UMFA Salary Calculator

September 30, 2013
A message from Paul Kochan, Vice-President (Administration)
The University of Manitoba began contract negotiations with the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) in June, 2013. A new agreement has not yet been reached. The existing contract between the University of Manitoba and UMFA expired at the end of March, 2013. In 2010, the University and UMFA were able to reach a settlement in September without third party intervention.

The University of Manitoba is committed to achieving a timely settlement. On August 16, 2013 we presented an offer to UMFA that included a generous salary position. We have offered UMFA members an 8.9 per cent salary increase over a four-year contract (2.9 per cent in Year 1, and 2 per cent in each of Years 2, 3 and 4) – this in a time of wage restraint across the broader public sector and within the post-secondary sector in particular.

In addition to the 8.9 per cent increase, the University is proposing specific base salary adjustments for some ranks based on market comparisons, and structural revisions to the salary scales that result in higher maxima and increment values across all ranks. We want to attract and retain the best faculty and provide competitive salaries. We believe our monetary offer demonstrates our commitment to our faculty members, and to resolving this round of bargaining without a work stoppage.

A link to a salary calculator that allows UMFA members to calculate their salary over the next four years in accordance with the University of Manitoba’s monetary offer can be found at the top of this page.

The University of Manitoba has presented to UMFA its comprehensive position on all issues.  UMFA has responded with only slight changes to its previous position, including holding to its proposal for a short-term agreement of one year or at most two years. UMFA has informed the University that it will be going to its members to call a strike vote. In these circumstances, the University felt it was important to share with its community the issues that stand in the way of an agreement.

We did not propose that any rights presently enjoyed by faculty members be changed. We did not propose the addition of any new language or the removal of existing language around academic freedom. We believe the current language which has been in place for 40 years has served and continues to serve the community well, and reflects our strong commitment to academic freedom.  We have not proposed the addition of an article on performance management. The only proposals we have made on these issues have been in response to UMFA demands. For example, we have proposed under the sections addressing tenure and promotion criteria that “no prescribed list of journals or other venues for publication, and no dollar amounts for research funding may be established or taken into consideration without consultation with faculty council.”

We have further added a clause under “Faculty Rights and Obligations” that explicitly states that faculty members have the right to comment on the University and on their Association.

We have listened to and understand UMFA’s position on recent University of Manitoba administrative initiatives such as Concur and print management, though we do not agree these matters belong in a collective agreement. We continue to believe that these new programs and processes are in the best interests of the University community and we will continue to consult with faculty and other members of the University of Manitoba community, listening and acting on their constructive input to make these initiatives a success. The savings generated by the innovations have helped put the University in a position to make the scale of offer it has for salaries.

We are disappointed that UMFA has indicated our salary offer and our desire to keep the current language of the collective agreement with respect to academic freedom and other issues is not enough, and will seek a strike mandate from its membership. However, the University of Manitoba is committed to working to prevent any disruptions for our students, faculty and other staff and will continue to seek a settlement with UMFA through collegial and respectful negotiations. We are also committed to keeping all stakeholders informed as this process moves forward.

The current agreement between the University of Manitoba and UMFA expired at the end of March 2013 and no new agreement has been reached.  While the law allows unions to communicate freely with their members about bargaining, there are limits to what an employer is permitted to disclose.  We are, therefore, providing limited, basic information. 

 At the September 12, 2013 bargaining meeting, the University of Manitoba delivered a comprehensive proposal to resolve all items in the current round of negotiations. The proposal included a written rationale presented to UMFA on all matters still in dispute. Out of respect for the ongoing bargaining process, the University is not publishing this rationale at this time; however, UMFA may release the rationale to members as it sees fit. The parties plan to meet at the end of this week and the University is hoping UMFA will provide a response to the comprehensive offer. The University of Manitoba hopes to achieve an agreement as soon as reasonably possible.

At the same meeting, the University reiterated its monetary offer, originally presented on August 16, 2013. The offer includes an across the board 8.9 per cent salary increase during a four-year agreement. The salary offer takes into account comparisons with other similar institutions. The proposed across-the-board increases are:

• Year one: 2.9 per cent
• Year two: 2 per cent
• Year three: 2 per cent
• Year four: 2 per cent

In addition to the proposed increases, the University is proposing specific base salary adjustments for entry-level UMFA members and structural revisions to the salary scales that result in higher maxima and increment values across all ranks.  These structural revisions positively impact all members but are more specifically targeted at the ranks of Assistant and Associate Professor, where our salaries are lower compared with other universities in the U15 group.  For those ranks, the maxima were raised an additional $8,760 and $7,341 respectively on top of the 2.9 percent increase in year one of the offer.

The University is proposing a four-year agreement; UMFA initially proposed a one-year agreement and modified it to two years.  In its comprehensive proposal of September 12, 2013 the University has proposed the alternative of a three-year duration, although it still prefers a four-year agreement.

We have listened to and understand UMFA’s position on recent University of Manitoba administrative initiatives.  We continue to believe that these new programs and processes are in the best interests of the University community and we will continue to consult with faculty and other members of the University of Manitoba community, listening and acting on their constructive input to make these initiatives a success. The innovations implemented have helped put the University in a position to make the scale of offer it has for salaries.

The University of Manitoba is keen to reach a settlement with UMFA quickly through collegial and respectful negotiations. In 2010, the University and UMFA were able to reach a settlement in September without third party intervention.

 July 27, 2013

University of Manitoba and University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA)

Bargaining between the University of Manitoba and UMFA began on June 21, 2013, with each bargaining team exchanging and explaining their bargaining positions

The University of Manitoba bargaining team for the renewal of the Collective Agreement with UMFA (University of Manitoba Faculty Association) consists of:

• Grant Mitchell, Chief Negotiator (Grant Mitchell Law Corporation, Taylor McCaffrey LLP)
• Karen Adams, University Librarian
• Michael Benarroch, Dean and CA Manitoba Chair of Business Leadership, I.H. Asper School of Business
• Norman Halden, Dean, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources
• Lisa Halket, Director, Staff Relations
• Gregory Juliano, Acting Associate Vice-President (Human Resources), Director & General Counsel (Fair Practices and Legal Affairs)
• Bev Lockie, Staff Relations Officer
• Janice Ristock, Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs)

The UMFA bargaining team consists of:

• Robert Chernomas, Chief Negotiator and Professor of Economics
• Sharon Alward, President of UMFA, and Professor, School of Art
• Dennis Felbel, Collective Agreement Committee, and Librarian
• Cameron Morrill, UMFA Past President, and Associate Professor, Accounting/Finance
• Vanessa Swain, Member at Large and Associate Professor, Dentistry
• Barbara Yapps, Professional officer, Lawyer

At the session on June 21st, UMFA indicated that it is seeking a one-year agreement. The last seven agreements have been three-year agreements, and the last time the University and UMFA agreed to a one-year agreement was in 1980. Brandon University’s current agreement (2011 -15)) is a four-year agreement.

Additional sessions – totaling seven to date – were held on June 28, July 4, July 9, July 11, July 16 and July 18. Good progress is being made and more information will be provided on substantive items as the negotiations continue.

At the session on July 18th, the University made an offer to UMFA to attempt to amalgamate the UMFA and UMDCSA (Dentistry faculty) collective agreements. During the August meetings, the parties will attempt to integrate the parts of the faculty collective agreement that can apply to dentistry faculty, and resolve separately those items that are unique to dentistry.

A further session is planned for Tuesday, July 30, 2013.

The University of Manitoba is committed to openness and transparency in its communications as it negotiates settlements with the various Associations and Unions.

On this site will be found factual, objective information about the bargaining process.