UGH! I hope this doesn't mean another vote!!

WEB EXTRA: Mystery challenge endangers college pact

Wed Feb 14 2007
By Nick Martin


A labour deal that narrowly avoided a strike at Red River College late last month has been thrown into jeopardy by a mysterious legal challenge.

The Manitoba Government and General Employees Union said Tuesday it has learned the Manitoba Labour Board has been asked to toss out the results of a Jan. 26 vote.
But the union does not know who filed the complaint, and the labour board isn't talking.
About 1,200 employees voted 52 per cent in favour of accepting a new three-year deal from the college.


That avoided the first strike in Red River College's history.

The deal, retroactive to July 1, 2006, would see salaries of teaching staff increase 11.5 per cent over three years and wages of support workers rise 7.5 per cent.

The challenge filed with the labour board asks that the tribunal nullify the Jan. 26 vote and conduct another vote among the membership.

An unsigned copy of the complaint, obtained by the Winnipeg Free Press, alleges the ballots' wording was confusing and could lead members to misunderstand that they were voting separately on strike action, and if they did not want to strike, voting again on the college's last offer.


The challenge claims that secret balloting was not provided, that some members were deterred from voting by long lineups and delays, and that the union did not accurately present the college's final offer.

"It came as a surprise to us," MGEU spokesman John Baert said Tuesday. "I don't know who it was signed by. We do have to wait until the (labour board) ruling until we can sign the final documents."


Labour board registrar Janet Duff would not disclose who filed the complaint, saying it is board policy not to even confirm there is a complaint until all parties have been informed and have had time to file a response.

College spokeswoman Twylla Krueger said Red River was unaware of the challenge and had delivered the final wording of the new contract to the union for signatures.


Sources within the faculty said Tuesday that instructors were surprised to hear there is a challenge and had no idea who filed it.

An instructor said to be e-mailing unsigned copies of the complaint to other faculty members
could not be reached Tuesday. Meanwhile, Baert said employees at University College of the North are still in contract talks, and Assiniboine Community College staff have asked for conciliation.