The Research (RE) Group Executive is looking for volunteers to form the bargaining team for the next round of collective agreement negotiations.
This is an exciting opportunity to build on our successes, such as negotiating the inclusion of scientific integrity and the right of expression in our agreement. Together, we can make progress in overcoming long-term challenges such as:
- barriers to accessing technology, open science, and in-person collaboration
pay disparity between researchers in academia and industry
- lack of support for professional assignments to external research organizations
This is a crucial time to get involved. As the political landscape shifts, protecting the rights of RE members is key.
Other priorities include:
- achieving work hours and conditions that reflect the diversity of our membership
- overcoming obstacles to career development
- defending our research and reducing administrative burden
Our collective agreement expires in over a year. We need ample time to form and train the team, create a high-quality bargaining survey, and prepare reasoned arguments.
About the bargaining team:
The RE Group Executive and PIPSC staff support the bargaining team, including a negotiator, research staff, and administrative support staff.
Team members should be ready to discuss various bargaining issues at the table. Members should also be available for in-person meetings in Ottawa, some of which may last into the evening.
Team members are selected for the duration of this round of contract negotiations.
How to join:
If you’re interested in joining the RE Bargaining Team, please email me at ehortop@pipsc.ca by January 31, 2025, with the following information:
- the name of your department or agency
- your classification (DS, HR, MA, SE-REM, SE-RES)
- any issues you are exceptionally knowledgeable about and interested in
- any relevant experience, including bargaining, member representation, or committee work
We are committed to representing all our members and creating opportunities for everyone to participate in our group. If you’re a member of an equity-seeking group (reflected in the current Employment Equity Act or not), please feel free to self-declare.
If you aren’t interested in a role on the bargaining team, please be assured that all members will have the chance to express their concerns through the bargaining survey process.
Bargaining timelines and expectations:
We envision starting bargaining team training and preparatory meetings, including the bargaining survey process, in the latter half of 2025.
Bargaining sessions with the employer aren’t anticipated until after our agreement expires on September 30, 2026, and it’s difficult to predict the exact timing and length of the bargaining process.
In solidarity,
Eric Hortop
President, RE Group, PIPSC