By: Nigmendra Narain, OCUFA President December 6 marks 34 years since the deadly misogynistic massacre of 14 women engineering students at L’Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal. December 6th is now known as National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, and every year we remember the 14 women killed in Montreal and recommit to ending […]
OCUFA’s Equity and Social Justice Committee (ESJC) began the 2023-2024 year with events signalling its commitment to a greater action orientation and engagement with current issues impacting members at the committee’s annual Equity Training Workshop and its first meeting of the year this fall. At a session called “Organizing for social justice and equity: Learning […]
The Ford government has submitted its factum to the Ontario Court of Appeal in its case against the Ontario Superior Court of Justice’s declaration that Bill 124 violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. OCUFA supports the Superior Court’s declaration of Bill 124 as null and void, and opposes the government’s decision to file an […]
During two days of all-out pickets in late February and early March, OCUFA staff, member organizations, and allies showed their support online and in person for the Ontario Nurses’ Association as they bargained with the Ontario Hospital Association and the provincial government for a new contract. Nurses are fighting for better staffing and fairer wages, […]
SUDBURY/TORONTO, December 6, 2022 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) supports a call from the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) for a public inquiry into the financial crisis at Laurentian University, which led to unprecedented program cuts and faculty and staff job losses. “A public inquiry is necessary to ensure that the disaster that took place […]
The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the Canadian Federation of Students – Ontario (CFSO) collectively commend the government’s interest in protecting sexual violence survivors. However, we raise concerns about elements of the newly announced Strengthening Post-secondary Institutions and Students Act, […]
TORONTO, November 30, 2022 – Following a coordinated Charter challenge by a coalition of over 40 unions, including OCUFA member organizations and led by the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act (formerly Bill 124) violated the Canadian Charter of […]
On Tuesday, November 15, faculty and academic librarians from across the province gathered at the Ontario Legislature to meet with Members of Provincial Parliament to advocate for robust funding of public post-secondary institutions, better working conditions and support for contract faculty, the need for faculty renewal at Ontario universities, and for changes to Bill 26 that […]
TORONTO, October 31, 2022 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) extends a message of solidarity to education workers in Ontario, represented by CUPE – Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) and condemns the Ontario government’s tabled back-to-work legislation and threats to invoke the notwithstanding clause to protect this legislation from constitutional […]
OCUFA has released a new video that celebrates the energy, commitment, and dedication of faculty, academic librarians, and other academic professionals across Ontario. The past year has been challenging, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse of Laurentian University, but OCUFA’s members have persevered and shown that they are energized and ready to redouble […]
There is more to Academic Matters than just the print issue. New articles are being added to the Academic Matters website every week. Here are some recent articles you might find interesting: Are there ever really ‘financial reasons’ to fire faculty? Laurentian University, academic freedom, and the disciplining of the professoriate “The 2020–21 academic year saw two incidents of Ontario professors being effectively fired: the termination of 116 of the 345 professors at Laurentian […]
According to a new poll conducted for OCUFA by Ekos Research Associates, two out of three Ontarians (69 per cent) believe that the province’s next government should prioritize postsecondary education as it works to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic. Those polled recognize the value of a university education and believe it is time to introduce […]
After months of negotiations, escalating pressure on the Ontario Tech administration, and a strike, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Faculty Association (UOITFA) has ratified a new three-year collective agreement that makes big gains on the faculty association’s workload, equity, and benefits priorities. This represents a hard-fought and well-deserved victory for the UOITFA. The […]
TORONTO, March 9, 2022 – Universities across Ontario have increased their focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in recent years. However, without commitments to improve job security, pay, and benefits for contract faculty and other precariously employed campus workers, these initiatives will fall short. Contract faculty, who routinely make less than their securely employed […]
TORONTO, March 8, 2022 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) believes that preventing unionized workers from taking claims of discrimination and harassment to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) will strip union members of fundamental rights and undermine work to build more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplaces. Further, the exceptionally short […]
