Members of the University of Prince Edward Island Faculty Association voted Feb. 13 to ratify their first collective agreement with the university, which was reached after more than two years of bargaining.

Faculty association president Larry Hale said after the vote: "Our members are pleased with the outcome of these long and difficult negotiations. The improvements we achieved show that unionization was a very important step in the life of our faculty association."

The five-year agreement calls for a 15 per cent pay raise for full-time faculty and librarians over the life of the agreement and a 26.7 per cent increase in the per course payment for sessional staff with an additional 6 per cent in lieu of benefits. Sessionals also now have seniority rights through a roster, and right of recall after teaching a course for three times.

The hourly rate for clinical nursing instructors (half-time positions for eight months a year) increases by 20.9 per cent over the life of the agreement. Instructors will also receive an additional 6 per cent in lieu of vacations, a new shift premium of $1.50 an hour for night and weekend work, and a professional development expense reimbursement of $360 (40 per cent of the amount for full-time faculty and librarians).

The contract also provides for a pool of 75 courses a year available for workload reduction, and it adds a research start-up grant of $2,500 for new faculty members.

Full salary top-ups are provided for 10 weeks of parental leave, and the contract requires the university to pay its share of pension and benefits for the full 35 weeks of parental leave.

Also for the first time, clinical faculty in the Atlantic Veterinary College will receive $150 a week while on call and $70 per billable hour of work performed on emergency calls, and the university also agreed to pay for all necessary personal protective equipment.

Layoffs can now only occur under financial exigency that can be declared by the board of governors only if it is first recommended by a committee composed of two members appointed by the board, two by the faculty association and a jointly determined chair.

Intellectual property provisions will give members ownership of traditional works of authorship, control over commercialization of intellectual property, and shared ownership (50:50) with the university when the member uses university facilities beyond what is normally provided. Normal provision includes use of laboratories and staff services to keep the laboratories in operation.

A new justice and dignity clause provides full pay and benefits in cases of dismissal, for six months or until an arbitrator's decision, whichever comes first. There is language for expedited arbitration in cases of dismissal.

CAUT chief negotiations officer Neil Tudiver said congratulations were in order for the faculty association leadership and the entire membership. "The collective agreement provides rights and benefits that are far beyond what existed in the previous handbook," Tudiver said.