The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
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Update on PIPSC-UOITP bargaining posted by the University of August 18.

As previously stated due to the University walking away from the bargaining table and declaring an impasse at the negotiations, your Bargaining team met in conciliation with the employer on August 2, 2017. Under the Ontario Labour Relations Act, if no agreement is reached by August 27, the union will be in a legal strike position and the University in a legal lockout position.

To date the employer has yet to agree to any of the proposals put on the table to improve your working conditions and to ensure job security. There have been a number of lay-offs to date and the University has stated publicly that there will be more to come. Therefore we are seeking to put a stop to unnecessary outsourcing of our jobs, improve benefits upon lay-off and ensure that members are paid at the job rate – the maximum commensurate with other IT workers.

Your Bargaining Team believes that an agreement is still possible and we have offered to resume negotiations as soon as possible after the strike vote has been taken.

You are invited to show your support for your Bargaining Team through an online vote which will take place starting August 24th at 12:00 and ending on Monday, August 28th at 12:00. A voting key will be sent to you on August 24.

The UOITP has agreed to meet with the University in mediation on September 12 & 13. If the University agrees then the legal strike date will be moved to September 15th. Please join us some fun activities starting the week of August 28th.

Further Response to the University of Ottawa post of August 18, 2017

  • The statement from the University posted on August 18 is not accurate.
  • The UOITP did not walk away from the bargaining table, it was the employer refused to show up to the last two days of bargaining on June 26 & 27.
  • We did not decline mediation, we asked to postpone it until after the strike vote was taken and the mediator accepted to wait.
  • The University have also made it appear as if we are not accepting what 'everyone else' accepted. Here are the facts;
  1. NO other group was even presented the proposal of removing the retirement allowance.
  2. No other Group accepted to remove summer hours.
  3. The UOITP stated in bargaining that it could be agreeable to accept the same economic increase as other Groups had received as long as the University would address the length of time it takes to reach the maximum.
  • The UOITP signed off on many articles leading up to the conciliation. We accepted 4-5 bigger requests from the University, they have accepted NONE of ours.
  • The proposed elimination of severance pay upon retirement would; freeze for those who have accumulated it to date and anyone new UOITP member would simply get nothing.
  • We are having a strike vote on Thursday, Aug 24, the results of which will determine next steps for the UOITP.
Published on 23 August 2017