MONTREAL, le 19 sept. 2024 /CNW/ - After seven days of strike, the 600 members of Concordia University's Professional Employees Union (CUPEU-CSN) adopted an Agreement in Principle at 91% during a general meeting yesterday. After a year-long tug-of-war with the employer over the inclusion of hybrid work guidelines in the collective agreement, the union secured a significant improvement to their hybrid work conditions.
"This achievement is the outcome of relentless mobilization from our members, who fought not only for a better work-life balance but also to leave a legacy for future generations of professionals graduating from our university," explains Shoshana Kalfon, president of the Concordia University Professional Employees Union-CSN (CUPEU-CSN).
In June 2023, half of the union members were affected by an arbitrary decision from their employer to bring them to one day of hybrid work per week. An outcome of the negotiations now ensures that the members affected by that decision have a minimum of 30% remote work over a two-week period. For employees that already benefited from more remote days, the new collective agreement also secures an end to arbitrary management decisions.
"For a year, Concordia University maintained an anachronistic posture that prevented the union from broaching the subject of hybrid work in their negotiations. The CSN is glad the management has come to its senses as hybrid work is here to stay in professional workplaces," explains Caroline Senneville, president of the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN).
"The union's mobilization allowed them to make gains they would otherwise have had to forgo. The members can be proud of having stood their ground and exercised their right to strike for the first time in their union's history," concludes Dominique Daigneault, president of the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain-CSN (CCMM-CSN).
"Let's not forget that the framing of hybrid work in the collective agreement is a foundation on which to build in future negotiations. The union opened a door that won't be closed any time soon," explains Jessica Goldschleger, president of the Fédération des professionnèles-CSN (FP-CSN).
Comprising more than 1,600 unions, the CSN represents nearly 330,000 workers in eight federations and thirteen regional central councils, mainly in Quebec.
The Fédération des professionnèles (FP-CSN) has some 8,000 members across Quebec, working in a wide range of sectors. The Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain-CSN brings together all CSN members in the Greater Montreal region, Laval, Nunavik and Eeyou Istchee Baie-James.
SOURCE CSN - Confédération des syndicats nationaux
Media contact : Camila Rodriguez-Cea, union adviser, 438-882-1275 or [email protected]
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