Dear Colleagues,
As your representative, I am writing with updates from UTFA Council on salary, benefits, and workload negotiations; the Administration’s unilaterally developed User Guide to U of T Policies on Protest and Use of Campus Services; part-time and limited-term faculty appointments; workload concerns; health and safety; and a new UTFA office.
Nearly sixteen months after bargaining commenced, UTFA’s Salary, Benefits, and Workload Negotiating Team began formal mediation with the senior Administration, seeking to reach a new deal for faculty and librarians. Our last agreement expired on June 30, 2023.
- UTFA’s Team has tabled a slate of detailed proposals on compensation, benefits, workload, member rights, and bargaining and dispute resolution consistent with members’ priorities and its bargaining mandate. The Administration has only superficially (if at all) engaged with many substantial matters of concern to the membership. For an overview of the status of UTFA’s proposals and the Administration’s levels of engagement with them, see here.
- We expect to go to binding arbitration to deal with unresolved issues in the New Year.
UTFA has heard serious concerns from many of our members about the Administration’s unilaterally developed User Guide to U of T Policies on Protest and Use of Campus Services and its restriction of our academic freedom and labour rights.
- In light of the Administration’s violation of our rights through its failure to consult with UTFA prior to enacting the new policy, UTFA’s leadership met with the Administration and recently sent a letter asking them to pause this policy and engage UTFA on these important issues. We have plans to further discuss this issue on November 1st. If you are in receipt of communication from the Administration that relies on the User Guide, UTFA wants to hear about it. Please write us at faculty@utfa.org
The UTFA Executive wants to work more closely with part-time and limited-term faculty members to improve their rights, status, and working conditions.
- Precarious part-time contracts at U of T have increased dramatically over the last decade.
- UTFA Member-at-Large Kim Mackinnon will be chairing an ad hoc committee to explore and address the challenges specific to faculty with part-time and limited-term contracts. If you are interested in participating, please contact her at mackinnon@utfa.org.
Through bargaining, grievances, and related forms of advocacy, UTFA’s leadership is combatting overwork and trying to resolve other workload-related issues members are facing.
- UTFA members are experiencing a host of major issues with their workloads, their unit workload policies, and systemic obstacles to improving those policies.
- You are encouraged to share your questions and concerns about workload and unit workload policies via advice@utfa.org.
Health and Safety: Helpful COVID-19 Resource from Dr. Tara Moriarity
- Professor Tara Moriarty, the co-founder and lead of COVID-19 Resources Canada, an academic-led organization of volunteer scientists and researchers, shared with UTFA Council an assessment of the ongoing (high) risks of COVID in our workplaces and communities. She also highlighted http://covid19resources.ca, an excellent, user-friendly, research-based resource UTFA members are encouraged to access, use, and disseminate.
UTFA has moved into new offices at 77 Bloor Street West, Suite 1800
- This bright, modern, and accessible new space will allow UTFA to host more hybrid and in-person events for members.
Follow UTFA on X (formerly known as Twitter)(@utfaculty), where we will soon be sending out more frequent updates about our activities, including ongoing negotiations and updates on the Canadian university labour sector.