After considerable discussion regarding APSA's options with respect to a new agreement for 2010-12, the Executive recommends extending the current agreement for two more years (2010-2012). Extending the current agreement means that there will be no changes to the salary scale or to the benefits members receive during the next two years. Step increases will continue annually (July 1, 2010 and July 1, 2011) as before.
Ratification Vote Details
Memorandum of Agreement
Between
Simon Fraser University (“the University”)
And
The Administrative and Professional Staff Association (“APSA”)
The University and APSA agree to unanimously recommend to their principals the ratification and approval of the following:
- Term of Agreement: July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012.
- Wage and benefits shall remain as currently in effect.
- Effective July 1st of 2010 and 2011, unless otherwise mutually agreed to, step progression shall occur in accordance with Policy AD 10.6.
- Letter of Agreement on Patrol Supervisors, signed March 31, 2006, will be renewed. See Appendix A.
This agreement is contingent on approval by PSEC Secretariat, the Employee Relations Committee of the Board of Governors and ratification by the members of APSA.
Ratification Vote
Voting opens: Friday, June 4 at 9:00 am
Closes: Friday, June 18 at 12:00 pm
Information Sessions
· Vancouver: Tuesday, June 1st, 3 pm-4 pm; Harbour Centre 2200
· Surrey Thursday, June 3rd, 12:00 noon – 1 pm; Galleria 4010
· Burnaby: Tuesday, June 8th, 12:00 noon – 1 pm; AQ 3153
Background
The provincial government, through PSEC, set a public sector mandate of 0-0 for 2010-2012. This meant there could be no net increase in salaries and benefits for 2010-2012.
SFUFA has already ratified the extension of their agreement to 2012.
Other public sector unions have also completed their negotiations under this same mandate. The BC Government Employees Union and the BC Hospital Employees Union have both signed two-year agreements that do not include general wage increases.
At SFU, CUPE and TSSU have not yet completed an agreement, nor have our parallel associations at other institutions. However, APSA and SFUFA do not have the ability to negotiate agreement language (AD-10 Policies) as part of salary and benefits agreement negotiations, while these other organizations do. APSA works on policy issues that do not have an impact on salary and benefits cost through a joint committee with the Administration called the Joint University Affairs Committee (JUAC). Either party may raise issues to be discussed at JUAC at any time.
APSA's member survey on salaries and benefits indicated that a majority of members have a relatively high level of overall satisfaction with our compensation package. While, of course, most would like to see increases in salary, and many have specific desires with respect to increasing/changing benefits, the Executive believes the government mandate provided no room to achieve any significant improvements at this time. Therefore, we decided it would be unproductive to enter negotiations.
Within this framework, APSA is free at any time to explore with the administration changes to our benefits provided the net cost to those changes is zero. The survey indicated a high level of interest in investigating a flexible benefits package, and the administration has indicated a willingness to work with APSA to look at options for this.