Good afternoon friends and colleagues of the MRSA, the MRFA, fellow post-secondary staff and faculty unions, CAUT, CAFA, AFL, AUPE, CUPE and invited leaders of our government. My name is Michelle LoGullo, and I am the President of the Mount Royal Staff Association (MRSA).
I am elated that you are all here today to stand in solidarity to bring awareness and help lend a voice to issues that are impacting and eroding our post-secondary workplace.
As the President of our Staff union, I represent the vitally important workers of Mount Royal University who are a necessary part of this MRU community, and we deserve to have our value reflected in the agreement that governs our working conditions. Our call is for meaningful economic improvements to our collective agreement to reflect the significance we provide to this institution and the ever rising cost of living in this province. This rally is a demonstration of our commitment to fair bargaining and protecting the integrity of our work. We are also standing with our faculty colleagues to oppose harmful legislation that threatens the foundation of academic freedom.
Collective bargaining is a democratic process rooted in the principles of fairness and equity. It is protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provides an essential mechanism for staff and faculty to to negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment, such as wages. Any attempt by the government to interfere with this process must be seen as an infringement on labour rights, and it is our responsibility to oppose this erosion of freedom.
Unfortunately, the current government interference in wage negotiations threatens to disrupt the balance of power between employees and employers to ensure a fair workplace. When the government steps in to impose wage restraints or unilaterally set wage mandates, it disregards agreements which could otherwise be reached through good faith negotiations.
Beyond the confines of post-secondary education, government interference in wage negotiations represents a broader challenge to labour rights across all sectors. Government is blatantly undermining the rights of workers to negotiate freely and collectively. There is risk of eroding the trust between the employees and employers, which leads to low morale, and an increase in labour disputes.
Did you know that in Alberta, a basket of goods and services that cost $200 in 2016 now costs $249? (inflationcalculator.ca/alberta/). In Calgary:
- Milk: 53.44%
- Bread: 29.03%
- Eggs: 48.73%
- Big Mac Meal: 51.52%
We need better wages that keep up with the cost of living. My personal take home pay is 20% worth less than what I was taking home in 2016. Several other provinces have mandated wage increases for post-secondary employees as part of their collective bargaining agreements. In Ontario, various labour orgnaizations challenged legislation which capped their wage compensation arguing that it infringed their right to freedom of association by undermining their right to collective bargaining. The Ontario Superior Court declared the Act unconstitutional, finding that it substantially interfered with the collective bargaining process.
Now is the time to stand together in defense of fair and free collective bargaining. We seek an environment where collective bargaining can proceed without undue influence of the government, and the ability to negotiate wages that reflect both the economic conditions and the value of the contributions made by our post secondary staff.
I urge you all to reach out to political leaders and your local MLA’s. Workers need wages that keep up with the rising cost of living. We are struggling to pay bills and feed our families. Write to your local officials and/or sign the AFL petition that we have provided on our brochures. When the government dictates terms or caps on wage discussions, it undermines the very process of collective bargaining, a process built on mutual respect, dialogue, and compromise.
Thank you for your support!!