On March 23, 2005, Kwantlen University College reached a settlement with its faculty union, Kwantlen Faculty Association (KFA), for a new collective agreement for the term April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2007. Kwantlen ratified the settlement on March 29, 2005 and KFA ratified the settlement on April 1, 2005. The PSEA Board of Directors ratified the settlement on May 10, 2005.

The settlement will be a revised version of the March 31, 2004 expired agreement, that will include items in the previous Faculty Common Agreement (April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2004), except as modified by the Memoranda of Agreement (MoA).

SUMMARY OF MONETARY ITEMS:

Salary scale contained in Appendix A (Option 1) of the March 18, 2005 MID/FPSE MoA:

• 0% in Year 1
• Net 0% in Year 2 that includes a 2% wage stipend offset by cost savings. Discussions regarding the 2% 'net zero' stipend and its offsets are still under negotiation by the parties.
• 1.5% increase in Year 3 applied as an additional increment step to the existing common grid, plus the difference, if any, between 1.5% and the increase of any faculty agreement that includes the Provincial Salary Scale.

Adjustment to secondary scales as set out in Article 12.2 of the MID/FPSEA MoA

OTHER SETTLEMENT ITEMS ADDRESSED:

• New LOU for a 0.6% employer directed professional development fund
• New LOU on Partial Sick Leave and Partial Disability Benefits
• Revisions to the harassment procedure
• Amendments to language on retiree bridging
• Changes to Extended Health Benefits - eye vision exams reimbursed to a maximum of $75.00 every two years
• New provision on health and safety equipment
• Amendments to current LOU on International Education
• Harmonization of the common and the local provisions into an integrated document

The parties agreed to a resolution process where Peter Cameron and Vince Ready will act as arbitrators to assist the parties to reach agreement on issues relating to regularization, parental and compassionate leave, targeted labour adjustment, distributed learning, and Article 1.2 of the previous Collective Agreement (Common). Submissions have been made by the parties and they are awaiting the decision.