Update on negotiations with MUNACA

This is a message to the McGill Community from Provost Luc Vinet:

Dear Students, Faculty Members and Staff,

McGill University's unionized administrative and support staff employees represented by MUNACA have voted to reject the University's contract offer and to give their union a mandate to exercise pressure tactics up to and including strike action.

This message is to let you know that the University will remain open in the event of labour disruptions. Student services, classes, and exams will continue normally and other essential research and administrative services will be maintained.

We believe the offer is a very good one and is advantageous to employees. At the same time, the terms of the offer would enable the University to upgrade the support provided to students, professors and teaching and research programs.

Needless to say, the Administration wishes the situation to be resolved quickly.

The offer, retroactive to December 1, 2002, provides for salary increases of more than 22% over the five-year contract period, including full compensation for four floating holidays that the University is offering to buy back.

For example, the salary of an employee who is earning $33,000 a year, would increase to $35,721 immediately, and would increase to $40,227 by December 1, 2006. That compares very favourably to increases in the cost of living and to pay increases negotiated elsewhere.

Staff with as little as 7 years service would have 48 paid days off, including vacations, statutory and other holidays. McGill employees would still have more days off in the summer than any other university in Quebec.

We will keep you informed as the situation develops.