Friday, June 4, 1993

SOCIAL CONTRACT:  The negotiators have come home.  The provincial talks
aimed at a "social contract" collapsed last night, a day ahead of the
government-imposed deadline of 6 p.m. today for a general agreement among
public-sector employers, employees and the government itself about ways 
to cut the payroll.

The "Public Sector Coalition" of employee groups, led by the Canadian Union
of Public Employees, decided to pull out of the negotiations after looking
at the government's latest offers.  Those offers include a new "Job Security
Fund", financed by drawing on pension fund surpluses, but still call for
a three-year pay freeze and voluntary time off.  Employees earning less than
$30,000 a year would be exempt from any losses.

There's still a possibility that government and employer groups could reach
agreements -- especially in sectors, such as universities, where their last
negotiating positions were close together.  But any such agreement, without
the support of employees, might be politically impossible to carry out.
It's more likely that what will happen next is legislation introduced by
the government to impose its idea of how the payroll should be cut. The
big question: will universities simply be told how many dollars will
disappear from their grant, and be left to work out their own savings, or
will the legislation include rules about salary freezes, time off, and
government involvement in internal decision-making?

Officials are waiting for the next shoe to drop.  Bob Truman, the director
of operations analysis, is in Toronto today, where university leaders are
meeting "informally" with Phyllis Clark of the government.  But associate
provost Jim Kalbfleisch, who has been heading the UW delegation at the talks,
is back on campus (and about to take a week's vacation).  Brenda Law
of the operations analysis office, who's been on the negotiating team for
the Confederation of Ontario University Staff Associations, is also back
home, briefing the UW staff association executive on OCUFA's stance.

THIS WEEKEND:  Alumni of 1968 and 1973, and some other alumni groups, are
planning reunions this weekend.  For last-minute information about Waterloo
Weekend, call the alumni affairs office at ext. 4595.

The Manulife Ride for Heart, with 20-kilometre and 50-kilometre bike routes,
starts from the Optometry building at 9 a.m. Sunday.

Midnight Sun II, the UW-built solar car that will be competing in 
Sunrayce '93 later this month, will be unveiled Sunday; you can see it
at the Waterloo Region Green Home, 302 Westvale Drive in Waterloo, from
noon to 4 p.m.

Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs
credmond@watserv1    ext. 3004