Following nearly two months of job action, support staff at Capilano University have settled on agreeable terms with their employer.
On Wednesday (Aug. 2), MoveUP – the union representing the support workers – said its members had voted to ratify the tentative agreement reached with CapU on July 21.
In total, 97 per cent of members (226 “yes” out of 233 ballots cast) voted in favour of accepting the deal, according to the union.
The new collective agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2022 and will run through to June 30, 2025. Finalization of the deal was also confirmed by the university.
After starting a full strike on June 6 over work-from-home provisions, support staff returned to the job July 24, after a tentative agreement was reached.
While terms of the collective agreement were worked out by the end of June, negotiations stalled on the return-to-work protocol. Especially at issue was language around if employees could be disciplined by the school for any actions during the strike.
In the end, both parties signed off on recommendations made by a mediator, in a document dated July 20, 2023, that is appended to the ratified agreement.
The document reads, “In order to facilitate an orderly return to regular operation, the parties agree that there shall be no disciplinary action of any kind by the employer, as a result of any lawful activities during the labour dispute.”
The mediator’s recommendations also include considerations involving seniority accrual, vacation entitlement and sick days.
The three-year agreement covers support employees in a variety of valued roles, according to a statement from CapU.
“The agreement provides for members of the union, the university, and most importantly, supports the students who have chosen to pursue their education at CapU,” the statement reads.
The agreement includes a flat wage increase, as well as percentage increases with potential cost of living adjustments over the next three years. Support staff will also receive new wellness spending, along with an expanded definition of bereavement leave and additional cultural leave for Indigenous employees.
