The new agreement for contract academic staff at Laurier has been ratified by members and the university’s Board of Governors. The new three-year deal will expire on August 31, 2016.
Of the contract academic members voting, 82.1% cast their ballot in favour of the agreement. The new deal provides a 1.5% scale increase in each year, with a lump sum of $70 in first year (not added to base). Funds to help contract faculty members with scholarship, research, and creative activities increased by $5,000, from $25,000 to $30,000.
The faculty association also secured a minimum of 30 new standing appointments for contract academic staff. These new standing appointment will have a guaranteed teaching load for up to five years (minimum of 4 courses per year).
The UOIT Faculty Association continues to negotiate a first agreement for its teaching stream faculty that is at par with others in the province. The bargaining unit wants thorough protection from lay-offs, as well as fair and transparent workload provisions for its members. Other teaching stream appointments in Ontario, which are covered by collective agreements, include a process of tenure or continuation that offers protection from lay-off. These protections are only overridden if, after a comprehensive review, the university’s long-term solvency is deemed to be in jeopardy.
OCAD U is in mediation/arbitration, and will be meeting next with William Kaplan and the employer on January 11, 2014.
Algoma contract faculty and the Trent University Faculty Association continue to negotiate. Contract faculty at St. Jerome’ have just begun negotiations for a first agreement.
Brock, Carleton, CMC, Guelph, King’s, Laurentian, Nipissing (contract academic staff), St. Michael’s, Toronto, Western, Windsor and Laurier (full-time) are preparing to enter bargaining in 2014.