In May, members of the Professors’ Association of Saint Paul University (PASPU) ratified their collective agreement for 2024-2027. Compensation gains include an annual Across-the-Board increase of 4.5%, improved compensation for thesis supervision and direction of reading courses, promotion increments and more paid sick days for librarians, and better salary continuity during sabbatical leave for faculty. Salary anomalies will now be reviewed and corrected annually.

In a noteworthy gain in appointment provisions, the hiring salary will be determined based on years of experience since obtaining a doctorate and years of full-time work experience as a postdoctoral researcher, professor, or lecturer at a recognized university. For positions requiring specific professional or clinical experience, up to one year’s experience before or after the doctoral degree will be recognized as constituting such experience. On promotion, in rare cases, an exceptional administrative or academic contribution to the University may constitute sufficient grounds for promotion to full professor.

On workload, faculty members may request to increase their teaching workload if this does not impact their normal workload and receive the equivalent in salary. Librarians may request or accept responsibilities in addition to their normal workload, with either a reduction in other workload elements or appropriate compensation.

Congratulations to the members of the Algoma University Faculty Association Full-Time unit for negotiating their 2023-2026 agreement, ratified in early March. The faculty association is represented by OPSEU/SEFPO Local 685. Notable increases were achieved on salary, with Across-The-Board (ATB) increases of six per cent, four per cent, and three per cent respectively over each of the three years. This is the association’s first agreement following the Bill 124 moderation period, and therefore increases reflect the losses suffered due to the wage restraint legislation on a go-forward basis. Other compensation provisions include an early retirement incentive that provides access to the same insured health and dental plans as for those actively employed. A joint committee has also been established to discuss and analyze options regarding defined benefit and other types of pension plans given that most members are in a faculty Group RRSP arrangement.

Another set of gains worth highlighting is concerning the Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (IEDI) mandate of the university. A land acknowledgement was negotiated into the agreement, and identifies the traditional territories of the Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton, and Timmins campuses. IEDI considerations are now included in appointment procedures. On tenure and promotion, a letter of understanding was negotiated that will allow a joint committee to review the structure and function of the Peer Review Committee regarding the University’s decanal structure, faculties, special mission, and IDEI objectives. Indigenous Ceremony expenses are now eligible for professional expense reimbursement.

On workload, there are new course releases related to external research grants and Speakers of Senate duties, as well as a stipend for service on faculty appointment and promotion and tenure committees. Members will also see improved teaching support effective Spring 2024.

In an important gain for members in Contract Limited Term Appointments (CLTA), those in their third year of such appointments are eligible to apply to transition into a Tenure-Track appointment in their department.

Congratulations to members of the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) for their compensation settlement, awarded in a final offer selection process.  On April 12, 2024, Arbitrator Kevin Burkett selected the Association’s final offer over that of the University as more closely approximating what he would have awarded based on an analysis of the relevant considerations of CPI and comparator settlements.

Scale increases in the award are based on actual and forecasted CPI calculations, as well as on a catch-up amount based on scale erosion over the previous cycle relative to two key comparator universities (Queen’s and the University of Ottawa). These two components total an increase of 4.7 per cent in 2024-25 (3.9 per cent plus 0.8 per cent catch-up) and 3.6 per cent in 2025-26 (2.8 per cent plus 0.8 per cent catch-up). For 2026-27, the award provides a 2.22 per cent increase based on inflation, along with an automatic scale reopener (to add the appropriate level of catch-up for that year) with the current MOA dispute resolution mechanism. The argument for the reopener was that this would be a pattern-setting agreement and that it was too early to know the future effect on the sector of Arbitrator Eli Gedalof’s award of eight per cent to the University of Toronto for 2022-2023.

On benefits, the parties agreed to recommend the addition of a Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) of $300 per 12 months per active member, which can be accumulated over two years to a maximum of $600. The application of this HCSA is pending approval from the Pension and Benefits Committee.

The award also addressed salary structure, applying a three per cent increase (in addition to the scale increase) to floors, thresholds, and Selective Increase Units (SIU) in 2024.

The Arbitrator remains seized until the award is implemented.