Our contract ends October 31, 2021 what now?

Our contract ends October 31, 2021 what now?

Union News November 2020

Well, now that the contract is ratified, your question is probably what happens with the next round?

Just as with the last round several things must be done and fall into place before we could entertain bargaining.    July 1, 2021, effectively 6 months prior to the expiry of the current contract the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) would serve a Notice to Bargain to the employer.  This simply indicates a formality that “it is time” we are ready to start the process of bargaining. 

UTE would then proceed to organize our Bargaining Committee to go through the demands (more on that later) and compile a package of demands ready to present to the employer.  The demands come from many different places and, of course, not all of them make it into the final package.  They come from committees, from the PSAC, from Labour Relations Officers and importantly from the very members the demands would affect!

Now here’s where you come in!  Our demand process is an open and ongoing one.  What that means is you can have an idea and would like to see it advanced through the stages and perhaps it can make it to the final package.  The process is simple enough.  You can go to the UTE website located at https://www.ute-sei.org/en/bargaining and click on the link titled Bargaining Demand Form.  This form is a word document that is fillable which you can then print out or more easily save and email to your local union.  Once received by the local, they will review it and send it off to the UTE National office to be included with other bargaining demands received.

When our package has been compiled, we contact the employer’s negotiator to set up dates and off we go!  As is always the case, we want to be done as soon as we can, but surely you know this rarely happens nowadays.   The last two contracts have proven that we can always get more with your support and with your visibility in the workplace.  We have always done better than the employer’s “final offer” so to speak and that is 100% your victory and due to your involvement.  Solidarity always works.

It is very likely that the current bargaining team will meet virtually soon to do a debrief on this round of bargaining.  They will look at what worked and what didn’t and likely come up with a set of recommendations that could be considered for the bargaining team that will be responsible for negotiating your next collective agreement.

Adam Jackson
2nd National Vice President,
Responsible for Collective Bargaining