(Montreal – December 12, 2023).
The membership of the Association of McGill Professors of Law (AMPL)/Association McGillienne de professeur.e.s de droit (AMPD) overwhelmingly provided its Executive with the authority to call up to five strike days in light of McGill University’s failure to negotiate a collective agreement as required by law. With 85% approval and 90% participation of the membership, the Negotiating Team returned to the bargaining table today to insist that the University negotiate constructively a range of non-monetary issues, including equity and diversity.
“Despite McGill having an obligation under the law to negotiate in good faith, it is refusing to do so,” stated AMPL/AMPD President, Evan Fox-Decent. “This leaves us no choice but to take action unless we see a significant change in the University’s approach.”
“Contrary to every other collective agreement, McGill rejected out of hand the inclusion of any binding provisions,” noted Richard Janda, AMPL/AMPL Chief Negotiator. “It has also refused to include provisions on equity and diversity drawn from its own policies, not to mention standard terms on sick leave or promotions.”
“While we hope that the University returns to the negotiating table in good faith, we are fully prepared to exercise the strike mandate that our members provided to us should the University not advance bargaining on non-monetary issues by the end of 2023,” stated AMPL/AMPD negotiator, Kirsten Anker.
Both CAUT and FQPPU, the national and Quebec associations of university unions respectively, have volunteered to turn up in numbers to support AMPL/AMPD’s strike.
“As someone with experience with faculty and university unionization, the experience sitting across the McGill negotiators who have been refusing to even remotely engage with us in a constructive and respectful manner has been astounding”, said negotiator Peer Zumbansen.
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For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Evan Fox-Decent, evanfoxdecent@gmail.com, 514-802-5362.
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