The Laurentian University Staff Union (LUSU) and Laurentian University’s Board of Governors have ratified a new three-year collective agreement.
The agreement for the approximately 230 LUSU members is in place until June 30, 2027.
The deal will see LUSU members receiving annual salary increases of 4 per cent as of July 1, 2024. A copy of the agreement will be shared on Laurentian.ca once finalized.
"With the ratification of a new collective agreement, we are now able to redirect all our attention towards providing support to students, in both their academic and research goals,” said LUSU President Tom Fenske.
Dr. Lynn Wells, Laurentian’s president and vice-chancellor, said the agreement is a “key step” in the institution’s recovery from insolvency.
“This agreement marks a key step in Laurentian’s recovery, enabling us to move forward in a positive way with the execution of our new strategic plan,” Wells said. “We are thankful for the work of both bargaining committees and are now focused on delivering a dynamic student experience this fall.”
The deal was reached at the end of June.
“This tentative agreement is great news for our employees and the entire Laurentian community. I want to thank our partners at LUSU for their hard work and cooperation as well as the administrative bargaining team for their support throughout this process,” said Laurentian president Lynn Wells, in a press release issued June 29.
As outlined in the 2024-2029 Strategic Plan, Laurentian University identified four strategic directions to guide decision making. One of these directions is defined as “Valuing and Supporting Our People” and we’re proud to put that direction into action.”
"This is a positive sign, indicating that Laurentian's leadership is demonstrating a commitment to reinvesting in its most valuable asset: its employees,” said LUSU president Tom Fenske, in the press release.
The staff union’s previous collective agreement was signed in 2020. With Laurentian telling the union it was facing financial troubles, LUSU entered negotiations one year early, and offered a number of concessions.
This included a salary cut that allowed the university to save $1.8 million and the union cutting Laurentian a $450,000 cheque to prevent members from having to take furlough days.