(Sudbury – 1 September 2017)

Dear Members,

We realize that many of you have been away and occupied with other matters, so in the coming days we will be updating you in a series of short emails on the state of negotiations for a new collective agreement.

First, we should note that there have been serious problems in scheduling bargaining rounds with the administration team. The employer contracted out its chief negotiator who does not live in Sudbury, has no familiarity with Laurentian, and is bargaining for other institutions at the same time. When the two sides have met, progress has been dismally slow. The employer has refused our request to appoint a mediator. LUFA has applied for conciliation with the Ministry of Labour, which is set to take place on Sept. 5.

In subsequent emails, we will be providing more detail on the administration’s demands as well as what we are proposing.

The LUFA Executive and Negotiating Team