The B.C. Labour Relations Board on Monday rejected a bid by Simon Fraser University to overturn a ruling that the university is bargaining in bad faith with its 1,000 CUPE Local 3338 employees.
Contract negotiations stalled in January, when the board handed down the original unfair labour practices judgment, based on the university's attempt to link changes to the multiparty SFU pension plan to collective bargaining.
"We thought this was a very clear signal to senior administration at SFU when the ruling was first handed down for them to get back to the table and bargain in good faith for a fair and reasonable settlement," said CUPE Local 3338 business agent John Bannister, in a press release. "Now that their appeal has failed, we hope they stop stalling and engage us in meaningful negotiations."
About 150 members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees set up picket lines at the Burnaby Mountain campus last fall.
Union members have not had a contract for three years and want wage increases, inflation protection and job security.
Union members also set up picket lines at five other universities last year. All but SFU have reached settled agreements.
There are about 1,000 union members who work at SFU as support staff, including those in food services and janitorial positions.
