To All Members of the ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Community,

I am writing to you today to reaffirm that all members of CUPE 2424 are highly valued and highly respected members of our community.

I am also writing to you to correct misinformation that continues to be circulated by some in our community.

Contrary to what is being promoted by CUPE 2424 on its website, the university is NOT intending to take away pensions NOR change the pension to a defined contribution pension plan.

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University is in a very good and stable financial situation, and is unique among all Ontario universities for having not only a sustainable pension plan, but also a truly independently governed pension plan committee. That committee has made sure that all of our pensions are healthy and in strong positions and there is no reason to assume that this committee (which has a majority of employee group representatives) would ever take decisions that would undermine pensions for all our employees.

In the negotiations with CUPE 2424, the university is asking that specific language in the last contract be removed to ensure that all employees are paying the same contributions.

Contrary to some misinformation that continues to be circulated, the university is not asking for a concession. The reality is, it is unfair for any one employee group to have a veto over the pensions of all employee groups, especially when our jointly managed, independent pension committee has been so successful in protecting all ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ employees’ pensions for more than 50 years.

CUPE 2424 members are vital members of our community and are respected by all.

Yours sincerely,

Alastair Summerlee
President and Vice-Chancellor