CUEFA : Bargaining

Bargaining Update: Jan 21, 2026

1. The bargaining teams from CUEFA and administration have met for mediation three times (December 19, January 8, and January 9) since the last update.
2. Process Update:
• Four minor articles were signed off on December 19:
• Discipline (Article 13 and 38 (ASO Discipline))
  *Combined into a single article for all members.
• Leaves of Absence (Article 20)
• Faculty Annual Evaluation (Article 10)
3. In addition to these signed articles, the CUEFA bargaining team feels that it has agreement in principle on four other articles.
4. As of January 9, the bargaining teams have exchanged their full packages, including all salary and financial articles. The CUEFA bargaining team has responded to administration’s package; administration's bargaining team will respond to CUEFA’s package by the end of January.

Next Steps:

• Mediation will resume on January 28 & 30. There are several major articles on which CUEFA and administration remain far apart. These outstanding articles include the following:
• Article 2 (Academic Freedom)
• Article 8 (Faculty Workload)
• Article 9 (Ranks & Categories)
• Article 11 (Advancement in Rank)
• Article 12 (Re-Entry of Administration into Faculty)
• Articles 16 & 36 (Faculty & ASO Salary and Benefits)
• Article 17 (Intellectual Property)
• Article 33 (ASO Work Assignment)
• Articles 39-41 (articles relating specifically to librarians, field placement coordinators, and lab instructors)
  *These Articles have not yet been discussed in depth.

Although the bargaining team has seen movement in the past few meetings, progress has been incremental and the CUEFA bargaining team is concerned about how the issues contained in the key articles listed above will be addressed by administration.

Bargaining Update: Dec 19, 2025

1. The bargaining team met for mediation four times in November and December. No new articles have been signed off in mediation (no articles signed since August 6, 2025).
2. On December 18, the employer presented a full package for consideration. While the bargaining team sees the possibility of agreement on some issues, there remains significant distance between the administration and the bargaining team on the following issues identified as important to the membership:
• Intellectual Property (Article 17);
• Promotion and Advancement (Articles 9 and 11);
• Academic Freedom (embedded through the CA);
• Academic Service Officers - Roles and Duties (Articles 39-41).
3. Compensation was also presented as part of the complete package, but has not yet been discussed. The CUEFA bargaining team and the employer have four additional days of mediation scheduled in January, which will allow further discussion of the full details of the employer’s presented draft.

Next steps:

The CUEFA bargaining team and the employer have four additional days of mediation scheduled in January, which will allow further discussion of the full details of the employer’s presented draft. In the event that CUEFA and the employer remain at an impasse on our key issues, the mediation process may be terminated early by being “written out” by the mediator.

As the employer has presented a complete draft of the CA to the bargaining team, there is a possibility that this will be sent directly to the CUEFA membership for a direct vote.
In the event of a call for vote from the employer, CUEFA will provide an update and further guidance on progress and key details to review in the proposed agreement.

Bargaining Update: Sept 5, 2025

The CUEFA bargaining team has four major points to relay about the ongoing Collective Agreement negotiations between CUEFA and the employer.

1. As of Sept 5 we have signed about 30% of the articles. Most of these have been low stake articles with little to no change to language. We have made some gains including an improvement to the faculty hiring article, and an agreement in principle that ASO and Faculty discipline articles should be combined. We are now working on the more complex articles.
2. The bargaining team is very concerned with the slow pace of bargaining. The slow pace of bargaining could have ramifications for how the administration deals with impasse in the future, opening the potential of a lockout in the summer months.
   There are two principal reasons for the slow pace of bargaining.
   • The administration team was unable or unwilling to meet on a regular basis.
   • CUEFA and the employer bargaining teams met for only 4 full days of bargaining and two half days of bargaining between June 1 and September 1. This was despite CUEFA offering over five weeks of availability between June 1 and Sept 1.
   • Moreover, we have been told that there will be no meetings in October as the lawyer leading the employer bargaining team is unavailable and the remainder of the team (Andreas Guelzow, Carla Craveiro Salvado, and Judy Kruse) are not able or willing to bargain without the lawyer’s leadership.
   • The employer is very reluctant to change the status quo on many issues, especially issues that relate to job security. For instance we are encountering significant differences of opinions on a number of foundational issues, including:
   • recongizing that our ASO librarians are “Academic Librarians.” To date, the employer refuses to entertain the idea that there is a difference between “Library technician” and “Academic Librarian.” This has material implications for the way the work of our librarians is recognized and evaluated, and the way the librarians offer support to engage in teaching and research.
   • adding language in Article 25 (grievance) that would ensure the grievance process does not expose members to unfair treatment and/or harassment.
   • recognizing Assistant Professor Appointments as “tenure track,” even while the employer accepts that Associate and full Professor positions could be defined as “tenure” positions.
   • the employer refusing to address most of our concerns with the discipline articles (13 and 38).
3. The bargaining team is incredibly disappointed with the employer’s views and treatment of our Academic Service Officers, particularly our Librarians. Not only are we dealing with issues at the table about the definition of the work of our Academic Librarians (see above), but we are also dealing with a fundamental disrespect for all of our ASOs at CUE. Because of this perspective our Librarians were forced to recuse themselves from being involved with the bargaining team. We will continue to advocate for ASOs and need all CUEFA members to recognize the desire of the administration to unfairly differentiate the rights and securities of faculty members and ASOs.
4. The bargaining team has serious concerns with the proposed Intellectual Property Policy (which we have not yet dealt with in bargaining). We ask that all CUEFA members read the proposed policy and be informed about its implications. See that policy here: https://cuefa.ca/_docs/resources/B2025_employer-proposal_IP-policy.pdf.

Bargaining Update: July 31, 2025

• Seven articles of the Collective Agreement were discussed:
    ~ Article 3: Agreement Review and Amendment
    ~ Article 4: Recognition, Representation and Association Dues (signed off on)
    ~ Article 7: Initial Appointments: Faculty Members
    ~ Article 10: Annual Evaluation for Faculty Members (signed off on)
    ~ Article 15: Retirement (signed off on)
    ~ Article 21: Sabbatical (signed off on)

Two days of bargaining are scheduled for August (August 5, 6.)

Bargaining Update: June 11, 2025

Despite an optimistic beginning and wording from the employer about the desire to bargain in a constructive manner, we don't anticipate there will be a rapid conclusion to negotiations.

• Each team presented opening remarks explaining their rationale and goals for bargaining.
• CUEFA's position is shared.
• Exchange of full drafts (except for monetary articles (16 & 36).
• Signed off on four Articles for which neither side made substantive changes.

Due to availability of the employer's team's spokesperson, there will be no new meeting until mid July.

Bargaining Update: May 29, 2025

CUEFA met with the employer to discuss bargaining protocol.

Website Section Editor (for matters related to cuefa.ca/bargaining): webeditor.bargaining@cuefa.ca