Faculty at York University ratified a new collective agreement on October 14, 1999, with 71.8 per cent voting in favour of the settlement. The two-year settlement is retroactive to May 1, 1999.

In the first year of the agreement, the salary portion includes a progress through the ranks increment of $1,980. Salary increases are distributed in four ways: 0.5 per cent distributed across the board; 2.0 per cent distributed according to a Salary Adjustment Method -- a larger portion to address anomalies and a smaller portion to address Social Contract salary compression; 0.3 per cent in new funds for retiree benefits; and 0.2 per cent for raising salary floors by 7 per cent, setting an additional floor for Distinguished Research/University Professors, and providing a progress through the ranks increment upon promotion.

In the second year, progress through the ranks increments will continue at $1,980. There will be a 1.5 per cent across the board increase. A fund of $450,000 will be distributed to address pay equity issues. A new marketability fund of $210,000 will be distributed at the employer's discretion. A fund of $450,000 will be distributed to 180 members as cash merit bonuses.

The new agreement addresses issues of workload. Aside from retaining protection against increases in class size, the agreement provides additional teaching assistance for courses with more than 50 students, and guarantees that the slightly expanded librarian complement will be maintained.

The York settlement extends protection against contracting out of Internet credit courses, and improves training and resources for Internet courses. The determination of teaching loads in general now includes advising, graduate supervision and extraordinary course preparation.

It has been recommended to extend survivor pension benefits to same-sex partners. In addition, same-sex partners are now included in the definition of spouse.

Among other changes, the agreement guarantees better accommodation for persons with disabilities, and explicitly extends nondiscrimination provisions to harassment.