YUFA
Executive
Executive Officers' Workplan
2010-11
1 Oct 10 - As required by YUFA By-law 9 (b), the following is the Executive Committee's Workplan.
-
Perform the duties of President as outlined in the YUFA Constitution and By-laws.
-
Inform members of specific YUFA activities and facilitate participation in YUFA activities by members by meeting with units and other groups of YUFA members, as appropriate.
-
Serve on Senate as YUFA Senator.
-
Serve as chief fiduciary officer of the Association.
-
Lead the review of the current Collective Agreement by the Executive in preparation for the next round of bargaining.
-
Work with Executive Associates and Officers to consider revisions to the Constitution and By-laws.
As per the YUFA By-laws, the Vice-President Internal:
-
assists the President in ensuring YUFA’s internal operations are running smoothly and in accordance with the Constitution and By-laws,
-
recruits members to contribute to the Association,
-
Chairs YUFA’s staff relations committee,
-
is a member of Executive and Stewards’ Council, and
-
develops and carries out priorities and projects as part of the Workplan.
In addition to the above-mentioned duties, the activities of the Vice-President Internal will focus on the following priorities in the coming year:
Collective Bargaining:
-
begins preparations for collective bargaining (with other members of Executive and YUFA staff).
Constitutional / By-law Reform:
-
initiate and oversee a process for review of the YUFA Constitution and By-laws.
Association Renewal / Building Participation in YUFA:
-
work to fill current and future vacancies on YUFA Committees (with other members of Executive and YUFA staff),
-
work with members of Executive and Stewards’ Council to clarify the process for nominations to YUFA committees, and
-
work with all members of Executive and YUFA staff to develop a strategy to increase member participation.
Joint Task Force on Inclusivity & Diversity:
-
as Co-Chair of the Joint Task Force on Inclusivity & Diversity, work with Barry Miller, Executive Director Employee Relations, and Rhonda Lenton, Associate Vice-President Academic and Vice-Provost, to oversee the analysis of the results for the Survey on Inclusivity & Diversity and the preparation of the final report for JCOAA.
Perform the duties of Vice-President External as outlined in the YUFA Constitution and By-laws (italicized):
-- develop and carry out priorities and projects as part of the workplan
I believe that external development is integral to YUFA’s mission. As VP External, I will build on our past accomplishments and further strengthen proactive advocacy, coalition-building and ongoing consultation with our various constituencies on and off campus; enhance YUFA’s external profile and presence; expand YUFA’s engagements with community based groups / organizations; promote greater inclusivity with respect to CAUT, NUCAUT, Toronto and York Region Labour Council, and OCUFA; and, facilitate more strategic and operational partnerships among inter and intra-University unions. The above activities reflect three interrelated themes that characterize external relations: relationship building, representation, and recognition (3 Rs).
In addition to the above, specifically I will seek to promote the research activities of our members by i) facilitating links between the respective research interests in social justice and equity of our members and the various progressive community-based agencies / organizations; ii) facilitating research partnerships with charitable and non-profit organizations; and iii) recognizing and promoting research interests consistent with YUFA’s commitment to social justice.
Relationship building
-- liaise with campus unions, student organisations, OCUFA, CAUT, NUCAUT, and other labour and education groups
Continue to nurture and expand the well-developed links with CUPE 3903, YUSA, Graduate Student Association (GSA) and York Students’ Federation (YSF). My first priority is to collaborate with CUPE 3903, YFA, and the GSA re immediate issues such as quality of education. A strengthening of YUFA’s links with all campus unions and student associations enables a more active, ongoing, mutual and progressive consultative process guided by a joint commitment to political engagement. This open, accountable and accessible set of relations in pulling together reflects an authentic spirit of community collaboration. The following will be implemented: promote an understanding of the interests of all campus unions and student associations; increase the flow of information; encourage proactive consultation; invite a wider degree of participation in the planning and development of various community projects. I will encourage a collaborative public education orientation (consciousness-raising) within York University (especially an outreach to the general student population) and the wider community regarding YUFA’s role and responsibilities as a union.
Off-Campus Activities:
I will liaise with appropriate provincial and national faculty associations as well as non-academic unions in terms of action and lobbying on such matters as labour relations, education, health and safety, retirement, transportation, and housing (e.g., OCUFA, CAUT, NUCAUT, OFL, METRAC, OCAP, OPIRG, Toronto and York Region Labour Council, Ontarians with Disabilities Alliance (AODA), Action Education Toronto, Ontario Health Coalition, and local teachers' unions).
Representation
I will seek to ensure i) YUFA’s active representation and recognition on provincial and national faculty associations and ii) YUFA's representation of the external interests of its members. These interests inter alia include: responding to prevailing “market” pressures, government benchmarks / targets, workload, and erosion of union consciousness. As a leading unionized faculty association, YUFA’s active representation on these bodies is critical. Clearly, sustained communication beyond York University enhances YUFA’s profile, credibility and capacity to be effective.
-- track external affairs pertinent to members’ interests and co-ordinate involvement in associated actions
Recognition
YUFA recognizes and promotes the commitment of its members to social justice. I will work towards supporting existing community projects and facilitate the development of community-related initiatives (the input from the wider community and YUFA’s outreach activities). Given my experience in working with a number of community-based organizations, I will further pursue YUFA’s tradition of supporting issues of social justice and equity. I will work with members in promoting YUFA’s role and responsibility vis-à-vis social justice - notably external political, economic, educational, social, and health issues.
-- member of Executive and Stewards’ Council,
-- member of Community Projects Committee,
-- member of All Campus Unions Committee
-- member of YUFA Staff Relations,
-- member of OCUFA Staff Relations.
Chief Stewards - Bernard Lightman & Gerard Naddaf
-
The shared work of the two Chief Stewards in the coming year will include:
-
Providing informal and formal advice to YUFA members in all contractually-related matters and representing members in meetings with the Employer.
-
Representing members in all stages of the grievance and arbitration process.
-
Bringing potential policy grievances to the attention of the YUFA Executive and carrying subsequent grievances forward.
-
Organizing and chairing meetings of the Grievance Committee and Stewards’ Council. In the coming year, Bernie Lightman will Chair Stewards’ Council, and Gerard Naddaf will Chair the Grievance Committee.
-
Participating in the work of the YUFA Executive and the Joint Committee on the Administration of the Agreement (JCOAA). Both Chief Stewards attend Executive and Gerard Naddaf will participate in JCOAA.
-
Specifically assisting units with the application of the Collective Agreement in all matters of restructuring, and working with the Long Range Planning subcommittee of JCOAA.
-
Providing information to members periodically through the Stewards’ Information Webpage or otherwise.
-
Recruiting stewards and members of the Grievance Committee, where needed.
Communications Officer - Jay Rahn
According to By-law 14 (f), the Communications Officer solicits and edits contributions to YUFA publications, including the Website and the bargaining priorities questionnaire, determines and implements the communications implications of the Executive Officers’ work plan, and is a member of the Executive Committee and Stewards' Council.
Another regular duty of the Communications Officer has been the monthly compilation and dissemination of Executive meeting summaries. Based on the Recording Secretary's official minutes of Executive meetings, these provide YUFA's membership with an ongoing account of activities and decisions realized by the Association. With the help of YUFA staff, I shall be managing the YUFA Website and communicating periodically with members via YUFA-M. Anticipated for 2010-2011 is additional coverage of issues, achievements and information resources outside YUFA that are of interest to the Association’s membership.
Equity Officers - Ida Ferrara & Rose Steele
The ongoing work of Equity Officers involves regular attendance at the Executive Committee and Stewards’ Council meetings where we will maintain a watching brief on equity issues of the current Collective Agreement and equity issues which arise out of YUFA business. Equity Officers also will liaise regularly with equity-seeking constituencies, such as the YUFA Race Equity Caucus, Access York, etc.
We will work with respective constituencies in order to advance equity, especially with regard to the intersectionality of equity issues. Building relations continues to be important and we will meet as needed with various equity-related offices on campus (e.g., Human Rights, Affirmative Action Officer, etc.). Our involvement with the Caucuses will be appropriate to that desired by each Caucus with respect to the Equity Subcommittee’s recent recommendation to Executive that YUFA acknowledge the autonomy and self-determination of all Recognised Caucuses within the Association. The Equity Officers will ensure that any YUFA By-law / Constitutional changes required to affirm the Caucuses’ rights are brought to the attention of the VP-Internal’s new committee that will be examining the YUFA Constitution and By-laws and making recommendations for change to the YUFA membership in 2011.
Equity Officers will meet with the Equity Subcommittee at least once in the Fall term and again in the Winter term and will bring forward concerns from the Equity Subcommittee to the Executive Committee. In conjunction with the Equity Subcommittee, we will explore the possibility of a University-wide discussion in Spring 2011 that would allow Equity Officers to hear from various interested constituencies regarding concerns that could be taken up in the future.
This year, Rose Steele will become a member of the Joint Committee on the Administration of the Agreement (JCOAA). In addition, the Equity Officers will provide input with respect to equity concerns for the next Collective Agreement and will bring forward any suggestions made by the Caucuses and / or the Equity Subcommittee.
The Equity Officers will continue to investigate the relevant equity clauses from other Canadian universities, as well as from suggestions from CAUT that YUFA may wish to consider for future Collective Agreements. We also will continue to monitor the current Collective Agreement (May 2009 – April 2012) for outstanding equity concerns.
As Treasurer of YUFA, I have a responsibility to play a leading role in monitoring the finances of our union, and to prepare the annual budget. My position also requires me to consult with the auditor as necessary and, most importantly, report on the state of YUFA’s finances to the membership. I shall also ensure that our members' money is invested appropriately. I will conduct all of these activities as expeditiously and transparently as I possibly can and be available for consultations with our Trustees if needed.
The Treasurer is also a member of the compensation committee of YUFA. There has been an ongoing discussion and review of Executive compensation (release time and payouts in lieu of release time) over the last few years. As a member of the compensation committee, I shall endeavour to see that our practices are in compliance with our By-laws and standards of good governance.
Finally, I have been named as an Executive appointee to a proposed Constitutional review committee. Along with colleagues on the committee, I plan to ensure that we consult widely to receive adequate membership input on issues related to Constitutional review.