The Renison Association of Academic Staff (RAAS) recently ratified a new three-year collective agreement containing significant monetary and non-monetary gains. The settlement was arrived at during mediation, following several months of negotiations that included strong member communication and engagement. Significant on the monetary front was the negotiation of a Bill 124 re-opener increase based on […]
TORONTO, February 12, 2024 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations said the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision to dismiss the province’s appeal of the controversial and unconstitutional Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act—formerly Bill 124—is a win for workers. “This is a clear victory for Ontario’s public sector workers that […]
TORONTO/SUDBURY, January 30, 2024 –The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations recommended four solutions for investing in Ontario’s publicly funded university system in its pre-budget submission, Empowering Tomorrow: The OCUFA Blueprint for Revitalizing Ontario’s Public Universities. In the submission, released today, OCUFA outlined the problems created by provincial underfunding and offered its solutions for a thriving postsecondary sector: RECOMMENDATION ONE: OCUFA calls for compounding annual […]
TORONTO, January 26, 2024 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations said the Minister of Colleges and Universities’ response to a two-year proposed cap on international student visas won’t solve the real problems plaguing the province’s universities. “The government’s proposals for oversight of our postsecondary institutions miss the mark and focus on a manufactured […]
TORONTO, January 23, 2024 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations called on the provincial government to step up their investment in postsecondary education following a federal announcement capping the number of approved international student visas. Ontario universities and colleges rely heavily on tuition fees from international students—which are significantly higher than domestic tuition […]
Early in November, members of the Huron University College Faculty Association (HUCFA) ratified a new four-year collective agreement containing significant gains on members’ priorities related to improved terms and conditions for Program Sessional (teaching intensive) members, job security for contract faculty, and protections in case of financial exigency or program restructuring. On compensation, Tenure-stream/Limited-Term Appointment (LTA) and Per Course members received […]
In mid-November, members of the Nipissing University Faculty Association, Full-Time Academic Staff Bargaining Unit (FASBU) ratified a new four-year collective agreement. In addition to gains on compensation and benefits, and workload, the new collective agreement contains significant language toward Indigenization. On compensation, members received Across-The-Board (ATB) increases of three percent, 2.25 percent, 2.25 percent and […]
OCUFA is now accepting nominations and applications for the 2023-2024 OCUFA Awards of Distinction.Nomination and application deadline: March 8, 2024 The following awards are open for nominations: Nominate someone for the Equity and Social Justice Award Nominate someone for the OCUFA Service Award Nominate someone for the Lorimer Collective Bargaining Award Nominate someone for a Teaching and Academic Librarianship Award The following fellowships are open for applications: Henry Mandelbaum Graduate Fellowships (Master’s and Doctoral) Mark Rosenfeld Fellowship in Higher Education Journalism At OCUFA, we believe it is important to recognize the exceptional people whose work improves the […]
TORONTO, December 7, 2023 – At a conference held last week in Toronto, the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations brought together a diverse group of more than 80 high-profile stakeholders in postsecondary education to find funding solutions for Ontario’s public universities. In his opening remarks for the Conference, titled “ Funding our Future: Keeping Universities Public ,” OCUFA President Nigmendra […]
Lakehead University At the end of October, members of the Lakehead University Faculty Association (LUFA) ratified their new three-year collective agreement following an extended period of negotiations. Regular member communications and the hard work of the negotiating team resulted in gains on members’ top priorities of compensation, pension reform, benefits, contract lecturer equity, and university […]
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 […]
TORONTO, November 21, 2023 –The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) welcomed news today from Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in the Fall Economic Statement that the Federal government is reforming harmful corporate bankruptcy legislation—a crucial move that will protect public universities from corporate-style restructuring policies. The news comes almost three years after Laurentian University […]
OCUFA calls for more provincial postsecondary funding Toronto, ON, November 16, 2023 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) says the government’s Blue-Ribbon Panel’s recommendations fall far short of what is required to even adequately fund Ontario’s world-class public universities. “How can we continue to aim for world-class excellence when we are dead […]
The Librarian and Archivist unit of the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association ratified a new four-year collective agreement last month, making important gains related to compensation and benefits, career advancement and research support, workload and maintaining the professional status of librarian and archivist work. Each of these contributes to maintaining high-quality library services at […]