The bargaining team for the Syndicat des auxiliaires de recherche et d’enseignement de l’Université de Sherbrooke (PSAC-SAREUS) and the employer signed a new collective agreement effective until March 2027.
“PSAC-Quebec is very proud of this agreement. The bargaining was thorough and we saw a great deal of openness on both sides to reach a win-win agreement,” says PSAC-Quebec Executive Vice-President Yvon Barrière.
The agreement was reached on June 21. Here are the highlights:
- Improvement of personnel lists sent to the local by the employer.
- The criteria of the Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur will be used to determine whether a member is full-time or part-time.
- The maximum number of working hours per semester is increased from 275 to 300, for an average of 20 hours per week.
- Members may work 40 hours a week over the Christmas break if they wish.
- If a member’s contract is cancelled before it starts, or if the working hours are reduced during the contract, the employer will pay the member a minimum of 12%.
- Paid maternity and paternity leave is increased from 12 to 18 weeks, at 35% of salary instead of 25%, subject to 250 hours worked instead of 300 hours.
- The collective agreement is for 4 years, i.e., until March 31, 2027.
- The wage increases are as follows:
- Undergraduate and all jobs paid at the undergraduate rate: 6% (2023), 5% (2024), 2% (2025), 1.75% (2026).
- Graduate, postgraduate and demonstrators: 2.5% (2023), 2.5% (2024), 2% (2025), 1.75% (2026).