Our Priorities:
NEGOTIATIONS
We are faced with a very aggressive Employer who is not interested in making things better for workers, but in rewriting our Collective Agreement to benefit them. They would like to enshrine intentionally complex and confusing processes into a contract that would ultimately weaken YOUR rights and erode YOUR working conditions.
And this is all before we even talk about the money.
We need a strong Negotiation Committee to make sure that our new Collective Agreement will not lose the protections MUNACA has fought for years to obtain. We will fight to get the pay we deserve for our hard and dedicated work.
We will also provide regular, meaningful, punctual feedback while this is going on so that you are not left in the dark.
McGill Works because WE DO
We are the engine that makes McGill run. So, it’s disheartening to feel like an afterthought in McGill’s business decisions as we try to navigate work/life balance, while doing more with less money in our bank accounts. And while our salaries cannot even keep up with inflation, McGill’s upper administration continues to benefit from ballooning compensation packages that “lead the way” in Quebec.
McGill has been under some form of hiring restriction since at least 2019. In February we were told that budget restrictions meant that we had to “tighten our belts” and “do more with less” while working under the shadow of job layoffs, position abolitions, and ever-increasing workloads. In the name of improving administrative efficiency, it seems that McGill is expecting us to donate our time and volunteer our labour.
Our salaries are not a handout. We earn our pay for the work we do. We deserve a salary that is on par with what support staff get at other Quebec universities.
We are also noting increasing overreach into our private lives by the Employer. When we need a personal day off, we are often asked why we are taking the time. A personal day is just that; personal. You do not have to justify why you are taking it.
Those on sick leave are asked for information above and beyond what is allowed for in our Collective Agreement, even beyond what is specified in the law. Some managers go so far as to check in to make sure that “everything is alright” if members take 3 sick days a year out of the allotted 9. Furthermore, a doctor’s note is not needed for up to 3 sick days and shouldn’t be requested.
This intrusion into our personal lives and private medical affairs must stop.
We know the truth and so do they: McGill runs because of the work we do!
BUILDING A STRONGER MUNACA
With an Employer that is openly showing us its anti-union colours, MUNACA must rise to the challenge. Your Union cannot continue doing things the way it always has in the face of such adversity.
The Fight Back Committee (Sarah Butler, Melissa Martella, and Bishara Assaly) has shown that we are ready to move in this stronger direction. The Town Hall on layoffs was the first time in recent memory that leaders from the membership, Union Council, and Executive came together to give ALL members a clear picture of what was going on.
We know how important it is to make sure that MUNACA’s finances are in order and available, and that the Union’s processes run smoothly to maximize the support you receive. To that end, we are committed to a full scale review of how the Union functions to make sure it always provides the very best in member representation.
We are striving to build a rank and file union where YOU, the members, are able to contribute and participate. We also remain committed to strengthening your Steward Network through steward education and providing opportunities to all up and coming leaders.
For Action MUNACA, this is just the start. We are dedicated to more regular check-ins and meaningful communication with the membership. You will be in the driver’s seat with the information you need, the support you deserve, and a Union that truly represents you.