Concordia University’s professional employees have reached an agreement with their employer that includes new hybrid work provisions, following a seven-day strike.
The 600 members of the Concordia University Professional Employees Union (CUPEU–CSN) in Montreal voted overwhelmingly in favour of an Agreement in Principle, with 91% support during a general meeting on Sept. 18, 2024.
The agreement marks a significant change in working conditions after more than a year of negotiations centred on hybrid work guidelines. “This achievement is the outcome of relentless mobilization from our members, who fought not only for a better work-life balance but also to leave a legacy for future generations of professionals graduating from our university,” said Shoshana Kalfon, president of CUPEU–CSN, in a statement.
In June 2023, approximately half of the union’s members were impacted by a decision from Concordia University to limit hybrid work to just one day per week. The new agreement addresses this, ensuring that affected employees now have a minimum of 30% remote work over a two-week period. For those who previously had greater flexibility, the new terms also protect them from future unilateral changes by management.
“For a year, Concordia University maintained an anachronistic posture that prevented the union from broaching the subject of hybrid work in their negotiations,” said Caroline Senneville, president of the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN). “The CSN is glad the management has come to its senses as hybrid work is here to stay in professional workplaces.”
The strike marked the first time the union had exercised its right to strike. “The union’s mobilization allowed them to make gains they would otherwise have had to forgo,” said Dominique Daigneault, president of the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain–CSN (CCMM–CSN). “The members can be proud of having stood their ground.”
“The framing of hybrid work in the collective agreement is a foundation on which to build in future negotiations,” said Jessica Goldschleger, president of the Fédération des professionnèles–CSN (FP–CSN).
The Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) represents nearly 330,000 workers in Quebec across a range of sectors, including the approximately 8,000 members of the Fédération des professionnèles.