Monday, April 15, 2024: On Saturday April 13, 2024 Arbitrator Eli Gedalof issued awards for the province’s Bill 124 moderation period for the University and five of its union partners:
- Canadian Union of Public Employees 1356 (CUPE 1356)
- Canadian Union of Public Employees 1356-1 (CUPE 1356-1)
- Osgoode Hall Faculty Association (OHFA)
- York University Faculty Association (YUFA)
- York University Staff Association-1 (YUSA-1)
The five awards provide for an additional six per cent increase for the moderation period above the three per cent agreed in collective bargaining.
- Year 1 – 1%
- Year 2 – 2%
- Year 3 – 3%
The University is pleased to resolve the Bill 124 moderation period for our valued employee groups.
Monday, March 18, 2024: Since the Fall of 2023, the University has been engaged in discussions with a number of bargaining units at York to resolve the matter of Bill 124 moderation period salary increases.
More recently, five of those bargaining units, CUPE 1356 and 1356-1, OHFA, YUFA, and YUSA approached the University about the use of binding arbitration to address the matter of salary increases for the moderation period.
The parties have now agreed to mediation commencing on April 9, and if necessary, binding arbitration.
Read the Memorandum of Agreement on mediation-arbitration here.
Monday, March 18, 2024: The University is pleased that on March 11, a Bill 124 moderation period agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 772 was ratified. This agreement covers the three years of the Bill 124 moderation period and provides for a total wage increase of 5.5% over a three year moderation period, as follows:
- 1 % year 1
- 1.75% year 2
- 2.75% year 3
The above is in addition to the 3% increase already provided over that three year period.
Friday March 8, 2024: The University has shared a community update regarding Bill 124 and renewal collective agreement negotiations with CUPE 3903 units 1, 2, and 3. Please read more here
Wednesday March 6, 2024: On February 29, 2024 YUFA, YUSA-1, OHFA and CUPE 1356 and 1356-1 wrote to President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton proposing the University agree to multi-party interest arbitration to resolve the matters arising from the Bill 124 three-year moderation period. See letter here
The University has responded positively to each of the five unions confirming its interest in this proposal. Read the responses here:
February 22, 2024: As a follow up on recent correspondence about Bill 124, the University was pleased to put forward offers to union partners to settle the matter of the moderation period and looks forward to receiving responses.
February 13, 2024: Given the recent court decision which deems Bill 124 legislation unconstitutional, the University notified union partners on February 13, 2024 that it will re-engage wage reopener negotiations.
January 30, 2024: The University continues to engage with the Unions’ proposals related to Bill 124 wage agreements as they relate to the moderation period. York understands that wages are an important matter for valued employees and would like to achieve negotiated agreements. Please read more in the most recent message.
December 11, 2023: Five unions presented a proposal to the University regarding the Bill 124 wage reopener. This proposal was in response to the University’s proposals, which were provided to the bargaining units represented by those unions, between October 27 and November 14, 2023. The University’s initial proposals were made even though the agreements between the parties with respect to wage reopeners have either expired or are not yet engaged.
The University’s December 15, 2023 response can be read here.
August 25, 2023: A group of union leaders at York wrote to urge the University to begin wage re-opener discussions with regards to the province’s Bill 124, Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019. In response, on September 15, the University wrote to its union partners to engage in wage re-opener discussions related to the moderation period, even though the wage re-opener clauses between the University and its union partners have either expired or are not yet engaged.
On October 23 the University met with its unions partners to provide them with a detailed overview of the University’s financial position and made a commitment to provide each union with a wage reopener clause with a proposal on the Bill 124 wage re-opener.
Re-opener proposals, which included two options for settlement, were provided at meetings on:
- November 3 – CUPE 1356 and 1356-1
- November 3 – IUOE 772
- November 3 – YUSA-1
- November 7 – YUFA
- November 14 – OHFA,
- November 14 – CUPE 3903-4,
- November 21 – OPSEU 578-2
One option for settlement includes both a proposal to address the Bill 124 moderation period and a proposal for a renewal collective agreement. The University believes that this option provides the greatest certainty for both employees and the University. The second option addresses the Bill 124 moderation period only.
In the case of CUPE 3903 Units 1, 2 and 3, because the parties are already engaged in renewal collective bargaining, the University’s proposal, as a matter of course, included a proposal for a renewal agreement, as well as a proposal to address the Bill 124 moderation period.
The University knows that wages are an important matter for York’s valued employees, and we look forward to continuing talks with our union partners.