TORONTO, June 29, 2023 — University faculty and academic librarians in Ontario were deeply disturbed to learn of the recent knife attack in a classroom at the University of Waterloo by a former student. The victims were attacked during a philosophy class focused on gender issues. A professor and two students were taken to hospital […]
OCUFA’s Contract Faculty Committee held a full-day workshop on May 26th full of inspiring speakers and hands-on organizing training. Keynote speaker Laura Walton, President of the CUPE Ontario School Board Council of Unions , shared how education workers engaged in the deep organizing necessary to mobilize people across Ontario in support of their bargaining demands, to crush Bill 28, and win a solid collective agreement. […]
TORONTO, June 1, 2023 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO), Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers Federation (OSSTF/FESSO), Canadian Federation of Students (CFS-Ontario), Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) are deeply concerned about the composition, […]
Members of the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association ( UWOFA ) held a well-attended campaign launch at the Western Grad Club. Representatives from OCUFA, PSAC 610, and UWOFA leadership rallied behind the librarian and archivist unit who will begin bargaining next week. Fair compensation, sustainable workloads and growing the complement are key concerns. It is critical that the Western Administration […]
TORONTO, May 1, 2023 – Ontario faculty and academic librarians applauded today’s announcement from the federal government that consultations will begin soon to reform corporate restructuring legislation that caused massive devastation at Laurentian University in 2021. Following through on a 2021 Liberal election platform commitment, the Trudeau Government announced that the consultations will be held […]
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 […]
The Ford government officially filed an appeal in December 2022 against the Superior Court’s decision that declared Bill 124 unconstitutional. Key dates in the ongoing process include: March 10 – The government’s written factum was submitted May 9 – The unions’ responses will be filed June 20-22 – The scheduled hearings at the Ontario Court of Appeal OCUFA […]
TORONTO, March 24, 2023 –Ontario university faculty demand that the federal government make good on their election platform promise to protect public universities and other public institutions by amending destructive corporate restructuring legislation—a no-cost move that could save millions and preserve Canadian communities. “In 2021, the government squandered an opportunity to protect public institutions from […]
TORONTO, March 23, 2023 – The Ford government continued its streak of neglecting Ontario’s public universities in the provincial budget, tabled today at Queen’s Park. The government failed to meaningfully invest in universities, which university faculty warn may lead to more privatization and instability for students, faculty, and staff on campuses. “Ontario sits last in […]
TORONTO, March 17, 2023 – Ontario university faculty and students know the math does not add up in the provincial government’s latest announcement on post-secondary education. University tuition fees are unaffordable for many in Ontario, and are among the highest in the country. Tuition fees remain the most significant barrier to accessing post-secondary education in […]
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, […]
On February 28th, tenured faculty, students, community members showcased their support and appreciation for contract faculty’s contributions to our campus communities through sharing short videos and graphics online for OCUFA’s eighth annual social media day of action. Participants used this opportunity to bring attention to contract faculty demands for job security, equal pay for equal […]
The Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA) has ratified a new three-year agreement ending June 2025. The agreement was reached following a strong strike mandate. QUFA is the first faculty association to fully avoid wage restraint under Bill 124. Annual across-the-board (ATB) increases of 3.5 per cent, three per cent, and three per cent were achieved. […]
TORONTO, March 2, 2023 – Ontario university faculty criticized the Premier’s decision to leave their expertise out of critical decision-making regarding the future of post-secondary institutions and warn that doing so will be a recipe for disaster. In an announcement March 2, the government announced the formation of a Blue Ribbon Panel focused on post-secondary […]
TORONTO, February 22, 2023 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) calls on universities across the province to revisit employment agreements with faculty and academic staff negotiated during the last three years under the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act—formerly Bill 124, now declared unconstitutional. “Faculty, librarians, and staff have […]