This post provides background for positions on compensation that are likely to be a crucial piece of our negotiations this semester.
The first plot demonstrates the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for the U of L since 2013, compared with the Alberta Consumer Price Index (Feb. year over year as was used in previous Collective Agreements). While the actual COLA figure used in some previous CAs was the average of the Alberta CPI and Canada CPI, just the AB-CPI was used here for simplicity (results using the averaged CPI are similar). Fig. 1 illustrates that since the 1% salary cut in 2013, UL compensation has eroded by an order of 10% (worse than 12% erosion with the proposed 4% rollback).
Figure 1. Historical UL COLA values compared with AB-CPI over the same period (top), and Cumulative Effect of UL COLA with inflation/CPI factored in (bottom).
Schedule A Background Information, Agreed Comparator Institutions
The following viewgraphs were shared at the [virtual] negotiation table during the September 27 negotiation session as part of an ULFA proposal presentation on Schedule A.
There are 5 comparator institutions historically agreed upon between the Board and ULFA for negotiation purposes: University of Alberta (Edmonton), University of Calgary (Calgary), University of Regina (Regina), University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), and Trent University (Peterborough). These represent the main research universities that are closest to us in a geographic (and political) context, together with one university in Ontario that is very comparable in terms of size, age, etc. The most recent mean, median, 10th percentile, and 90th percentile statistics Canada data were collected on faculty compensation within the following categories: Full Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Male, and Female. Tables 1 and 2 show these data for the U of L (Tab. 1) and the combined comparator institutions (Tab. 2). Red text in Tabs. 1 & 2 indicates the lower value between the two tables.
Table 1. 2020-21 Statistics Canada data for faculty compensation.
| UL | mean | median | 10%ile | 90%ile |
| Full professor | $165,425 | $157,250 | $127,550 | $212,025 |
| Associate professor | $130,025 | $126,625 | $98,500 | $165,525 |
| Assistant professor | $102,275 | $97,125 | $80,650 | $134,200 |
| Males | $133,450 | $126,600 | $88,125 | $189,825 |
| Females | $120,575 | $120,000 | $82,875 | $163,375 |
Table 2. Average 2020-21 Statistics Canada data for faculty compensation for the 5 comparator institutions.
| Pooled Comparators | mean | median | 10%ile | 90%ile |
| Full professor | $177,637.50 | $172,606.25 | $146,475.00 | $214,450.00 |
| Associate professor | $138,631.25 | $137,200.00 | $117,537.50 | $158,918.75 |
| Assistant professor | $109,831.25 | $106,193.75 | $95,087.50 | $128,043.75 |
| Males | $151,425.00 | $147,993.75 | $103,068.75 | $204,425.00 |
| Females | $136,368.75 | $132,162.50 | $96,993.75 | $181,656.25 |
Note how the U of L is below average in 90% of the cases above. These results are shown in a graphical format in Fig. 2 below.
Figure 2. 2020-21 Statistics Canada data for U of L and comparator faculty compensation.
The difference between the U of L and comparators is shown in dollar value in Fig. 3 and as percentages in Fig. 4.
Figure 3. 2020-21 faculty compensation U of L / comparator difference as dollars.
Figure 4. 2020-21 faculty compensation U of L / comparator difference as percentages.
The ULFA presentation on Schedule A proposed two years of 2% increases to compensate for inflationary losses combined with two years of 4% increases as a comparator adjustment to make up some of the difference detailed above.
You can follow the status of all Articles opened during this round of negotiations here.
