The Communiqué – November 1, 2018
November 1, 2018
CUASA’s Instructor Town Hall, October 17, 2018
In this issue:
Council Meeting Recap – September 19, 2018
At the October meeting of CUASA Council, a number of issues were discussed, including the need to clarify the process by which retiree-members are elected to Council and how and which records of the Association are archived and protected. In addition, Association Officers presented their reports.
- Salary and Benefits Officer, Greg Franks (Systems & Computer Engineering), briefly reviewed the University’s recently released Audited Financial Statementsfor 2017-18 and accompanying Financial Report to the Board of Governors. As per these reports, the University’s financial position remains ‘robust’. Members are encouraged to consult these reports for further detail.
- Internal Affairs Officer, Brenda Vellino (English), will shortly be conducting an online Member Survey to obtain feedback on the activities and services of the Association.
- Our Chief Negotiator, Chantal Dion (French), spoke about some outstanding issues on the ratification of the Collective Agreement, in particular with regard to provisions regarding Instructor workloads (see below). These roadblocks mean that the official signing of the Agreement has been delayed once again.
Collective Agreement Ratification Issues for Instructors
As discussed at the Instructor Townhall on October 17, a dispute between CUASA and the employer has arisen regarding the new instructor workload calculation and its effective date of application. This will have significant implications for Instructors. The issue will be discussed with Mediator Kaplan, as it relates to the Minutes of Settlement. The employer is attempting to stop retroactive application of the new Collective Agreement (CA). Until this is resolved, the date for the official signing of the CA has been postponed.
Further to the CA, a Joint Parity Committee for Instructors was struck and will soon be starting its work. Per Article 12.6 of the CA the Joint Parity Committee is mandated to review issues relating to the Instructor rank at Carleton, and forward joint recommendations to the JCAA for consideration. We are in the process of scheduling the first meeting.
Sexual Violence Policy Review
On December 12, 2017, CUASA filed a grievance regarding the University’s sexual violence policy. The grievance concerns procedural fairness and confidentiality provisions in the original policy. At present, Carleton’s original sexual violence policy is undergoing review, and CUASA’s grievance regarding it is in abeyance pending the outcome. The University is in the ‘listening’ phase of the review process and has asked for comments and feedback from the Carleton community. Members may provide anonymous feedback via the review’s online consultation portal. Note that the feedback will be anonymous but not confidential – comments will be made available for the wider community in the feedback received on the consultation website. CUASA will monitor the policy’s development and make submissions during the grievance process as is necessary.
Professional Achievement Awards – Adjudicator Needed!
Applications and nominations for the University’s Professional Achievement Awards are now open. The awards are adjudicated by the Professional Achievement Awards Committee, which is composed of two people appointed by CUASA and two people appointed by the University. CUASA is seeking one more volunteer for this Committee. If you are interested, please contact CUASA President, Root Gorelick (Biology).
If you are innovative educator or distinctive researcher, or if you have a great idea for a teaching or research project, consider applying for one of these awards (applications are due on November 20):
- Five $10,000 Professional Achievement Awards (instructors)
- Two $10,000 Professional Achievement Awards (professional librarians)
Carleton’s Draft Free Speech Policy
The University Senate struck a task force to draft a Free Speech Policy for Carleton, as required by the Government of Ontario’s directive of August 30, 2018. The Senate task force presented its draft to Senate on October 19, 2018 for discussion. The draft Freedom of Speech policy is now available for review and comments from Carleton community members. CUASA encourages members to read the draft policy and provide feedback through the Senate’s website. The deadline for submissions is November 6, 2018.
At CUASA’s General Membership Meeting on October 3, 2018, a small group of participants discussed the government’s directive and raised a number of issues and concerns about it. A summary of that discussion is available here. The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) has also issued a statementof concerns about the government’s directive.
(No) Cannabis on Campus
Now that cannabis is a legal substance in Canada, it’s important to be clear about the University’s policy on cannabis use on campus and in the workplace. The most relevant provision of the Carleton University Alcohol and Cannabis Use Policy for CUASA members is the following, which expressly prohibits cannabis consumption anywhere on campus:
“No person shall smoke cannabis in a public place, vehicle or workplace on the Carleton University Campus including but not limited to buildings, garages and residences or consume cannabis in any areas prohibited by the Smoke-Free Ontario Act or any other applicable law.”
Carleton’s Tobacco Smoking and Cannabis Consumption on Campus policy similarly prohibits cannabis consumption anywhere on campus. Please note that other forms of cannabis, such as edibles and concentrates, cannot yet be legally sold in Canada. More information about the new laws can be found at the Government of Ontario and Government of Canada websites.
Carleton’s Transportation Plan
Carleton is developing a five-year Transportation Strategy, taking into account the patterns and needs of Carleton community members who rely on various modes of transportation, both on and off campus. For more information about the Strategy and to give your input through an online questionnaire, visit the website before November 6, 2018. You can also attend a drop-in session on November 2, from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the University Centre Galleria.
In the News: Bill 47 Update
Ontario’s Bill 47 – Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018
On October 23, 2018, the Government of Ontario introduced Bill 47 to repeal many of the gains made during the former government’s overhaul of labour and employment laws. In particular, the new Bill repeals articles on: equal pay for equal work done by contract, temporary and part-time workers; an increase of the minimum wage to $15/hour; enhanced bargaining unit consolidation provisions; and fairer rules for joining a union. In addition, the Bill reduces the duration and flexibility of paid emergency leave entitlements and eliminates entitlement to paid leave. A more detailed analysis of the changes in the proposed legislation is provided here, prepared by the law firm Goldblatt Partners. CUASA’s External Affairs officer, Angelo Mingarelli, has been involved in discussions with OCUFA to monitor these proposed changes and their implications for our members. We will keep you posted on this issue over the coming months.
Openings for Volunteers
CUASA has openings for a number of critical positions on Council, Steering, as well a number of other key committees. 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. We having openings for the following:
- Unit Representatives for Council (see the list of openings here)
- Treasurer, Equity Chair, and Nominations & Elections Officer on the Steering Committee
- Members for CUASA’s Equity, Internal Affairs, Grievance Policy and Administration, and Nominations & Elections committees
- Members for the University’s Salary Adjustment Commission (1), Senate Academic Program Committee (1), and Joint Health and Safety Committee (1)
Course on Nanomaterials
The Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) have collaborated to create a free e-course to help identify and safely control sources and products containing nanomaterials in the workplace, to protect workers from harm. Nanomaterials are used in an ever-increasing number of products such as computer hard drives, clothing, and glare-reducing coatings for eyeglasses and cars, and continue to be a quickly developing area of research and manufacturing. With these miniscule materials, come some potentially big health hazards for workers, especially for those who use nanotechnology in research or production processes and may be exposed to nanomaterials through inhalation, skin contact, or ingestion. Nanotechnology and Health is a free, 30-minute e-course that provides workers, managers, supervisors, and health and safety committee members with information on nanomaterials that may be found in Canadian workplaces. The course covers the potential health hazards of nanomaterials and how workers can be protected from related illness and injury. Members can access the e-course by following this link.
Coming Events – Mark Your Calendars!
- CUASA Council Meeting, November 21, 1-3pm, 4351 Herzberg Building
- CUASA Council Meeting, December 19, 1-3pm, 4351 Herzberg Building
- In the new year, keep a look out for CUASA’s Tenure and Promotion Workshops
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CUASA Communiqué, November 2018 The Communiqué is published by the Carleton University Academic Staff Association (CUASA), Dunton Tower Suite 2003, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Canada, K1S 5B6 ([email protected]). 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 to the editor, photographs, and other submissions to the Editor. The Editor of the Communiqué is CUASA’s Communications Officer (Vandna Bhatia, Political Science) and can be reached at [email protected] You can find CUASA’s Accessible Customer Service Policy here. |
