Communications with faculty members and librarians during bargaining
Jan. 14, 2015
Occasionally, in response to one of the university's bargaining updates we'll receive questions about whether there are any restrictions on communications during bargaining.
The university administration believes that it's important that faculty members and librarians understand and are well-informed about the perspectives of both the union and the university. That's what led to the introduction of these bargaining updates.
Communicating with employees
Under the BC Labour Relations Code, employers (in this case, the university) have a right to communicate with their employees while negotiations are underway. This includes communicating about what is happening in bargaining once issues have been put on the bargaining table. At UVic, we haven't historically communicated directly with faculty and librarians very often during the bargaining process. But that was simply a matter of choice that reflected the times and circumstances in previous rounds of bargaining.
These negotiations are different from the past. We feel it is important to keep everyone in the loop as the process proceeds and provide both the union and the administration perspectives on what is happening. We believe that full information is essential to good decision-making.
Posting bargaining proposals
At some institutions, the parties post their proposals publicly once they have been tabled. This has not been the custom at UVic, but again this has been a matter of choice, based on the circumstances in each round of bargaining and an assessment of what would be most helpful in getting an agreement between the two parties.
Negotiation necessarily involves trade-offs and compromises and few original proposals are accepted without revision. So it can be misleading to publish proposals at an early stage when both sides know they will likely be modified or, in some cases, abandoned. It is more common to publish proposals later on as bargaining progresses.
Updates as a source of information
Perspectives on the bargaining process are bound to differ. As our colleagues, faculty members and librarians are entitled to know both sides. The university administration's bargaining updates are another source of accurate information for you that we hope will continue to be useful in achieving a settlement that meets the needs of both the university and its faculty members and librarians.
Communication during mediation
As this update was being finalized, the BC Labour Relations Board appointed a mediator to assist the negotiating process. This was done at the request of the association. While mediation is underway, the two parties, union and university both, are prohibited from communicating with faculty members and librarians about the substance of the discussions that take place in the presence of the mediator.