"We believe the offer provided significant improvements in wages and benefits for our CUPE employees and we are disappointed that the CUPE membership rejected it and have chosen instead to remain on strike," said Barb Pollock, the University of Regina's Vice-President of External Relations.

The November 20 offer would have been retroactive to January 1, 2007, and would have expired on December 31, 2009. If accepted, it would have provided CUPE employees at the U of R with an average increase in wages and benefits of 17.85% over three years.

Financial items included:

• 2007 (2.5% salary adjustment plus a 2% wage increment) totalling 4.5%
• 2008 (2.75% salary adjustment plus a 2% wage increment) totalling 4.75%
• 2009 (3% salary adjustment plus 2% wage increment) totalling 5%
• One-time retention bonus of $750 for permanent employees and $375 for term employees, approximately 2.07%
• Pension contribution increase 1.35%
• One-time funding of $30,000 into benefit account, approximately .18%
• Salary ranges increased each year.

The U of R and the University of Saskatchewan will meet with the conciliator on Friday, November 30 to discuss next steps.

"We remain committed to providing a quality educational experience for our students and a secure, supportive workplace for our employees," Pollock added. "We value our CUPE colleagues and the services they provide, but we cannot let the decision to reject our latest offer stand in the way of our academic mission."

Final exams will go forward at the U of R as scheduled beginning on December 8, and classes for the Winter 2008 semester will begin as planned on January 7.

- 30 -