The current CUPE 3903 strike is linked to and attempts to address an increasing trend towards casualization of labour throughout the economy, among universities, and at York. Casualization is driven by a “bottom line” mentality that emphasizes cost reduction and conceals the broader social and economic costs and impacts of job insecurity and precarious employment.

Union negotiators sometimes refer to 'principled' vs. 'positional' bargaining. In principled bargaining, both sides approach negotiation as an opportunity to solve a problem. In positional bargaining, both sides seek to score points on issues and to influence opinions as well as contract language. Over the course of the CUPE 3903 strike, we have seen several examples of 'positional' bargaining by the Employer. These actions undermine the work of both bargaining teams and pose additional risks to the collegiality of the University.

YUFA affirms its commitment to Affirmative Action in all appointments throughout the University, as outlined in Article 12.21. This follows a previous communiqué dated 20 Nov. 08, in which YUFA affirmed its support of the Conversion Program and reiterated CUPE 3903’s position that it should be continued and extended.

CUPE strike: A fair and equitable resolution to this dispute will only be achieved by addressing promptly the precarious work situation of York University’s many long serving, high intensity contract faculty.

Janice Newson

Letter to President Shoukri, 27 Nov 2008

I am a faculty member in the Arts sociology department and I will be retired in 3 days. I have been at York since 1971 and from 1975 through until 1997 when the 8 week YUFA strike took place, I have been close to and often deeply involved in the negotiating process at York.

Since 1988, CUPE has had a program for conversion of a small number of high intensity contract faculty each year into tenure track positions within YUFA. This program is open to any CUPE members with at least five years of Unit II teaching (or equivalent). CUPE is negotiating to continue this program, and YUFA’s contract language is ready for that extension.

The York University Faculty Association (YUFA) calls on the Employer to cease its public calls for binding arbitration as a method of resolving the CUPE 3903 strike. A fair and equitable resolution to this dispute will be found through collective bargaining, not binding arbitration.

David Noble

In a Globe and Mail profile published just after his first week in office, York University's new president Mandouh Shoukri revealed his bold plans to "renovate" the university by focusing upon commercialized research in science, engineering, and medicine. "That is what my mandate is all about," Shoukri explained, "the direction is set."…

At York , of course, it will be an easy sell, as it always is in an autocratic environment... And some will see in the coming renovation a career or organizational opportunity. Already Arthur Hilliker, the president of the faculty association, has publicly echoed Shoukri in his enthusiastic and self-serving –he is chairman of the biology department –endorsement of the mandate.