Mount Allison faculty and librarians have voted 96% in favour of new part-time and full-time collective agreements in a November 25-27 ballot.
The new collective agreements run for three years retroactive from July 1, 2024. The ratification vote followed a negotiated tentative settlement that was achieved after nineteen meetings between the two sides’ bargaining teams. Members of the Mount Allison Faculty Association (MAFA) had been working without new collective agreements for five months.
Notable changes in the new agreements include improvements in the language on equity in hiring processes, a process to confirm Indigenous identity, indigenization of the tenure and promotion criteria, workload improvements for those with external research grants, and economic adjustments that begin to compensate members for high inflation during the pandemic.
Dr. Karen Bamford, MAFA President, said that she was pleased that the Employer agreed to replicate what the collective agreements would look like based on the sector bargaining pattern, and to do this without going through provincial conciliation or threats of lockout or job action.
“This agreement certainly has the potential to improve the relationship between our members and the Employer but there are still irritants to address before we can say with confidence that we are on a path towards a better atmosphere,” she said.
MAFA represents around 215 full- and part-time faculty members and librarians.