SIAST management discriminating against professional services staff - December 15, 2011
The professional services staff at SIAST are being denied the same rights as their academic counterparts, and the chair of their bargaining unit is asking why management is discriminating against its administrative employees.
"We are extremely frustrated that SIAST management wants to take away our ability to get on with the job of achieving wage parity for our members," says Professional Services Negotiating Committee chair Tracey Kurtenbach.
"Why are we being treated with less respect? Why does management refuse to sign an agreement with us that provides for the same processes as the academic bargaining unit?" asks Kurtenbach.
Although SGEU's academic bargaining unit signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) December 1, 2011, SIAST management is refusing to finalize a similar deal with professional services staff.
"Management has removed some key provisions from our proposed MOA, which will make it much more difficult to start implementing the new provisions. They have backed away from identifying a timeframe for ensuring that both parties return to the bargaining table to work on unresolved issues. They have also removed a provision that would provide for quick access to a mediator if we are unable to come to some agreement," adds Kurtenbach.
"The academic unit has these terms entrenched in its MOA. But management has, without any explanation, taken this provision out of our proposed memorandum of agreement," says Kurtenbach.
"We want to settle this round of bargaining to bring some stability to SIAST campuses, for the sake of students and staff. This irrational and heavy-handed approach by management, and the provincial government, which continues to call the shots behind the scenes, is preventing us from moving forward to resolve outstanding issues," says Kurtenbach.
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For more information contact:
Tracey Kurtenbach at (306) 227-1200
