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All contract faculty deserve job security, fair pay, and benefits. It’s time to deliver fairness for contract faculty and hire more full-time tenure-stream faculty. Together we can support good jobs on our campus.
Join a movement of students, staff, faculty, and community members advocating for fairness for contract faculty and good jobs!
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Yesterday, Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government announced they intend to cancel recently introduced fair work laws, including the $15 minimum wage, paid sick days, equal pay for equal work, enhanced bargaining unit consolidation provisions, and fairer rules for joining a union.
This rollback legislation seeks to take away basic protections from those who need them most and represents a massive setback for precariously employed workers on our campuses.
Today, the campaign for $15 and Fairness will be rolling out emergency actions across Ontario.
It’s important that we all show up and send Doug Ford’s government the message that this legislation will hurt millions of workers across Ontario and that we will fight it every step of the way.
Find an event near you: https://www.15andfairness.org/events
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TORONTO – Ontario faculty are deeply disappointed that Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government has announced they will cancel fair labour laws, including the $15 minimum wage, paid sick days, equal pay for equal work, enhanced bargaining unit consolidation provisions, and fairer rules for joining a union. Workers on university campuses and in communities across the province had been counting on these modest but important labour law improvements to support themselves and their families.
“Workers across Ontario deserve fair wages and good jobs,” said Gyllian Phillips, President of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). “Faculty understand the devastating impact that the rise of low-wage and precarious work is having in our communities.”
Existing bargaining unit consolidation provisions would have allowed for streamlined collective bargaining and more efficient workplaces. Several Ontario faculty unions and universities have already started the process of consolidating bargaining units and this legislation could put those initiatives in jeopardy.
Cuts to decent work laws are of particular concern to Ontario contract faculty. At universities across the province, over half of faculty are now employed through precarious contracts without job security, and often paid less than their full-time colleagues for the same work. Many are forced to juggle work at multiple institutions just to make ends meet.
“Living contract-to-contract with low pay and anxiously awaiting news about whether we will be hired to teach the next semester is incredibly stressful,” said Kimberly Ellis-Hale, contract faculty at Wilfrid Laurier University and Chair of OCUFA’s Contract Faculty and Faculty Complement Committee. “We should be making progress in addressing fairness for contract faculty, not rolling back reasonable and essential improvements to worker rights.”
The equal pay legislation the Ford government plans to dismantle created a new minimum standard of fairness for contract, part-time, and temporary workers. It represented a step towards fair pay in postsecondary education, with thousands of contract faculty at Ontario colleges set to receive better compensation. The loss of this provision will be felt most acutely by already marginalized workers – racialized, female, and gender non-conforming contract faculty often work more hours and are more likely to be in low-income households than their white male peers.
The prevalence of precarious employment at Ontario universities doesn’t just negatively impact contract faculty, it also impacts students and the quality of education they receive. Faculty working conditions are student learning conditions. Contract faculty are excellent teachers, but without job security and dedicated office space, they can’t always be available to provide the mentorship vital for student success. Additionally, these rollbacks will hurt students because many work precarious jobs to pay high university tuition fees.
“Faculty are committed to working with students, staff, and other members of our campus communities to push back against this government’s anti-worker agenda,” says Phillips. “We are part of a growing movement that will continue to stand up for fair labour laws and decent work across Ontario.”
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 professors and academic librarians in 29 faculty associations across Ontario. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca
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An increasing number of teachers at Canada’s colleges and universities are trapped in precarious contract and part-time work. Contract and part-time work has quietly gone from a short-term stepping stone to a career-long condition where many earn less than a living wage.
This week, faculty associations across the country are organizing events to recognize the dedication and hard work of contract faculty!
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This year’s Educated Solutions, the annual magazine published by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, features a thought-provoking article by OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips on the need to invest in faculty renewal at Ontario’s universities.
The article explains how Ontario’s universities are underfunded, and the dangers associated with increasing student tuition fees, even when they are being subsidized by the provincial government. It describes the faculty hiring gap, the need to prioritize tenure-stream faculty renewal, and the importance of delivering fairness for contract faculty.
Ontario’s universities are at a vital crossroads, and additional investment will be needed to maintain the high quality of education the province’s students and parents have come to expect.
You can read the article and the rest of Educated Solutions for free on the OUSA website.
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MPP Chris Glover was appointed the NDP Critic for Training, Colleges and Universities on August 23, 2018. In this role, he will be the voice of the Official Opposition on postsecondary issues.
MPP Chris Glover is one of 74 new MPPs elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in June 2018 and represents the riding of Spadina-Fort York. He became politically active as a parent fighting cuts to schools during the provincial governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves.
Chris is an educator and has taught at Ryerson Public School, East York Collegiate, Centennial College, and the University of Toronto. Most recently, he was an Adjunct Professor at York University where he taught a course on the history and economics of Ontario through an equity lens. He has a PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto and published a thesis focused on the impact of student debt.
Prior to his election to the legislature, Chris was a two term Trustee for the Toronto District School Board and served on the Toronto Board of Health. As a Trustee Chris is best known for his work advocating for employment opportunities for students with disabilities.
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The Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) has reached a collective agreement with the University of Sudbury on behalf of the university’s tenure-stream and sessional faculty. LUFA achieved competitive across-the-board salary increases and adjustments to compensation that have narrowed the pay gap between faculty at the University of Sudbury and Laurentian University’s other federated institutions. Significantly, LUFA established language that further enshrines collegial governance in the collective agreement. The agreement also provides improved teaching assistant support and better equipped offices for the sessional faculty.
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People across Ontario are planning to show their support for a $15 minimum wage and decent work on October 15. On university and college campuses, all faculty, students, and staff are encouraged to join in.
In recent announcements, the Conservative government has indicated their intention to freeze the minimum wage at $14 an hour and consider repealing recent decent work reforms, including paid sick days, fair scheduling measures, and equal pay protections for contract, part-time, and temporary workers.
This is a position on which the current government can me moved. They are facing a lot of pressure from constituents because 66 per cent of Ontarians and 42 per cent of Conservative voters support a $15 minimum wage.
For faculty at Ontario universities, the repeal of Bill 148 would represent a major step back at just the time we need to be making leaps forward to deliver fairness for contract faculty. Too many contract faculty are working contract-to-contract without job security and doing the same work as their full-time colleagues for lower pay. At Ontario colleges, new equal pay measures have already delivered a substantive pay bump for non-unionized contract faculty.
To learn more about how you can join others to support the Fight for $15 & Fairness on October 15th, visit www.15andFairness.org and email Brynne at bsinclair-waters@ocufa.on.ca.
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Ontario’s universities and colleges are vital spaces where a culture of rich academic debate and free expression should be fostered. Core to the mandate of our postsecondary institutions is the advancement of knowledge, and that requires our campuses to be places where all community members have the right to speak their minds and respectfully challenge each other intellectually. Faculty associations, labour unions, and student unions deeply believe in these rights, and will continue our collective work to uphold them.
There is no free speech crisis on Ontario campuses. This is an ideological fiction advanced by the government to justify interference in the academic governance and autonomy of Ontario’s universities and colleges. It is telling that the government did not consult with any sector stakeholders before announcing the new requirement for campus “free speech” policies and disciplinary measures tied to possible cuts to university and college funding.
This intervention is not just unnecessary, it is harmful. These policies will actually limit the rights of faculty, staff, and students to express themselves and will jeopardize the quality of student education and research:
Given these many real dangers, we encourage the Ontario Government to reconsider this directive, withdraw their prescribed disciplinary measures, withdraw their threatened funding cuts, respect the autonomy of Ontario’s universities and colleges, and support the speech rights of students, staff, and faculty.
Ontario’s universities and colleges already have policies in place that govern campus speech, and it does not make sense to require them to be arbitrarily rewritten just to conform to a set of principles developed by a private university in the United States.
There are improvements that could be made to foster stronger speech freedoms on our campuses. The rise of precarious academic work means that a majority of university and college faculty cannot depend on the academic freedom protections afforded to tenure-stream faculty and, although university faculty and students are represented on institutional decision-making bodies, representative collegial governance bodies are lacking at Ontario’s colleges.
However, the government’s new free speech policy requirement will do nothing to address these issues or foster better speech on campus. It will only create a more polarized and litigious environment that risks suppressing speech.
Meaningfully addressing the real challenges our campuses face will require postsecondary institutions to embrace collegial governance by adopting more transparent and accountable decision-making bodies that represent all members of the campus community. It is through more democratic campuses that we will ensure freedom of expression and the continued vitality of Ontario’s postsecondary institutions.
Nour Alideeb, Chairperson, Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario
Janice Folk-Dawson, Chair, CUPE Ontario University Sector
Gyllian Phillips, President, Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations
Chris Buckley, President, Ontario Federation of Labour
RM Kennedy, Chair, OPSEU College Faculty
Janice Hagan, Chair, OPSEU College Support Staff
Kella Loschiavo, Chair, OPSEU University Sector 9
Harvey Bischof, President, Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation
Sharon DeSousa, Regional Executive Vice-President, PSAC Ontario
Marty Warren, Director, United Steelworkers–District 6
For media inquiries, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead
Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations
communications@ocufa.on.ca | 416-306-6033
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TORONTO – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) is pleased to announce the winners of its prestigious Teaching and Academic Librarianship Awards. Since 1973, these awards have recognized the exceptional contributions made by professors and librarians to the quality of higher education in Ontario.
“Professors and academic librarians are at the heart of our universities. Through their hard work, they challenge and encourage their students to embrace new ideas and build a brighter future,” said OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips. “This year’s distinguished winners are all dedicated and passionate teachers and mentors. OCUFA is honoured to recognize them with teaching and librarianship awards.”
The 2017-2018 Teaching Award recipients are:
The 45th annual awards ceremony, hosted by CBC’s Nana aba Duncan, will take place at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto on October 20, 2018.
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 professors and academic librarians in 29 faculty associations across Ontario. It is committed to enhancing the quality of higher education in Ontario and recognizing the outstanding contributions of its members towards creating a world-class university system. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca
OR Mark Rosenfeld, Executive Director at 416-306-6030 or mrosenfeld@ocufa.on.ca
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TORONTO – Michelle Craig, an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto, has been named one of Ontario’s most outstanding university teachers by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). She will receive a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award at an October 20 ceremony in Toronto, hosted by CBC’s Nana Ada Duncan.
“Michelle Craig has a long and distinguished teaching record and demonstrates contagious enthusiasm for her work,” said Professor Judy Bornais, Chair of OCUFA’s Award Committee. “Her impact extends well beyond her classes, with both students and fellow faculty members viewing her as a mentor.”
The other recipients of a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award are:
“Professors and academic librarians are at the heart of our universities. Through their hard work, they challenge and encourage their students to embrace new ideas and build a brighter future,” said OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips. “This year’s distinguished winners are all dedicated and passionate teachers and mentors. OCUFA is honoured to recognize them with teaching and librarianship awards.”
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 29 faculty associations across Ontario.
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For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca
OR Mark Rosenfeld, Executive Director at 416-306-6030 or mrosenfeld@ocufa.on.ca
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TORONTO – Robert Fleisig, an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering Practice and Technology at McMaster University, has been named one of Ontario’s most outstanding university teachers by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). He will receive a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award at an October 20 ceremony in Toronto, hosted by the CBC’s Nana Ada Duncan.
“Robert Fleisig believes that being a good engineer means understanding and empathizing with others,” said Professor Judy Bornais, Chair of OCUFA’s Award Committee. “Through his teaching, Fleisig encourages his students to engage in the community, and become more creative and compassionate engineers.”
The other recipients of a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award are:
“Professors and academic librarians are at the heart of our universities. Through their hard work, they challenge and encourage their students to embrace new ideas and build a brighter future,” said OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips. “This year’s distinguished winners are all dedicated and passionate teachers and mentors. OCUFA is honoured to recognize them with teaching and librarianship awards.”
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 29 faculty associations across Ontario.
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For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca
OR Mark Rosenfeld, Executive Director at 416-306-6030 or mrosenfeld@ocufa.on.ca
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TORONTO – David Hutchison, a Professor in the Department of Educational Studies and Director of the Centre for Digital Humanities at Brock University, has been named one of Ontario’s most outstanding university teachers by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). He will receive a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award at an October 20 ceremony in Toronto, hosted by the CBC’s Nana Ada Duncan.
“David Hutchison challenges his students to test those perceptions of the world they might take for granted by comparing them against the diverse experiences of others,” said Professor Judy Bornais, Chair of OCUFA’s Award Committee. “Through his teaching and the experiential learning opportunities he incorporates into his courses he empowers students to feel like their work matters and that they can affect change.”
The other recipients of a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award are:
“Professors and academic librarians are at the heart of our universities. Through their hard work, they challenge and encourage their students to embrace new ideas and build a brighter future,” said OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips. “This year’s distinguished winners are all dedicated and passionate teachers and mentors. OCUFA is honoured to recognize them with teaching and librarianship awards.”
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 29 faculty associations across Ontario.
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For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca
OR Mark Rosenfeld, Executive Director at 416-306-6030 or mrosenfeld@ocufa.on.ca
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TORONTO – Fiona Rawle, an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, has been named one of Ontario’s most outstanding university teachers by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). She will receive a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award at an October 20 ceremony in Toronto, hosted by CBC’s Nana Ada Duncan.
“Fiona Rawle is a passionate teacher whose enthusiasm for the field of biology excites her students and encourages them to dive deeper,” said Professor Judy Bornais, Chair of OCUFA’s Award Committee. “She believes in fostering critical thinking and using active engagement to help students improve their understanding of the subject matter.”
The other recipients of a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award are:
“Professors and academic librarians are at the heart of our universities. Through their hard work, they challenge and encourage their students to embrace new ideas and build a brighter future,” said OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips. “This year’s distinguished winners are all dedicated and passionate teachers and mentors. OCUFA is honoured to recognize them with teaching and librarianship awards.”
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 29 faculty associations across Ontario.
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For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca
OR Mark Rosenfeld, Executive Director at 416-306-6030 or mrosenfeld@ocufa.on.ca
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TORONTO – Frankie Stewart, a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Ryerson University, has been named one of Ontario’s most outstanding university teachers by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). She will receive a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award at an October 20 ceremony in Toronto, hosted by CBC’s Nana Ada Duncan.
“Frankie Stewart has been a tremendous role model within the female engineering community,” said Professor Judy Bornais, Chair of OCUFA’s Award Committee. “She has helped countless students discover their voices and leverage the knowledge they have learned at university to make change in the world around them.”
The other recipients of a 2017-2018 OCUFA Teaching Award are:
“Professors and academic librarians are at the heart of our universities. Through their hard work, they challenge and encourage their students to embrace new ideas and build a brighter future,” said OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips. “This year’s distinguished winners are all dedicated and passionate teachers and mentors. OCUFA is honoured to recognize them with teaching and librarianship awards.”
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 29 faculty associations across Ontario.
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For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca
OR Mark Rosenfeld, Executive Director at 416-306-6030 or mrosenfeld@ocufa.on.ca
