McGill University Proposes Multi-Year Salary Freeze

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MONTREAL, QUEBEC – The McGill Administration has proposed a multi-year salary freeze for many of its support staff who are currently in conciliation. The university administration has been in negotiations for nearly two years with the McGill University Non-Academic Certified Association (MUNACA), the union representing these workers. The current contract expired in 2018.

The administration’s proposal reduces the maximum of many current salary scales, meaning that long-time employees currently at or near the top of the scale will see their salary frozen, in some cases until 2026.

Many of those affected are essential workers who operated on-site throughout the pandemic while the rest of the campus shut down and other staff worked from home. These workers provided animal care, on-site technical support, and worked front-line in residences with COVID outbreaks.

According to Statistics Canada, inflation in Montreal hit 5.7% in February, the highest level since 1991.

“This proposal is clearly unacceptable, especially in the current economy” says Thomas Chalmers, president of MUNACA, “It’s like they want us to go on strike.”

These negotiations follow a flurry of media coverage earlier this year around the salary of McGill’s retiring principal, Suzanne Fortier. She will receive over $860 000 in compensation this year, receiving an executive retirement bonus in addition to her base salary of $470,000.

Media Contact:
Thomas Chalmers, MUNACA President
president@munaca.com
514-398-6565