! The results will support our continued efforts to advance what we know is one of your top bargaining priorities.

Be sure to check our Facebook and Instagram for additional bargaining info and updates from our negotiating team, and watch for news about our next General Membership Meeting in the weeks ahead.

November 02, 2023

The Union and university met over two more days on October 30 and 31, totaling 12 days in bargaining.

At this juncture, monetary proposals have been exchanged and we await verifiable costing information from the employer to help inform our negotiations on monetary items (E.g. salaries, leave, benefits).

The next bargaining date is set for November 29. In the meantime, the Union will be conducting further research, consulting with experts, preparing counter-proposals, and planning strategically around key priorities before the resumption of bargaining.

We are working tirelessly to modernize our collective agreement to reflect the current realities of work and life for our members. Looking ahead, we will continue to push fervently on the outstanding non-monetary and newly tabled monetary proposals that you have mandated our team to negotiate on your behalf to address your most pressing concerns and priorities.

The Union is currently awaiting a response from the employer to our proposed bargaining dates for December.

Watch for opportunities to lend your support and skills to the bargaining effort.

Finally, the Union will be hosting a general membership meeting on November 30, 12 – 2. Stay tuned for more details.

December 13, 2023

As of December 11, the Union wrapped up 16 days of bargaining, with additional dates being finalized for January and February. These next dates will be crucial to securing fair wages gains and protecting our flexible work arrangements (FWA) now and into the future, and we need your support.

In the upcoming weeks, we aim to connect with you at your workplaces, Union events, information sessions, and at various drop-in spots across the campus. Our goal is to listen to your input and gather your signatures for a massive petition campaign centered on our critical bargaining priorities. Keep an eye out for further updates!

January 17, 2024

The Union’s negotiating team regrouped after the holidays with a renewed focus on the challenges that lie ahead in bargaining. We met for the 17^th day on Friday, January 12, and have confirmed 6 more days over the remainder of January and into February.

The next bargaining dates are scheduled for January 23 and 29, and we believe these next dates will be absolutely critical in our efforts to secure a fair deal for our members. It will be imperative for all of you to join our petition campaign and send a strong, clear message to the employer that our members are strong and unified around our key bargaining priorities.

February 2, 2024

After 19 days of bargaining, the Union continues to engage in dialogue with the Employer and so far has not filed for conciliation*. As we move into the remaining 4 scheduled bargaining dates, assessments for conciliation are being made daily.

Of note, in over 22 rounds of negotiations in the last 45 years, the parties have proceeded to conciliation 19 times.

While progress has been made and conversations continue, much work remains to secure a fair deal for our members. The next bargaining dates are scheduled for February 5th, 12th, 14th, and 16th, with bargaining updates to follow.

In the meantime, we urge our members to stay informed and engaged. Watch for updates, read the Bargaining FAQs, sign our petition campaign and follow our social media channels for information. Solidarity is key to negotiating a fair deal for our membership. Help us send the Employer a strong, clear message that our members are unified around our key bargaining priorities.

* Conciliation is a process by which a conciliation officer is appointed by the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development to meet with the Union and the Employer to attempt to conclude a collective agreement (Source).

February 7, 2024

February 5^th marked the 20^th day in this round of bargaining. The negotiating team spent 12 hours in discussions and has elected not to file for conciliation yet. Ongoing assessments about conciliation will be made throughout bargaining next week. 

Bargaining is scheduled for February 12^th, 14^th, and 16^th, and the negotiating team expects similarly long days ahead. The negotiating team remains focused on the task at hand, reaching a fair deal for CUPE 2424 members.

February 16, 2024

After 23 days across 6 months of bargaining, the negotiating team is pleased to announce that we have negotiated a tentative settlement pending ratification by the parties. Further details regarding the ratification meeting and vote will be forthcoming.

Thank you to our members and campus allies for your solidarity and support during the negotiation process.

February 27, 2024

Following the ratification meeting on Monday, February 26th, we are happy to announce the majority of CUPE 2424 members voted in favour of ratifying the collective agreement!

CUPE 2424 Ratification Vote Results:
• 841 (78.9%) of 1066 members cast their ballots
• YES – 767 (91.2% of voters)
• NO – 74 (8.8% of voters)

This settlement reflects the realities of Modern Work for a New Era and life in the post-secondary sector at Carleton University. A compilation of the agreed-to changes to the collective agreement is attached in response to feedback we heard during yesterday’s ratification meeting.

Thank you to our Negotiating Team for their tremendous efforts during this considerably long and challenging bargaining process. Thanks as well to our Executive Board and the Bargaining Assistance Team (BAT) for all of their hard work over the year or so leading up to bargaining, and during.

Finally, thank you to our members for your input and engagement before and during the bargaining process. Your thoughtful, consistent, and strong support was a clear demonstration of your solidarity.