Two unionized staffers at the University of Toronto Faculty Association aren’t happy about their salaries, and they are in a position to strike.
UTFA refused to increase the salary of one of the members. George Luste, president of UTFA, says salaries are determined by a grid system. “The position she holds falls in the third level of the grid,” said Luste. “Her pay is higher than that of her level. UTFA’s offer was to give her one-time-only supplements to her salary but not add to base until the grid increases catch up to her salary.”
Since a fixed percentage of each employee’s salary is put towards their pensions, the staff member feels the salary dispute directly affects her pension.
“Although there is no literal reduction in these contributions, not increasing her salary affects the overall amount contributed towards her pension,” said Jim Morrison, the CUPE National Representative. The UTFA employees belong to CUPE 1281. “It was written in the collective agreement that there would be a 1% increase in her salary, which the UTFA want to remove,” he added.
Both sides have been negotiating the issue since before the winter break.
“We are willing to talk,” said Morrison, “The last thing we want to do is to strike.”
These negotiations come at time when UTFA is trying to negotiate for the faculty and librarians it represents.
“There is a difference between the academic and office staff,” said Luste. “The two negotiations can’t be compared. The salary systems are not the same.”
Morrison said the staffers’ demands are comparable to workers in the same sector. Considering the contracts only affects two members, Morrison said, “I don’t see what the big deal is.”
CUPE expects a response from their latest proposal this week.
