AMURE

Association of McGill University Research Employees (AMURE)

McGill changes decision on pay frequency decisions

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We are happy to report that, in the matter relating to the conversion to a bi-weekly pay frequency cycle, the University has at last agreed in principle (signed agreement to be done on Monday) to have our members pay back their advance upon leaving the university and not through salary deductions, as previously reported.

In return, we will recommend that all members who filed a complaint with the Commission des relations de travail, withdraw their complaint. This opinion is based on legal advice we have received. If you filled a complain (either after the information session, or at our wine and cheese), we recommend that you indicate to us, via a reply e-mail, that you authorize us to drop your complaint with the Commission when the agreement is finalized. We trust that this decision will contribute to fostering a better relationship with the administration.

Please contact us should you have any questions or concerns about this matter.

Pay frequency update

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The presidents of AMURE and MUNACA delivered a letter requesting that the principal reconsider the payroll deductions as a result of the inplementation of a delay in the pay system. On November 12, 2013, both AMURE and MUNACA presidents had a meeting with the Principal and VP Michael Di Grappa on November 22nd at 5:15 p.m.  At this meeting both presidents explained how the pay delay, which only applies to the unionized members and is thus discriminatory, and that the “loan” repayment method would cause a hardship for our members.  During the course of the meeting, Michael Di Grappa made it clear that by implementing the new payroll system, with a delay for AMURE and MUNACA only, that the university would save money.  Those who attended the information sessions may recall that HR claimed that the delay would not result in any cost savings.

After explaining that the repayment method would cause an added hardship for our members only, the principal replied that she could not understand how an deduction of $13 to $20 per pay for almost 2 years would be a hardship on our members. We explained that many members live pay cheque to pay cheque and any reduction to their take-home pay is indeed a hardship.  The Impact of the payroll deductions due to the delay will also be amplified by the 2.2% reduction in salary due to the pension plan changes on January 1st.  The principal stated that if any members did find this a hardship, the administration would be willing to help.  As it is unclear how they might help, we encourage any members that find this to be a hardship to contact the principal and ask for her assistance.

MUNACA and AMURE presidents continue to be upset that McGill continues to place the burden of this administrative change entirely on our members. With the implementation of this payroll delay, the administration of principal Suzanne Fortier treats our members as entries on a spreadsheet and not as human beings with families and needs that will be severely impacted by an administrative change of trivial benefit to the university.

MUNACA and AMURE members have brought this issue to the comission des relations du travail. The complaints (over 300 individual complaints) will be heard on December 9th, 2013.

McGill research employees present at 30th FTQ Congress

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The 30th FTQ congress opens this week in Quebec City. Over a thousand delegates from FTQ-affiliated unions will converge to discuss the priorities of the Federation for the years to come, including the state of unionism, bargaining issues and solidarity initiatives. It will also be an occasion to refresh FTQ leadership, as outgoing president Michel Arsenault is stepping down.

To follow developments at the congress, follow @AMUREMcGill and #congresFTQ2013 on Twitter.


As a result, AMURE team will not be holding office hours for the week of December 25 to December 29. Our president and coordinator are attending the 30th congress of the Fédération des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Québec (FTQ) as delegates of AMURE. Schedule will be back to normal next week.

For urgent matters, contact Sean Cory at 514-910-5424.

McGill Daily: Discussing labour issues on an unsympathetic campus

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This Monday marks the beginning of the second annual installment of McGill’s Labour Week, a week-long event aimed at exploring the labour movement at McGill and in Quebec. McGill’s Inter Union Council (IUC), a group of labour unions at McGill, has worked to create a variety of workshops, panels, and talks, in hopes of promoting awareness about the function and purpose of the many different McGill unions.

Labour Week was started last spring after some members of the IUC began to see that general knowledge of unions at McGill, even among students who are union members, was low.

“We’ve noticed a lot of our members don’t really talk about or don’t really understand what the purpose is of having a union,” said AGSEM: McGill’s Teaching Union Vice-President for Invigilators and TAs Sunci Avlijas, one of the organizers of Labour Week. “[We] wanted to have some kind of event where the members of the McGill community [could] have a discussion about labour.”

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