University of Windsor imposes terms and conditions for faculty

Faculty association speaks out against wage freeze, concessions

After months of failed talks the University of Windsor has imposed new terms and conditions for members of the school’s faculty association.

“Imposing terms and conditions of employment of administration’s own design is an extraordinary measure for an employer to take,” said Anne Forrest, president of the Windsor University Faculty Association (WUFA).

“The take-it-or-leave-it-at-your-peril style of bargaining that our administration has adopted in this round of negotiations is contrary to the give-and-take, problem-solving model that characterizes mature employer-employee relationships.”

The terms — implemented on July 28 — will reportedly freeze wages for the next two years. According to the faculty association, the terms are based on the university’s July 15 offer, which was rejected by the association because of its wage freeze and “costly concessions.”

Along with the partial wage freeze, faculty will also reportedly see changes to their pension plan with those working over the normal retirement date continuing to pay into the pension plan until the age of 71. Faculty will also see their contribution to the plan rise from eight per cent to nine per cent in the contract’s third year.

WUFA, which represents 1,100 full-time and part-time employees, held a membership meeting on July 30. While a strike vote cannot be held this week, the association said it is considering such a vote in the coming weeks.

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