Administration reaches tentative agreement under the wire
On Sept. 11, University of Guelph students received an email regarding an update on negotiations between the university and United Steelworkers Local 4120. The press release detailed a potential strike situation if both parties were unable to reach an agreement by Saturday, Sept. 13.
Students then received a second update on Sept. 13 explaining that a tentative agreement had been reached, and that United Steelworkers Local 4120 (USW 4120) would not be going on strike. An examination of the USW4120 twitter feed revealed that a tentative agreement had been reached, and a ratification vote would be occurring sometime in the foreseeable future.
Details of the agreement are to remain confidential until the ratification vote, however.
Members of United Steelworkers Local 4120 include lab technicians, animal care researchers, secretaries and clerks, library assistants, technical workers, and others. In all, USW 4120 represents approximately 900 university administrative and technical staff.
The previous contract held between members of USW 4120 and the University of Guelph expired on April 20. Since then, members of both organizations have reportedly met several times, with little progress at each meeting.
“Waiting for a comprehensive package from the University,” read a twitter post from Sept. 10. “Yes, we’re still bargaining.”
Two months ago, a provincially assigned conciliator was asked to sit in on meeting, in order to mediate and arbitrate the situation. In regards to the duration and direction of discussion, however, Assistant Vice President of the University of Guelph, Chuck Cunningham, was quick to mention that negotiations often come down to the razor’s edge.
“It’s not unusual for discussions to take place so close to the strike deadline,” explained Cunningham in an interview with the Guelph Mercury. “The University of Guelph has done its best to meet with the union when the union’s been prepared to meet.”
For now, students, staff, and faculty at the University of Guelph can rest assured that a strike will not occur, and that campus life will continue as normal, without interruption.