Tuesday, June 15, 1993

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT:  Top officials of UW and leaders of the staff
association, faculty association and CUPE local 793, as well as the
church colleges, met this morning to talk about what to do next,
now that the Ontario government has tabled the Social Contract Act 1993.

UW may be unique among Ontario universities in having held meetings of
that group regularly since the social contract issue blew up about three
months ago.  Management and employee groups have been sharing information
and advice in a way that doesn't seem to be typical of other institutions.

The proposed Act, introduced yesterday by provincial treasurer Floyd
Laughren, sets targets for payroll reductions in each "sector" of public
employment.  The target for the universities sector is $110 million.

Employers and employees in each sector are now expected to work
towards an agreement, or "sectoral framework", governing how the cut
will be made.  If an agreement is reached before August 1, local employers 
and unions then have to work out the local details.  Where employees
aren't unionized, local employers are allowed to work out a "plan", with
or without employee approval, that implements the sectoral framework.

Employees who aren't covered by a local agreement or plan by August 1 
"are covered by the failsafe provisions of the Bill", which means a
three-year pay freeze effective June 14, 1993.  If the pay freeze isn't
enough to meet the cost reduction target, the employer can require
employees to take up to 12 unpaid days off each year.  In some circumstances
those can be days that would otherwise be paid holidays, rather than
new days off. 

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