In 2006, the Ontario Human Rights Code was amended to prohibit mandatory retirement. However, this change was accompanied by new provisions that permitted employers to reduce or stop providing certain group benefits for workers when they turn 65. In 2012, Wayne Talos, a high school teacher at the Grand Erie District School Board, commenced a […]
TORONTO – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) strongly condemns the government’s tabling of back-to-work legislation aimed at striking academic workers represented by Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903 (CUPE 3903) and defends the rights of academic workers to a fair negotiation process. This legislation breaches the constitutionally protected right of CUPE […]
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Gerald (Jerry) E. Phillips, the longtime Chief Negotiator for the Lakehead University Faculty Association. Following 49 years of service at Lakehead University, Jerry will be remembered by his colleagues for the important and inspiring contributions he made as a Professor in the Faculty of Business […]
LONDON – According to a recent poll commissioned by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), 68 per cent of those who live in Southwestern Ontario want professors with job security and benefits teaching university courses. Among Ontario youth considering a postsecondary education, support was even higher, with 71 per cent stating this as […]
Dear Alastair Summerlee, On behalf of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) and the 17,000 full-time and contract university professors and academic librarians we represent at 28 member associations across the province of Ontario, I am writing to urge you to return to the bargaining table with the Canadian Union of Public Employees […]
OCUFA is deeply concerned by the York University administration’s attempts to challenge faculty member decisions to reschedule their classes and ensure the academic integrity of their courses. The university administration should focus their energies on negotiating a fair collective agreement with CUPE 3903 that ends the strike. Dear Rhonda Lenton, On behalf of the Ontario […]
On Saturday, February 10th, after a 17-hour marathon of mediation, the University of St. Michael’s College administration and University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA), which bargains on behalf of faculty and librarians at the college, agreed to a new collective agreement. This success was clearly attributable to the resolve of the membership, and the support […]
OCUFA congratulates Professor Robyn Gorham, Vice President of the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFAPUL) on receiving the Laurentian University Faculty of Health Governance Award for 2017. OCUFA Research Director Donna Gray, was pleased to contribute a letter of support, highlighting the many contributions Robyn had made to the university through her service during the Fall […]
On January 29, the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo concluded its salary negotiations with the university administration. The negotiating teams signed a three-year agreement that includes competitive salary increases through 2020 and an across-the-board salary adjustment of $850 per member. Both parties have also agreed to establish a working group tasked with improving […]
TORONTO – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) is pleased to announce that Linda St. Pierre is the recipient of the 2017 Lorimer Award. This honour recognizes individuals who have worked to protect and promote the interests of Ontario’s academic staff through collective bargaining. “Linda has played a pivotal role in advancing faculty […]
It came down to the wire, but after months of bargaining and organizing, the teaching faculty members of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Faculty Association (UOITFA) have reached a new (and only their second) three year collective agreement with their employer. The settlement will mean gains across the board. Previously, UOIT’s teaching stream […]
On November 17, faculty association staff from across Ontario gathered in Toronto for a day of networking and skills sharing at the bi-annual OCUFA Faculty Association Staff Workshop. The morning featured panels on membership engagement as well as the challenges and opportunities of working for a member-driven organization. Discussion covered many facets of the day-to-day […]
Members of the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) faced huge challenges in this round of bargaining. The university administration was demanding serious concessions on many issues, including pensions, workload, and core faculty rights. The administration’s inability to provide essential data, delays in bargaining, and the employer’s initial refusal to agree to mediation dates layered procedural […]
On Monday, over 12,000 faculty at Ontario’s 24 public colleges went on strike. For over three months, they have been working hard at the bargaining table, pushing for a better plan for Ontario’s colleges, including fairness for contract faculty, collegial governance that includes faculty in academic decision-making, and academic freedom. Unfortunately, the College Employer Council rejected a last-minute faculty proposal aimed at averting a strike. The colleges even refused to agree […]
Over 12,000 faculty at all 24 public colleges across the province represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) are currently bargaining for a better plan for Ontario colleges, including fairness for contract faculty, collegial governance, and academic freedom. OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips sent this letter of support to RM Kennedy, Chair of Ontario College […]
