FAQs

Collective bargaining is the process of negotiating a collective agreement between an employer and employees. The agreement establishes clear and binding rules and procedures for both parties. Collective bargaining ensures faculty will have a meaningful role in determining their conditions of employment.

Faculty members set the priorities for bargaining. CLAC focuses on interest-based bargaining, where the parties commit to working together to resolve issues in good faith. CLAC facilitates sessions with employees and employers to promote a cooperative, interest-based model of negotiations.

A collective agreement can include provisions regarding tenure and promotion, hiring procedures, academic freedom, benefits and retirement programs, dispute resolution processes, and any other conditions of employment the parties determine are important for the health of their workplace community. Once the parties reach a tentative framework, faculty will vote on its terms. Faculty only start paying dues to the union once an agreement is ratified.

The NB Labour Code and Supreme Court of Canada affirm and protect the rights of workers to organize. As per the code, employers cannot interfere with the formation of a union, and cannot discharge, discipline, or otherwise discriminate against an employee for exercising their right to unionize.

CLAC’s cooperative and collaborative approach to labour relations emphasizes partnership between employees and employers for achieving common goals. By providing structures in which conflicts and concerns can be addressed and resolved, CLAC can help facilitate healthy working relationships. Union representation provides stability in employment conditions, including tenure, hiring processes and academic freedom, which can be defined by faculty through collective bargaining. Under a collective agreement, employers have a responsibility to act in good faith and are held to that standard, and any policy changes are subject to the review of the union.

We’ve heard from faculty that their desire is to establish a healthy, equitable working relationship with the university, which wholly aligns with CLAC’s goal of creating positive workplace cultures through a framework of respect and fairness. Ultimately, our goal is to increase the well-being of our members by creating a better work-life.

CLAC will help balance the relationship between Crandall faculty and administration and ensure faculty is a valued partner in building Crandall’s future. Unionization allows faculty to negotiate their employment conditions, resolve disagreements, and work within a cooperative framework where all parties are legally accountable to one another. Crandall faculty will continue to share Crandall’s mission of transforming lives through quality university education firmly rooted in the Christian faith.

As a non-partisan, independent union, CLAC is accountable to its membership, not outside organizations or interests. CLAC establishes workplace-specific collective agreements, which enables them to help meet the specific needs and priorities of each work community. Crandall faculty will benefit from the resources, programs, and labour relations expertise of CLAC, creating an ideal balance of independence and community.