Lethbridge College Faculty Association is now Lethbridge Polytechnic Faculty Association

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Lethbridge College Faculty Association is now Lethbridge Polytechnic Faculty Association * * *

Charting the Course: Negotiations in 2024

 

Bargaining a Collective Agreement

Our Faculty Collective Agreement is a legally binding contract between the faculty association and the Board of Governors at Lethbridge Polytechnic. It covers salaries, benefits, workload, working conditions, and grievance procedures, ensuring fair and consistent employment terms.

This agreement is established through collective bargaining, a negotiation process where faculty and administration representatives discuss and settle these terms.

Collective bargaining is essential because it:

  1. Ensures faculty voices are heard and their interests represented.

  2. Promotes fair and equitable employment conditions.

  3. Resolves conflicts and fosters a harmonious work environment.

  4. Balances faculty needs with institutional goals.

  5. Ensures compliance with labor laws.

Overall, the Faculty Collective Agreement, shaped through collective bargaining, safeguards faculty rights and supports the institution’s mission.

 

UPDATES

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UPDATES * * *

September 10th, 2024

Hello Faculty,

I wanted to take a moment to update you on the recent negotiations between the Faculty Association and Administration. Last week, we resumed discussions and were able to sign off on several additional articles. We are continuing to make progress in areas where there is agreement on language, and these steps represent positive forward movement in the overall process.

However, it’s important to note that discussions around key topics such as wages and workload have not yet taken place, as the Polytechnic is not able to address these matters at this time. We understand that these issues are important, and we are hopeful they will be part of the next round of negotiations.

Our next round of negotiations is scheduled for November, and we will continue to work toward ensuring a fair and balanced outcome for all faculty.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out. We appreciate your continued support and input throughout this process.

 

Regards,

Kerry Edwards, VP Welfare and Negotiations

May 30th, 2024

The negotiating committee is committed to providing ongoing updates related to this round of bargaining. Here is an update on the most recent activity related to negotiations:
 
On May 23rd, administration and the FA exchanged several proposals (excluding monetary or workload considerations), followed by a second round of discussions on May 27th.  Our goal was to discuss monetary and workload issues first, however the government has put forward a directive to the College, which has hindered their ability to present monetary and workload proposals.  We hope to have this issue resolved soon. 
 
Each session produced healthy conversations and robust discussions, resulting in the following outcomes:
 

  1. Promising Start: The negotiations have started positively, with a few articles already signed off.

  2. Academic Year Agreement: A key takeaway has been that there has been an agreement on the academic year with no modifications to assigned or unassigned time.

  3. Future Discussions: Monetary and workload matters will be addressed in our next round of bargaining, tentatively scheduled for the first week of September.

 
We are committed to keeping you informed of the ongoing negotiations and will provide updates as new information becomes available.  Please check back here for the latest information. 
 
Respectfully,
 
Kerry Edwards, VP Welfare and Negotiations