This is from the Daily News:

The University and SEIU Local 2 are making progress as they continue to negotiate a new collective agreement. The union is delaying its strike date, notifying the University the earliest possible strike date is Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 10:00 p.m.
SEIU Local 2 represents operations and maintenance workers, skilled trades and cleaners and custodians at McMaster. Talks on a new collective agreement began Sept. 20. The union is in a legal strike position.

Originally Posted by carrka

This is from the Daily News:

The University and SEIU Local 2 are making progress as they continue to negotiate a new collective agreement. The union is delaying its strike date, notifying the University the earliest possible strike date is Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 10:00 p.m.
SEIU Local 2 represents operations and maintenance workers, skilled trades and cleaners and custodians at McMaster. Talks on a new collective agreement began Sept. 20. The union is in a legal strike position.

Its looking good, at least no one's striking yet.

Originally Posted by DannyV

Those cuts are pretty severe. They don't seem to be realistic, there's no way the admin could have hoped to get them past the union.

Of course not... HR is hoping that the union is weak and that some will cross the picket lines to work and others will just stay home instead of picketing, which will help HR's bargaining position... personally I think they have grossly miscalculated. The strike will almost assuredly happen, and it could get pretty ugly...

As for the strike start date - I strongly suspect there was never any intention to start the strike before Oct. 12th since they would miss out on the Oct. 11th (Thanksgiving) Statutory Holiday pay...

As Plutoz said, why strike when everyones on vacation.

Hey Everyone!

The MSU has a Strike Portal Up and Running for your Information https://www.msumcmaster.ca/studentGo...ion/labour.htm

From what I see the Union has released a statement, On the administration seems to have provided the same content available here http://mcmaster.ca/opr/labour_relati...iu_local2.html

The above portal follows the MSU Labour disruptions policy guidelines, Also just a clarification to my earlier post what I meant was that unless the SRA collectively decides on a stance I cannot contravene the MSU policy by posting my opinion as an "SRA Representative". However I am entitled to have my own personal opinion as an individual.

**** Patrick Deane lol


(think he lurks?)
MSU - have admin/pat get an account on hereee

So we got a package today with McMasters new proposal. I haven't had time to go over it as I've got to head off to work. I'll see if I can post some details tonight or tomorrow.

The union will vote on thursday. If it is rejected the strike will begin Tuesday october 12th at 10 pm.

hopefully they don't go on strike and even if they do
it's not as bad as York's a couple of years ago aha

The union has rejected McMasters offer by an 80% majority. Picket lines will be formed at 1 am Wednesday morning. I don't have any details yet will post them tomorrow.

Wish I could get in power and make it illegal to strike. I'd fire every one of their sorry asses and hire all new people.

Originally Posted by collinbf

The union has rejected McMasters offer by an 80% majority. Picket lines will be formed at 1 am Wednesday morning. I don't have any details yet will post them tomorrow.

That's a very very strong rejection of the offer, especially when members know a strike is almost inevitable with a rejection. Hopefully the McMaster admin comes to its senses and gets back to the table with some movement on key issues before Wednesday morning.

Damn that is a strong rejection vote. Guess that's what the administration gets for screwing with people's lives.

Hey I just saw this on the McMaster website and thought it should be put up here,

http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca /story.cfm?id=7002

Members of SEIU Local 2 voted Thursday night to reject the University's contract offer. The five-year deal contained no wage cuts, a range of salary increases, and provided lump sum payments for all employees. It also required changes to benefit provisions in order to meet the province's requirement that all new collective agreements contain no net compensation increases in the first two years.

The current wage rates paid to employees of SEIU, Local 2 are above the living wage for Hamilton, which is between $13.50 and $14.00 an hour.
The current rates for the bargaining unit range from $15.02 to $30.15 per hour. Under the University's contract offer these wage rates would increase to between $16.00 and $34.63 per hour.
McMaster continues to pay higher than market rates for cleaning and custodial employees.
SEIU Local 2 represents operations and maintenance workers, skilled trades and cleaners and custodians at McMaster. They are in a legal strike position and have set 1:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 13 as the strike deadline. No bargaining has been scheduled but the University is willing to resume negotiations upon request. The University will remain open if there is a strike. A contingency planning group has been meeting for a number of weeks to ensure that health and safety on campus is maintained. Picket lines could delay traffic getting into and out of campus and should a strike occur, everyone is asked to leave themselves extra time to get to work and classes. Additional information on contingency planning is available here. Updates will be available through the Labour Relations link on the Daily News.

Just because the staff are getting paid a little more than other people in the same profession, that doesn't mean it's okay to slash their benefits and pay. They took this job, expecting a certain pay, benefits, sick days, etc.

"People have it worse" is not a legitimate excuse to cut whatever you want.