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Re: [SFUFA] Closing the certification chapter
Hi JD.
Yes, the vote is decided based on those who cast ballots.
The original message announcing the votes provided the full details - number of votes case (800), percentage who participated (73.3), number in favour (590), number opposed (210), and percentage of voters who voted YES (73%).
This last note was a short message to close the chapter, rather than the main announcement of results, hence the shortened report on the vote. We did try to make clear that the 73% referred to votes cast by including the statement that the number in favour constituted a majority even if non-voters are included in the count.
----- Original Message -----
From: "JD Fleming" <jfleming@sfu.ca>
To: "Brian Green" <brian_green@sfu.ca>
Cc: sfufa-members@sfu.ca, "sfufa forum" <academic-discussion@sfu.ca>
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2014 8:13:57 AM
Subject: Re: [SFUFA] Closing the certification chapter
Request for clarification: According to the messages we received yesterday, 590 out of 1091 eligible voters voted "yes" to certification.
I am under the impression that the criterion for certification is a percentage *of the membership* who vote in favour, not of votes cast.
The message below states: " SFUFA members have voted 73% in favour of legal recognition under the BC Labour Code."
This clearly implies that 73% *of the membership* voted "yes"; which, clearly, is not correct.
Yet the percentage who voted yes is the key determinant of certification, and, as such, merits clear acknowledgment.
So, Neil and Brian, please clarify, and please put an official percentage number *of the eligible voters* on the "yes" votes. And not just to me; but to the sfufa-members list, please. It would be a shame, I think, if the new era began under conditions of less than open information.
JD Fleming
English
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Green" <brian_green@sfu.ca>
To: sfufa-members@sfu.ca
Sent: Friday, 16 May, 2014 07:59:32
Subject: [SFUFA] Closing the certification chapter
Dear Members:
The following message is sent on behalf of SFUFA President Neil Abramson.
-----------
Colleagues:
As you will have seen, the results of the certification vote are now in, and SFUFA members have voted 73% in favour of legal recognition under the BC Labour Code. 800 members participated in the vote, with the result that a clear majority of ALL members, even counting those who did not participate, voted in favour of this step.
SFUFA would like to thank all of you who participated in the process, and particularly recognize those volunteers across campuses, faculties and departments who answered questions and collected cards to bring the vote about.
Certification provides a new legal framework to govern the work of the Association and its bargaining relationship with the University. More robust protections for the Association's rights exist now than has previously been the case, and we hope these will allow us to better serve and represent members.
We will now begin to prepare for a new kind of collective bargaining - the negotiation of a first true collective agreement. We are proud of our positive and productive relationship with the University, and we look forward to working with representatives of the administration to make this transition as smooth as possible for all involved.
The vote to certify was decisive. Members of the Association, however, do of course have a wide range of views on how SFUFA can best perform its work, what issues are of priority, and how those issues ought to be addressed. Whatever one's opinion on certification, SFUFA is your Association, and is committed to maintaining and strengthening the spirit of collegial debate we have so long enjoyed within the Association and across the university community. Indeed, the diversity of opinion is one of the great strengths of an organization such as this, and we encourage all members to continue to bring forward your thoughts, your questions and opinions, and to become active in the discussions and debates which guide SFUFA.
Neil Abramson
President, SFUFA
--
J ames Dougal Fleming
Associate Professor
Department of English
Simon Fraser University
778-782-4713
Burnaby -- British Columbia -- Canada.
And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Rev.22:3.
--
SFU Faculty Association
778-782-8181
brian_green@sfu.ca