RAAS Report
RAAS REPORT
Friday, November 27, 2020
PRESIDENT’S UPDATE
It is a particularly stressful time as we approach the end of term. I sincerely hope you are all taking good care of yourselves.
RAAS will hold its next membership meeting on Thursday, December 3rd from 1-3pm. Unlike previous meetings, we will be sending out written reports to save time for more discussion. The agenda, with reports, was sent out this morning via email. During the meeting we will be discussing what we hope are the final stages of negotiations, includingCompensation. We will also discuss the possibility, should we not reach an agreement shortly, of applying for conciliation services with the Ontario Labour Board. Another important discussion will be how to improve communication so that all members, across programs and employment categories, feel fully represented by RAAS. Lastly, the Executive would like to discuss the possibility of a contract for an anti-racism advisor specific to RAAS (in keeping with a recent role with FAUW). We want to hear from all of you on these issues, so please make every effort to attend the meeting.
In the meantime, it is important to keep in touch with any member of the RAAS Executive should any issues regarding working conditions arise or if you have any questions or concerns.
I look forward to seeing you all next week!
Kristina Llewellyn
RAAS President
NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
Recent negotiations have focused on Compensation. In August, the Admin team submitted a proposal for a new grid system for compensation that would abandon parity with UW and St. Jerome's and shift to comparator institutions. On November 13 (after negotiating other articles), the RAAS team responded with a proposal that would keep our compensation explicitly tied to salary floors, thresholds, scale increases and "merit" increases negotiated by FAUW/UW (with a couple of significant concessions).
At our November 20th negotiation session, the Admin team expressed openness to the model we proposed, but were unwilling to commit to anything negotiated in another institution. In response, on November 24th the RAAS team returned to the table with a proposal based on UW figures for salary floors, thresholds, and merit increases (which we are now calling "Progression Through the Ranks" or "PTR"), but without explicitly tying our compensation to UW-FAUW negotiations. The Employer team is considering this proposal and is expected to respond at our next negotiation session on December 2nd.
While our Compensation proposal makes explicit a "desired goal" to keep faculty salaries in parity with those at UW, it also includes some significant concessions that the negotiating team believes are needed to get to an agreement and which we believe RAAS members will find reasonable. Please be sure to attend the Annual General Meeting on December 3rd for details.
At the November 24th session, in response to queries from some RAAS members, the RAAS negotiating team also tabled a (final?) new article on Reduced Workload to Retirement, based on UW Policy 59. The Employer team is considering this proposal. Remaining to be finalized, in addition to this article, are very specific elements of articles onFinancial Exigency, Program Redundancy, Layoffs, and Professional Expenses Reimbursement.
We are confident that if we can get to an agreement on Compensation, that we can find ways to resolve outstanding differences on the remaining articles.
Rob Case
RAAS Lead Negotiator
BOARD UPDATE
The Board of Governors met on November 18th. The meeting included a relatively upbeat -- if still circumspect -- update on Renison's financial position and projections, the gist of which Wendy shared through the Town Hall on November 19th. The meeting also included a thank you and farewell to outgoing Board members, including Hanqing Wu (who has served one term), and Peter Roe (who has served since at least 1980).
A reminder that nominations for the Faculty Rep on the Board are to be submitted to Lisa Kessig(lisa.kessig@uwaterloo.ca) by 12:00 PM today. Please include a confirmation that your nominee has agreed to stand.
Rob Case
Faculty Board Rep
SATIRE
Man graduates from university application process
Scott Martin, The Beaverton (November 23, 2020)
After an eternal time studying, countless hours researching articles on the nation’s schools, coordinating multiple reviews of student experiences, and many sleepless nights, 26-year-old Darren Ratner has finally graduated from the university application process.
NOT SATIRE
The role of collective bargaining in advancing university goals
Michelle Webber and Linda Rose-Krasnor, Academic Matters (November 13, 2020)
Universities play a vital role in society and the principles of academic freedom, tenure, equity, and institutional autonomy are foundational to their success. How are these principles defended and strengthened? Through collective bargaining.
CAUT NEWS
RAAS is a member of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), a nation-wide association of our peers.
89th CAUT COUNCIL MEETING
The 89th Annual CAUT Council Meeting is taking place on November 26th and 27th (today), with workshops on topics such as "Defending Collegial Governance" and "Lessons from Remote Bargaining." The Meeting will also include reports from CAUT committees and officers, awards presentations, and other business matters. The agenda and materials are available here: https://council.caut.ca/
Rob Case and Kristina Llewellyn will be in attendance for RAAS, while Jason Blokhuis will be attending the first of two full-day OCUFA Grievance Committee meetings for RAAS. If you would like to take part in CAUT or OCUFA meetings as a RAAS delegate, please contact any member of your RAAS executive team.
OCUFA NEWS
RAAS is a member of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), a province-wide association of our peers.
Collective strength in precarious times – New issue of Academic Matters
OCUFA News (November 20, 2020)
The latest issue of Academic Matters explores how collective negotiation has helped to ensure that the principles of the university are upheld and that academic staff are treated and compensated fairly. In the shadow of COVID-19, it is through this process that faculty associations are working to protect their members so that they can effectively carry on teaching, research, and librarianship during the pandemic. You can read the issue for free online.
Release of OCUFA survey on the impact of COVID-19 on university life and education
Mark Rosenfeld, OCUFA News (November 24, 2020)
Please find here the link to the OCUFA survey of faculty, academic librarians and students regarding the impact of COVID-19 on university life and education. The survey, which was released this morning, shows that the move to online learning, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to a decline in education quality and has significantly increased student and faculty stress levels. Also here is the link to the OCUFA media release about the survey.
Coronavirus and gender: More chores for women set back gains in equality
Sandrine Lungumbu and Amelia Butterly, BBC News (November 25, 2020)
The coronavirus pandemic could wipe out 25 years of increasing gender equality, new global data from UN Women suggests. Women are doing significantly more domestic chores and family care, because of the impact of the pandemic. "Everything we worked for, that has taken 25 years, could be lost in a year," says UN Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia.
How the government restricts free and fair collective bargaining
Donna Gray, Academic Matters (November 13, 2020)
Looking back over half a century of bargaining by university faculty and librarians, it is clear that not all academics have seen the same benefits. Is the Ontario Labour Relations Act to blame and how can the scales be rebalanced?
King's receives $1 million donation in memory of Elizabeth Russell, former Chief Librarian
Education News Canada (November 25, 2020)
Elizabeth Russell made a big impact on library services at King's during her 23-year career as a Librarian back in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. […] A $1 million donation from her estate, one of the largest individual gifts in King's history, will ensure improved accessibility for all patrons, enhanced technology and improved study space.
Cronyism, unwanted sexual conduct areas of concern at Brock University
Sean Vanderklis, St Catharines Standard (November 25, 2020)
Retention problems, cronyism and unwanted sexual conduct have all been identified as areas of concern in a climate assessment survey conducted by Brock University. The survey found that 35 per cent of faculty and staff respondents indicated they had observed unjust hiring practices at the Niagara university. “Some of the survey findings are disappointing, but not entirely surprising,” said Michelle Webber, president of Brock’s faculty association.
Carleton University student hopes to include anti-bias training in all fields of study
CBC News (November 22, 2020)
Some students and faculty members at universities in Ottawa are calling on administrators to require inclusion and diversity training for all students to help eliminate discrimination, even beyond graduation. "When we entered the workforce. We're not prepared. We're not well prepared to to face a diverse population," said Carleton University student Khadija El-Halil […]
University of Manitoba faculty ratifies wage agreement; strike off table for 2020
Skylar Peters, Global News (November 21, 2020)
There will be no interruption to learning for students at the University of Manitoba — at least, not due to a labour dispute, for a few more months. The University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) voted to ratify the agreement reached between the union and the school earlier this week, by a slim margin of 55 per cent.
100 UBC students accused of cheating on math midterm
CBC News (November 24, 2020)
The University of British Columbia has launched an investigation after more than 100 entry-level math students were accused of cheating on their midterm exam several days ago. The investigation became public after an ominous note from the students' professor was posted online late Monday. It was also circulated to students directly.
FAUW NEWS
RAAS has a service agreement with the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW), a campus-wide association of our peers
Special Advisor on Racism and Anti-Racism
FAUW News (November 13, 2020)
The FAUW Board is pleased to announce that Kathy Hogarth, an associate professor of Social Work at Renison University College, will be FAUW’s Special Advisor on Racism and Anti-Racism. Professor Hogarth is a founding member of the Black Faculty Collective and a member of FAUW’s Equity Committee. Her experience in helping organizations guide internal transformation and her research expertise in the areas of racism and equity will be a huge asset to FAUW as we shape our response to the university’s efforts on this subject and reconsider some of how FAUW operates.