UPEI Labour Relations Update – University focuses on several key areas in proposal to UPEIFA
The following message was distributed by email to faculty and staff on September 1, 2022.
The University and the UPEI Faculty Association will enter into conciliation later this month, with both parties meeting with the government appointed conciliation officer. Conciliation is a normal part of the bargaining process, aimed at helping the parties achieve a negotiated collective agreement.
Since the commencement of bargaining on April 21, 2022, the University has been focused on several key areas. The most recent proposal for a four-year agreement presented to the UPEIFA includes:
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- Proposals that build on the University’s EDI Strategy and other best practices.
- Indigenization
- This is a key theme in the University’s proposals, and includes principle-based language throughout the hiring, tenure/permanency, and promotion processes.
- Operational changes
- Proposed changes include improvements for Sessional Instructors, Faculty, and Librarians
- The participants’ portion of contributions for post-retirement benefits for future retirees will increase from 45% to 50% (effective for only those who retire after collective agreement is signed). Even with this change, UPEI continues to fund this benefit at the highest rate among Atlantic Canadian universities.
The University is committed to achieving a negotiated collective agreement with our valued faculty, sessional instructors, clinical nursing instructors, and librarians. We welcome the opportunity to discuss our proposals and our commitment to EDI and Indigenization with the conciliator.
The University will continue to share information with the UPEI community by email and by posting it to upei.ca/labour.
