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 […]
Last fall, 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 Rights and Freedoms, on the grounds that the legislation interfered with collective bargaining rights. OCUFA member organizations have called for changes to their collective agreements, now that the […]
Nipissing University Congratulations to the members of the Nipissing University Faculty Association Contract Academic Staff Bargaining Unit (NUFA-CASBU), who ratified a three-year collective agreement in early January 2023 following a protracted round of negotiations. This was the unit’s first agreement post-Bill 124 moderation. On compensation, members received across-the-board (ATB) increases of one per cent in […]
Opting for a two-year agreement to cover the remaining period under Bill 124 wage restraint, members of the University of Guelph Faculty Association (UGFA) received a one per cent cost of living increase for each year of the agreement. They also received increases in the Annual Career Increment in each year, as well as a […]
Wilfrid Laurier University Coming out of Bill 124 imposed wage restraint, the Contract Faculty and Part-Time Librarians unit of the Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association (WLUFA PT) signed a three-year agreement containing significant gains on all their bargaining priorities, including compensation and benefits, job security, and improvements to the hiring process. On compensation and benefits, […]
In their new four-year agreement, faculty members of the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association (UWOFA) made gains on each of their six priorities: Support, recognize, and reward faculty effort Support faculty health and wellbeing Achieve fair and equitable workloads Protect collegial governance and due process Enhance job security for contract faculty Achieve equity, diversity, […]
At the end of September 2022, the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) and the University of Toronto Administration reached an agreement on benefits improvements for the third year of their 2020-2023 agreement. As noted in the OCUFA Report of February 25th, 2022 . when UTFA and the University of Toronto Administration reached their three-year agreement on January […]
The OCUFA Board of Directors adopted a four-year strategic priorities plan which aligns with the Provincial election cycle. This plan will help the organization be more effective and impactful, and offer opportunities to incorporate longer-term and goals into current priority projects. Additionally, it will help focus on legislative changes that should lead to collective gains […]
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 […]
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 at […]
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 […]
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 […]
SUDBURY/TORONTO, November 29, 2022 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) is pleased that the Superior Court of Justice has agreed to unseal correspondence between Laurentian University and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities relating to the university’s insolvency claims in early 2021. However, the unsealing of these documents after 69 program cuts, […]