Dear members of AMUSE,
The following are updates for this week, notably on collective bargaining:
- Bargaining progress on key issues
- New Stewards of AMUSE
- Rally, March, and Assembly to Support a Fair Resolution to the MUNACA Strike
- First time hearing from AMUSE? Contact us
Bargaining Updates
During the past three weeks we’ve made significant progress on the issues of Health and Safety, Priority Rehiring, and Probationary Period. Most importantly is the issue of priority for contract renewal, one of six bargaining priorities that you have voted upon as being particularly important. We are now discussing specific articles relating to how priority contract renewals is applied in hiring practices in the various departments and services that hire casual workers. Both parties have not yet reached an agreement on these articles, but have slowly come to a mutual understanding of what this involves and worked out in detail some of the mechanisms involved. We think discussion on this priority demand will continue for the next few meetings. Since the discussion on this issue and probationary period relates closely to each other, we also have not yet finalized articles on the latter. Indeed, this is the first ‘big’ issue that we’re facing.
As for earlier meetings, we have drafted and agreed to articles pertaining to
the scope and nature of the bargaining unit (who and what is a casual worker?),
union recognition, information sharing, union dues, the relationship between McGill and
AMUSE , anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, definitions of terms, the rights of management, the rights of union, such as office space, “liberation” from work of union members in order to do union work, grievance resolution procedures, setting up a Labour Relations Committee to facilitate communication between Management and the Union, and arbitration
and employee files.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]
In Solidarity,
Fariduddin Attar Rifai
Dave Howden
Sheehan Moore
New Stewards
Two more AMUSE workers have stepped up to become stewards of AMUSE. They are Tim Gauger, who works at McLennan Library, and Mohammad Kaddoura, who works in Financial Services. This brings the total number of AMUSE stewards to seven:
Sheehan Moore (McLennan Library)
Amber Gross (Mining and Materials Engineering)
Jessica Rozon (Printing Services)
Justyn Teed (Bookstore)
Andrew Seo (University Services)
Tim Gauger (McLennan Library)
Mohammad Kaddoura (Financial Services)
We are always recruiting stewards. We have around 1500 members working all over campus, and while the execs are committed to serving the best interest of the membership, our hands and limbs can only reach so far. We need the stewards to channel the concerns and aspirations of casual workers in your workplace. Stewards working in the Bookstore, Athletics, Libraries and University Services are particularly coveted! These departments hire lots of casuals to keep running. Send us an email if you’re interested in getting involved.
Rally, March, and Assembly to Support a Fair Resolution to the MUNACA Strike
Casual workers, TAs, course lecturers, faculty, and students are holding a joint assembly and rally with MUNACA workers to show that members of the McGill community are in solidarity with the strikers and also to pressure the Administration to quickly resolve the strike fairly and in good faith.
After the assembly, we will be marching together to Occupy Montreal!
If you haven’t gone to any of the rallies previously held, this is a good time to do it!
Where? McGill College and Sherbrooke
When? Thursday, October 27 at 12:00 PM
Facebook page: McGill Community: Fed up? STAND UP: Assembly to Support A Fair Resolution
https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=178125728937737
(the link should be embedded on the title of the event above)
For more information on the Strike visit the following website:
https://munacastrike.wordpress.com/
https://munaca.com/
Inter-union statement on the strike
Our Strike Guide for what AMUSE members can or cannot do during the strike.
And finally our facebook page!
First Time Hearing from AMUSE? Contact us!
Is this the first time you’ve received a newsletter from AMUSE? We’re still working on our new website, but you can visit our temporary blog
Please contact us for further information.We are happy to answer any questions and to hear about any concerns that you may have!
Association of McGill University Support Employees - Public Service Alliance of Canada
3483 Peel Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1W7
tel: 514-398-8896 , fax: 514-398-6892, cell: 514-589-6450
For general questions and comments: [email protected]
For questions about your rights or to file a grievance: [email protected]
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