Vol. 27, No. 2 - September 1996

PROGRAM REDUNDANCY

Questions have been raised about the new provision for program redundancy

as part of the Financial Stringency Document in the collective agreement.

Since the employer was unable to explain what was meant by a program or a

partial program which might become redundant CUASA felt that direction

from the senior academic body was necessary before the parties could

proceed (Senate provided direction on Financial Stringency which was

incorporated into the Collective Agreement as Appendix D). Therefore, the

contract requires the following process to be undertaken with respect to

program redundancy:

The parties have agreed that Senate be requested to discuss the matter

of program redundancy.

The parties have agreed to implement any resolution(s) of Senate on

redundancy by memorandum of agreement to be negotiated and approved by the

Joint Committee to Administer the Agreement within one month of Senate's

resolution(s).

The parties must ratify the agreement and then it will become part of

the collective agreement.

If, within one month of Senate's resolution(s), the parties fail to

agree, any lay-off of academic staff due to program redundancy shall be

carried out using the existing contract language for lay-off in the event

of financial stringency. That is, a Faculty Role (through a Dean's

Advisory Committee), a Departmental Role, a Committee of Review, as well

as Articles 17.6, 17.7 and 17.8 of the 1996-7 Collective Agreement

(deletes reference to transfer under Article 17.8 of all previous

agreements). The compensation and protection of benefits set out in

Article 17.8 remain intact.

If Senate has proclaimed resolution(s) on program redundancy, and

program redundancy has been declared, should the procedures identified in

paragraph 4 above not have been completed after two months, then the

provisions of Article 17.10(e) shall be substituted.

In short, no process of program redundancy will be introduced without the

direct approval of Senate.

NEW COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT

CUASA submitted a revised collective agreement for the period May 1, 1996

to April 30, 1997 to the employer for review on September 6, 1996. It is

hoped that the parties will be able to agree on the final text before the

end of September so that it can be printed and distributed as soon as

possible.

1996-7 COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The arbitrated settlement on compensation for the period of the 1996-97

Collective Agreement has been announced as an average increase of 0.6%.

It should be pointed out that the disbursement of this small increase in

compensation favours the lower paid, who actually will receive an increase

greater than 0.6%. While the increase will be different depending on

circumstances, the following data will allow you to calculate what your

compensation increase is likely to be.

*0% Scale Increase in 1996-7 for all CUASA unit employees

*Full CDI in 1996-7

Value of CDI in 1996-7:

$1990 for those faculty with salaries between the floor of the Assistant Professor $39,620 and the 20 step breakpoint $79,240

= 5.02% increase on a salary of $39,620

= 3.32% increase on a salary of $60,000

= 2.58% increase on a salary of $77,000

$1320 for those faculty with salaries between $79,240 and $99,050

= 1.67% increase on a salary of $79,240

= 1.55% increase on a salary of $85,000

= 1.36% increase on a salary of $97,000

$0 for those faculty with salaries in excess of $99,050

$1890 for those professional librarians with salaries below $75,480

$1260 for those professional librarians with salaries between $75,480 and

$94,350

$1600 for those instructors with salaries below $63,640

$1060 for those instructors with salaries between $63,640 and 79,550

*4 Unpaid days of leave (for those earning in excess of $39,620) to be

taken in consultation with chair/director or university librarian before

April 30, 1997 in a manner which shall not interfere with scheduled

teaching. Unpaid leave days will be pro-rated for those on reduced

workload or sabbatical. The 4 days will be deducted over 8 months

commencing the end of September. The "Excess Pension Surplus" will again

mean that members of the pension plan will not pay the full 6% of nominal

salary to their pensions - the payment will be made from the excess

surplus. This savings in pension premiums is expected to be 4 to 5 days

of pay which should completely offset the unpaid days.

*Minor changes to Benefits (these changes will be reflected in the

Benefits Booklet and not the Collective Agreement):

Extended Health Care Plan:  a maximum dispensing fee will be negotiated

and the plan will only reimburse to that maximum amount.  Individuals

using pharmacies which charge in excess of the rate negotiated will be

responsible for the difference. 



Dental Plan:

    (a) the previous year's Ontario Dental Association Fees 

    will be used to calculate the cost recovery and individuals

    who see dentists on the current ODA schedule will find that

    they will not be reimbursed for the full amount. 



    (b) change from having the cost of bi-annual check-ups covered

    to having the cost of one annual check-up covered.