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Professors and academic librarians in Canada will formally join the labour movement in January 2002. The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) recently admitted the National Union of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (NUCAUT), of which YUFA is a member.

"We are delighted that NUCAUT's application for membership in the CLC has now passed," said Jim Turk, Executive Director of CAUT and NUCAUT.

"I've looked forward to this day," said Penni Stewart, YUFA's Acting Chair. "Through the CLC, YUFA will be able to make more meaningful links to the labour movement, in Canada and internationally. And we'll become more effective in serving members' broader interests and taking up key social justice issues."

The CLC, which represents 2.3 million unionized workers, is the national and international voice of the Canadian labour movement. Most national and international unions in Canada belong to the Congress, which includes 12 provincial and territorial federations, and 125 district labour councils.

The CLC exists to promote decent wages and working conditions and improved health and safety laws. It lobbies for fair taxes and strong social programs, including childcare, medicare and pensions, job training and job creation programs. It works for social equality and to end racism and discrimination. It aims to increase solidarity among workers in Canada and other countries. To these ends, the CLC engages in extensive programs of policy development and analysis, communications, political action, member education and solidarity work.

NUCAUT currently includes faculty unions and federations from around the country. Besides York, Ontario members include faculty at Windsor, Laurentian, and Algoma. The largest member is the College Institute Educators' Association of BC, which brings over 7000 college faculty and staff to the National Union. New members have been coming on board regularly since NUCAUT was established in April 2000.

Member unions of NUCAUT currently pay dues of 70 cents per person per month, 65 cents of which is passed on to the CLC. This was factored in to YUFA's last dues increase in 2000.

NUCAUT will hold its founding Convention and attend its first CLC Convention in June 2002 in Vancouver. YUFA will send two delegates to those meetings, where the National Union will be electing its first Executive Board and considering other questions relating to its structure and purpose.

YUFA members are eligible to be appointed to YUFA's delegation to the June Conventions. As members of the NUCAUT and the CLC, they may also run for office in the National Union and the Congress. If these opportunities interest you, please send your name and a brief statement of your interests to YUFA.