http://www.3903strike.ca/


For Immediate Release: CUPE 3903 members vote to bargain
Published on 08 Jan 2009 
CUPE 3903 MEMBERS VOTE TO SEND BARGAINING TEAM BACK TO THE TABLE
January 8, 2009 -TORONTO, ON,
At a general membership meeting today, nearly 90% of CUPE 3903 members in 
attendance voted to send their bargaining team back to the table with York 
University administration with a strong mandate to continue bargaining.
Although negotiations have progressed significantly in the past five days, 
the union affirmed that the university?s current offer does not yet 
address key priorities set out by the membership. The union feels 
confident that further negotiation will achieve a collective agreement 
that addresses these needs and end the strike soon.
?We?re very anxious to get back to class,? said Unit 1 member Cat Ashton, 
?and we look forward to doing so as soon as York agrees to a fair 
settlement.?
Though the two sides have come much closer and binding arbitration has 
been dropped from the table, the bargaining team has identified major 
shortfalls in some priority areas, notably job security for contract 
faculty. Members spoke at length about the need for a real commitment to 
improving the working conditions of contract professors and maintaining 
the existing levels of conversions into tenure-stream positions.
The union?s bargaining team is looking forward to going back to the table 
first thing Friday morning, with a renewed message of strength from the 
membership.
?We have a great deal of faith in the bargaining process,? said contract 
professor Ryan Toews, ?and frankly, we were a little insulted that, this 
far into a strike, the employer would present such a clearly inadequate 
offer.?
The two sides will be meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 9 to resume 
negotiations.
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For more information, contact:
Tyler Shipley, CUPE 3903 Spokesperson, 647-295-1674
Christina Rousseau, Chair, CUPE 3903, 416-736-5154