There is more to Academic Matters than just the print issue. New articles are being added to the Academic Matters website every week. Here are some recent articles for your summer reading pleasure. And if you haven’t already, now is a great time to catch up on our latest print issue: Decolonizing the university in an era of Truth and Reconciliation. Precarious employment in education impacts workers, families and students By Michael Mindzak, Brock University “Recent announcements […]
Search Results for pensions
OCUFA’s opening statement at the Ministry consultations on “employee renewal”
At the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ “employee renewal” consultation session with university faculty on June 24, OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips made OCUFA’s concerns regarding these consultations and the government’s agenda clear in her opening statement: Good afternoon, my name is Gyllie Phillips and I am the President of OCUFA. Thank you for the […]
York University faculty associations secure commitments to equity and benefits in new agreements
The York University Faculty Association (YUFA) has reached a three-year agreement with the York University administration. As part of the settlement, YUFA achieved a commitment from the university to hire six Indigenous faculty over the life of the agreement, and to work with the faculty association to undertake an equal pay exercise for women, racialized […]
The Ontario Government’s fall economic statement: What faculty should know
On Thursday, November 15, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Government released its fall economic statement. The 155-page document offers an update on the status of Ontario’s finances and contains numerous government announcements across many different sectors. Also known as the mini-budget, the fall economic statement outlines some of the government’s plans for the public sector and […]
OCUFA’s 155th Board of Directors meeting
On Saturday, May 12 and Sunday, May 13, OCUFA held its final Board of Directors meeting of the 2017-18 academic year. During the weekend, board members discussed the organization’s current priorities – good jobs and vibrant universities, university funding, and capacity building – with a focus on the postsecondary issues that were likely to receive […]
Southwestern Ontarians believe fair university workplaces are key to high quality education
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 […]
Eastern Ontarians believe fair university workplaces are key to high quality education
KINGSTON – According to a recent poll commissioned by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), 65 per cent of those who live in Eastern 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 […]
Northern Ontarians believe fair university workplaces are key to high quality education
SUDBURY – According to a recent poll commissioned by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), 68 per cent of Northern Ontarians 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 their preference. “This poll […]
An open letter to the President of Carleton University in support of CUPE 2424
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’s 154th Board of Directors meeting
On Saturday, February 3 and Sunday, February 4, OCUFA held its second Board of Directors meeting of the 2017-18 academic year. Over the weekend, board members discussed the organization’s current priorities – good jobs and vibrant universities, university funding, and capacity building – with a focus on the postsecondary issues that will be receiving the […]
Understanding and communicating pension details the focus of University Finance Workshop
On Friday, November 3rd, the annual OCUFA University Finance Workshop brought together faculty association members and staff from across Ontario who regularly review university financial statements. The day’s focus was on understanding and communicating the details of pension and retirement benefits, areas of financial complexity that many faculty members stretch to comprehend. The morning featured […]
OCUFA’s 153rd Board of Directors meeting
On Saturday, October 21 and Sunday, October 22, OCUFA held its first Board of Directors meeting of the 2017-18 academic year, and the first with Gyllian Phillips as OCUFA President . The weekend oriented new board members to OCUFA and allowed members to discuss developments in Ontario postsecondary education system and the organization’s revised priorities for the academic year: Good jobs/vibrant universities, university […]
After weeklong strike Laurentian faculty win fair collective agreement
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 […]
OCUFA holds final Board of Directors meeting of 2016-17 academic year
On Saturday, May 13, OCUFA held its final Board of Directors meeting for the 2016-17 academic year. The day was an opportunity to discuss recent developments in higher education and review the organization’s current priorities: university funding, contract faculty and faculty complement, university governance, and faculty pensions. During a special lunchtime reception, board members celebrated […]
Increasing solidarity among university workers
The opportunity for improvements to labour law presented by the provincial government’s ongoing Changing Workplaces Review is bringing university workers together. Faculty are advocating for equal pay and access to benefits for contract workers , food service workers are fighting for a $15 minimum wage , and custodial staff want an end to the contracting out and contract flipping that erodes their working […]