GSA
Graduate Students’ Association
September 18, 2024
This week, the University filed an application with the province’s Director of Mediation Services requesting that a mediator be appointed to assist the University and Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) in reaching a collective agreement.
Informal mediation will provide an opportunity for the University and GSA to expedite the renewal of a collective agreement. Unlike formal mediation, the parties can engage in this process while we work to address the essential services requirements in the Alberta Labour Relations Code.Ìý
The University welcomes the opportunity to get assistance from a mediator to conclude collective bargaining and reach an agreement with the GSA.
Updates
In November, after ten months of negotiations, the Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà and the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) reached an impasse in bargaining.
During bargaining, the university agreed to make significant changes to the collective agreement that will benefit graduate assistants. It also offered increases (of 2.75% and the potential for an additional 0.5%) that are consistent with agreements reached with Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà faculty and support staff, as well as the Graduate Students’ Associations at the universities of Alberta and Lethbridge. Unfortunately, there were a number of items on which the parties were unable to agree.
There is an option for the university and the GSA to enter voluntary mediation to resolve all outstanding issues and come to an agreement. We proposed this to the GSA, but it has so far declined this option.
Both parties are now in the process of addressing the obligations under the Labour Relations Code related to essential services.
The Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà remains committed to negotiating a fair and reasonable agreement with the GSA.