Congratulations to the McMaster University Academic Librarians’ Association (MUALA) for recently ratifying a new collective agreement! Members made significant monetary gains in keeping with their bargaining priorities of bringing McMaster librarians’ working conditions closer to the average for academic librarians across Ontario, significant benefits gains, and improvements for members with contractually limited appointments.
Following an initial increase to floors and ceilings in year one, members will receive annual across-the-board increases of 3% during the 2024-2028 agreement. Additionally, they received market adjustments to salaries, floors and ceilings in three out of the four years.
On the bargaining mandate priority of equitable benefits for precariously employed members, all members (regardless of probationary status), are now eligible for paid sick leave, Long-Term Disability, and membership in the group registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) from their date of hire. Further, starting in year three, members with contractually limited appointments will be eligible to receive a professional development allowance.
Retirement and benefits improvements include an increase in the group RRSP contribution rate for both employer and employee from 7 to 8%, enhanced vision care and pregnancy leave provisions, and a new health care spending account.