Anna Voskuil | News Editor
Featured Image: YUFA’ s bargaining comes after a strong backing for a potential strike mandate vote. | Courtesy of YUFA
On September 24, the York University Faculty Association (YUFA)’s Bargaining Team met with York for the 19th time since May.
The meeting follows YUFA’s General Membership Meeting vote to back a potential strike mandate vote on September 17.
Out of 260 members who voted, 162 voted “Yes” in favour.
Their site expresses that the September 17 motion had come after 18 bargaining sessions, wherein they claim: “The Employer remains unwilling to consider the vast majority of YUFA’s proposals, and has so far only offered a minimal across- the-board salary increase—two percentage points below the rate of inflation in Toronto—while also rejecting any increases to Progress-Through-the-Ranks.”
However, this does not necessarily mean a strike mandate vote will be enacted.
YUFA’s website explains: “The motion is simply a show of support for the decision to conduct a strike mandate vote.”
Regarding the September 24 meeting, YUFA President Arthur Redding says: “The parties met, with the assistance of a private mediator, and we continue to exchange proposals.”
To this, YUFA Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator Miriam Smith adds: “YUFA has met in bargaining with the employer 19 times, starting on May 28, which includes the meeting on Monday.”
York Media Relations Chief Spokesperson and Director Barbara Joy adds: “Yesterday, York University and YUFA bargaining teams met to continue negotiations and will meet again tomorrow. Additional negotiation
meeting dates have now been planned into October. The University remains committed to positive dialogue.
“Over the course of negotiations to date, we have already agreed to several important items that build on our shared commitments to social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We remain hopeful that a renewed settlement will be reached at the negotiating table.”
Following the backing of a possible strike mandate vote, students are now expressing concern on how the potential result may affect them.
Henry Tran, a second-year biology student, says: “A lot of people were considering transferring out of York during the first one, and now a second one is looming not even half a year later.”
Considering this possible vote has come just a few weeks after a nearly-five-month strike, students speak to their concern of York’s reputation as ‘strike university.’
Third-year concurrent education student Shaista Malik says: “I’m honestly tired as a student and do not want to think of another strike.
“Dealing with the last CUPE strike for five months was excruciating, and now that there might be another strike by YUFA—I feel mentally tortured.”
Currently, YUFA and York are planning to hold another bargaining session on September 26, and have also agreed to seven future dates in October, including the 27 and 28.
