The Communiqué – November 28, 2019
November 28, 2019
In this issue:
Women at the Bargaining Table: Film Screening Invitation
You are invited to the inaugural screening of Women at the bargaining table. White collar unionization at Carleton University. This documentary is based on Martha Attridge Bufton’s master’s thesis Solidarity by Association: The Unionization of Faculty, Academic Librarians and Support Staff at Carleton University (1973-1976). The event will begin with a light lunch, followed by a brief introduction, the screening of the film and then a panel discussion and Q&A with the filmmakers.
Date: December 5, 2019
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Place: Room 252 MacOdrum Library
RSVP required – please do so by November 30, 2019
If you have any questions, please contact Martha Attridge Bufton ([email protected])
Click here for more details and to register. Watch the trailer here.
Vacant Steering Positions
At CUASA we do more than just negotiate your salary and yearly pay raises. Our mission is to defend all your rights under the negotiated Collective Agreement. Most of the time you probably won’t need us for anything and just go along with your work and teaching duties. Some day, however, something seemingly unfair may happen to you that will require our assistance. When that day comes you need to hope that one of our members is there to help you. Yet we have many vacancies on our committees and a few of us are now covering many portfolios at the expense of our research and other duties.
Our Association is only as strong as its membership, so we count on the time and commitment of our members to achieve our goals. The Collective Agreement recognizes CUASA work as Service in members’ annual reviews. CUASA may purchase teaching releases under Article 18.8(c), subject to budget availability, and application to/approval by the Steering committee.
The following Steering positions are currently vacant (click the title to see position descriptions):
- Instructor Representative (two-year term, 2019-2021)
- Treasurer (two-year term, 2019-2021)
- External Relations Officer (two-year term, 2019-2021)
- Communications Officer (two-year term, 2019-2021)
- Chair, Equity (two-year term, 2019-2021)
- Chair, Nominations and Elections (two-year term, 2019-2021; note that there is a 0.5 credit teaching release added for this term)
If you are interested in any of these positions, please contact the CUASA Office for a nomination form, either by dropping by 2003 Dunton Tower, or by emailing [email protected].
Our colleagues at the University of Northern British Columbia Faculty Association (UNBCFA) have been on strike since November 7. You can lend support by sending a letter to the UNBC administration calling for a fair deal. Letters can be sent from the UNBCFA website by clicking here.
OCUFA Statement re. Court Ruling on Student Choice Initiative
The Ontario Divisional Court has struck down the Ford government’s controversial “Student Choice Initiative” (SCI), finding the directive both unlawful and a violation of university autonomy.
“This ruling affirms that the principles of institutional autonomy and academic freedom are fundamental to the functioning of Ontario’s universities and the rights of faculty and students,” said Rahul Sapra, President of OCUFA.
Read the full OCUFA statement on the court’s decision here.
On November 6, faculty from across the province gathered at Queen’s Park for the annual OCUFA Advocacy Day. Advocacy Day provided an opportunity for faculty to meet with MPPs and advocate to advocate for stronger public funding for postsecondary education, fairness for contract faculty, faculty renewal, and against Bill 124. CUASA President Angelo Mingarelli and Director Christal Côté were in attendance. You can read OCUFA’s summary of Advocacy day here, and be sure to check out CUASA’s Twitter page here for pictures of Angelo and Christal’s day.
Bill 124 Now Law
As we told you previously, the provincial government held just one day of public hearings, and then used a limited debate time of just one hour to rush through the passage of Bill 124. The Bill passed and received Royal Assent on November 7, meaning it is now law.
This means CUASA will be subject to its terms in our next round of bargaining, meaning we will see a three-year moderation period from May 1, 2021 to April 30, 2024. For this moderation period, we will see a one per cent cap on increases in salary and compensation.
This law unfairly restricts the rights of CUASA members to fair and unrestricted bargaining. We bargain directly with the University, not with the provincial government. Yet, we will be subject to unwarranted government interference as long as this law stands.
Call for Assistance: Data Analysis
CUASA is seeking additional volunteers to assist with completing data analysis. If you have experience in this area and would like to help, please contact Josh Horton at [email protected]. For more information about the analysis work, please email Chantal Dion at [email protected].
Doug Ford in Ottawa
Doug Ford is hosting a fundraising dinner in Ottawa on December 10, with tickets at $1000 each. The Ottawa Coalition Against Ford is organizing a protest of the event – Tuesday, December 10, 5:00pm, 200 Coventry Rd (Ottawa Conference and Events Centre).
If you haven’t already, please take a moment to review our brief President’s Survey, which asks for your thoughts on what is or isn’t working for you as a member of this Association. Which questions you answer are entirely at your discretion, and we welcome any and all responses. You can access the survey here.
Call for Committee Volunteers
The Collective Bargaining Committee is seeking one or two members from the Faculty of Public Affairs to join its ranks and help prepare for the next round of bargaining. For more information on the CBC, please see Bylaw 7 here.
We are also seeking one volunteer for the Salary Adjustment Commission, and the Joint Committee on Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
If you are interested in volunteering for any of these vacancies, please email [email protected].
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CUASA Communiqué, November 28, 2019 The Communiqué is published by the Carleton University Academic Staff Association (CUASA), 2003 Dunton Tower, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Canada, K1S 5B6. Past issues are archived on the CUASA Web site at CUASA.ca. The Communiqué publishes CUASA-related news and information for our Members and provides Members with a forum to express their CUASA-related ideas and opinions. We want to hear from you! Please send your CUASA-related story ideas, news items, opinion pieces, letters, photographs, and other submissions to the CUASA Office at [email protected]. You can find CUASA’s Accessible Customer Service Policy here. |
