This is the first in a series of bulletins from the MUNFA Negotiating Committee.
As you are aware, negotiations between MUNFA and the administration for our next Collective Agreement have begun. Our current contract expired on 31 August, 1999. However, in a Memorandum of Agreement signed in July of this year, the Parties agreed that the 1996-99 Collective Agreement "remains in effect until such time as the new Collective Agreement is signed or until there is a strike or lockout, whichever comes first."
At the first meeting on October 4, the negotiating teams were introduced.
On the Negotiating Committee for MUNFA are:
Anna Leslie (SWGC) and Dennis Sharpe (Education), originally announced as members of MUNFA's team, resigned due to unforeseen circumstances.
On the Negotiating Team for the Administration are:
It was agreed that the negotiations would be held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm beginning October 4, 1999 in the President's Boardroom (A2029). MUNFA suggested that one or more negotiating sessions take place at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College at some future date.
Negotiations began promptly on Monday, October 4, 1999 with an exchange of proposals. MUNFA's package was essentially the same as the one distributed to the members before the Membership Information Meeting of September 27, except for amendments in response to suggestions made at this meeting and subsequently. Our proposals did not include numbers in Article 30 (Salaries & Benefits). Nor did the package contain "Early Retirement Incentive Plan" and "Retirement Allowance." Both of these Article 30 clauses were withheld to permit detailed consideration of remarks made at the September Information Meeting. If you would like to review our final proposals, call the MUNFA Office.
MUNFA received a package of proposals from the Administration. These too were near complete. The Administration's package did not include their proposed Article 30 (Salaries & Benefits), but by mutual agreement, this Article will be handed to MUNFA no later than November 1, 1999. In addition Article 3 - Workload was omitted, also to be forthcoming. Copies of the Administration's proposals are available from the MUNFA Office. Members are encouraged to read them.