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SFUFA, TSSU, APSA, CUPE, POLYPARTY
August Bargaining Summary
SFU is actively engaged in collective bargaining with SFUFA and TSSU, and is pleased to have reached agreements with APSA, CUPE Local 3338 and Poly Party. We approach negotiations collaboratively, with the goal of meeting the core interests of all parties and upholding the sustainable interests of the entire SFU community.
Negotiations must be within the Province’s 2022 Shared Recovery Mandate (the “Mandate”), which applies to all provincial public sector employers with unionized employees whose collective agreement expired on or after December 31, 2021. To date, about 96% of unionized employees in the province have tentative or ratified agreements settled under the Mandate.
A central web page and regular updates on the status of negotiations with all employee groups is part of our commitment to be transparent about the collective bargaining process.
Visit the recently updated the Frequently Asked Questions section of the website to answer your questions about bargaining, strike action and pickets.
Bargaining at a glance
| Employee Group | Status |
|---|---|
| APSA (Professional Association) | APSA members ratified tentative agreement and formally approved by SFU Board of Governors. Collective bargaining now complete with Basic Agreement negotiations beginning this fall. |
| CUPE Local 3338 (Union) | Bargaining now complete. Collective Agreement through March 31, 2025 formally ratified by union and approved by SFU Board of Governors. |
| Poly Party (Union) | Bargaining now complete. Collective Agreement through March 31, 2025 formally ratified by union and approved by SFU Board of Governors. |
| SFUFA (Union) | The parties continue to have discussions regarding bargaining and continue to work toward reaching an agreement. |
| TSSU (Certified Bargaining Unit) | Bargaining scheduled for September 18, 20 and 25 with additional dates requested by the university. |
| TSSU (Research Assistants) | Hearing scheduled at BC Labour Relations Board for February, 2024. |
APSA
Following a productive 30-day bargaining period, we are pleased to share that the university and APSA have reached an agreement covering July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025. The Collective Agreement was recently ratified in a vote among APSA members and approved by the SFU Board of Governors. The university thanks those who were at the table for a cooperative and mutually beneficial bargaining experience.
SFU and APSA will re-negotiate the Basic Agreement this fall and winter. The purpose of the Basic Agreement is to establish formal procedures for the determination of compensation matters and administrative/professional personnel policies.
CUPE Local 3338
Collective bargaining with CUPE Local 3338 is complete with the ratification by union members, the SFU Board of Governors and approval by the University Public Sector Employers’ Association. The new Collective Agreement covers the period of April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2025.
Poly Party
Collective bargaining with Poly Party is complete with the ratification by union members, the University’s Board of Governors and approval by the University Public Sector Employers’ Association. The new Collective Agreement covers the period of April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2025.
SFUFA
The parties continue to have discussions regarding bargaining and continue to work toward reaching an agreement.
TSSU Certified Bargaining Unit
SFU’s bargaining team invited TSSU leadership to meet throughout the month of August but did not receive a response. The parties have agreed to bargain on September 18, 20 and 25, and the university has proposed meeting twice-per-week until an agreement is reached.
SFU’s bargaining team last met with TSSU leadership on July 31. Read more about SFU’s proposal and outstanding issues at the bargaining table in TSSU collective bargaining explained.
TSSU Research Assistants (RAs)
On August 11, the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) submitted an application to the BC Labour Relations Board (LRB) to request a variance to their bargaining unit to include approximately 1,200 additional members who work in a research-related capacity at SFU.
The LRB conducted a vote among 1,200 proposed members on whether or not they wish to join TSSU’s certified bargaining unit and we are currently awaiting results.
Simultaneously, the university and TSSU have been working through the fundamental issue of whether graduate students who receive stipends and scholarship are considered employees under the labour code. This would mean that graduate students doing research at SFU for their own scholarly pursuits would be considered employees and included in the TSSU negotiations going forward if the requested variance to TSSU’s bargaining unit is confirmed.
To resolve this issue, TSSU and SFU have mutually agreed to a hearing that is scheduled for February 2024 at the LRB. This date was agreed upon by all parties to allow both the university and TSSU to properly prepare their respective cases.
Learn more about TSSU’s application to the LRB in this August 24th update.