Joint Press Release, Mount Allison on-campus associations
Mount Allison Unions pleased with “positive meeting” with Minister Olscamp
Representatives of four on-campus associations recently met with Tantramar MLA and Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Mike Olscamp to discuss issues of common interest to members of the Mount Allison community, and the participants came away with a positive feeling.
“Overall, the meeting was a positive one and we look forward to Mr. Olscamp’s continued support of Mount Allison and its staff, faculty, and students,” said Pat Joyce, President of the Students” Administrative Council and one of the participants in the meeting.
The purpose of the meeting was to express concern over the abolishing of the Advisory Council for the Status of Women, to seek assurances for continued provincial financial support for post-secondary education (PSE), and to express discontent over the introduction of parental contribution assessment for provincial student support. The presidents of the three labour unions also stressed the importance of the arms-length relationship between the provincial government and the universities and the importance of free collective bargaining.
“On the issue of the Advisory Council on the Status of Women, we are pleased that Mr. Olscamp has agreed to raise this with the cabinet and Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney, though we are concerned that we may see no real action by the government,” says Bill Evans, President of the Mount Allison Staff Association. “My membership is particularly concerned that New Brunswick needs an independent advocate for the status of women within government,” he says.
“We are pleased that Mr. Olscamp places a high priority on increased operating grants for PSE institutions and limits to tuition increases, but we would like to see a firmer commitment for the future,” says Lorena LeBlanc, President of CUPE 2338, which represents custodial staff and outside workers at Mount Allison. “We recognize that employment levels and salary and benefits are linked to increasing revenues and good financial management,” she says.
“On the re-introduction of parental income assessment for provincial student loans, Mr. Olscamp maintained his party’s stance that parents must bear a burden of responsibility to finance their children’s education, and on that we will agree to disagree,” says Pat Joyce. “PSE is out of reach for many families and we must make it more accessible, not less,” he says.
“I was pleased we were able to advocate for an arm’s-length relationship between governments and the universities in labour negotiations, and we hope they will rethink the appointment of conciliation boards in collective bargaining,” says Stephen Law, President of the Mount Allison Faculty Association. “No other province in Canada uses conciliation boards for non-emergency workers outside of the public sector and their use delays settlements and makes it harder to finish negotiations,” he says.
“We are pleased that the four association presidents, representing over 2800 people, were able to cooperate in this manner and we plan to continue it in the future,” says LeBlanc.
For more information call:
- Bill Evans, 364-2471
- Pat Joyce, 364-2231 or 364-3230
- Stephen Law, 364-2289 or 364-2355
- Lorena LeBlanc, 364-2444