FARDP Negotiations Update – October 2025

FARDP Negotiations updates for October 2025:

October 3, 2025

At the September 26th bargaining session, FARDP had requested an official response to items in their proposal for which RDP had not yet responded in writing. These included items from Article 7 (Sessional), Article 8 (workload), Article 10 (salary), and FARDP’s proposed article on working conditions. In RDP’s counter proposal provided on October 3rd, they provided formal responses to Article 7, 8, and working conditions. The official responses for outstanding items in article 10 are expected at the next bargaining meeting on October 17th. While parties are still far apart on workloads, we are pleased to announce that RDP has tentatively agreed to reduce the number of years before a sessional position is converted to a probationary period. The probationary period continues to be 3 years (status quo), however, RDP has tentatively agreed to convert sessional positions to probationary after 2 years (instead of 3).  RDP has also tentatively agreed to wording regarding Chairs. “All Members shall have a Chair. The Chair is normally a Continuous Member.” And finally, RDP has tentatively agreed to adding the following language to the collective agreement: “Programs with at least 1 cohort of students and at least 2 full time faculty, shall normally have at least 1 continuous faculty member as of June 2026.” FARDP appreciates RDP agreeing to these changes. Please note that these changes are tentative. Both parties reserve the rights to return to previous proposals at this time, since entire packages of changes are being negotiated.

The parties have added October 17, November 14, and December 5 as bargaining dates.