30 Jan 09 – Remediation / Returning to Class FAQ

30 Jan 09 – Urgent Appeal for Undergrad Fund

Dear Colleagues,

With classes set to resume on Monday after the longest strike in York's history, we are issuing a renewed and urgent call for donations to help students cope with its financial impact. 

The York Undergraduate Student Hardship Fund was created in mid-December to provide bursaries for students who can document financial hardships arising from the strike. We believe that many, if not most of York's undergraduates now fall into this category. Like many other York faculty, we have received reports of students losing their accommodation, of having to choose between completing courses and much-needed summer jobs, of on-campus work lost at the outset of the strike. "I worked so hard and sacrificed so many things, and now what I supposed to do?", one student emailed last week, "I live on my own. I pay for my own education from OSAP. I feel that I've been robbed and left with an empty education”.

Financial hardships arising from the current strike are likely to be comparable to those reported after the YUFA strike in 1997. At that time a survey by York's Institute for Social Research found that the strike had cost students a total of about $12 million in lost summer earnings, or an average of $630 per student. Up to now we've collected just over $38,000 in the Hardship Fund, $20,000 of that from YUFA. Given the level of need we're seeing, this is barely a beginning. While we acknowledge that the fund cannot be expected to meet the full extent of student losses from the strike, we note that as of last week, fewer than 100 individuals (about 80 faculty and 15 staff) have contributed.

At its current level the fund will be depleted long before it reaches most of those who need it. It will be remembered as little more than a well-intentioned gesture. Surely we can do better than this! Students will look at the fund - its size and the number of donors - and draw their own conclusions. Simply knowing that many of their professors have contributed will certainly improve the way they feel about York as they return to classes.

Every York undergraduate student will soon receive an email announcing the existence of the fund and explaining that it was created by faculty out of concern for students as fellow members of York's learning community. From conversations with many colleagues we know that this concern is heartfelt.

Now the time has come to join hearts with pocketbooks and put that concern into action. Please give generously today.

Sincerely,

Megan Davies
Associate Professor
Health & Society

Paul Antze
Associate Professor
Health & Society

The York University Undergraduate Student Hardship Committee

How to Contribute:

To Donate Online: Visit the foundation website: And click on the "Give Now, Click Here" button on the left side. When filling out the Online Donation Form under "First Allocation" please be sure to click on "Other" and in the box provided, please write "York University Undergraduate Hardship Fund".

To Donate by Mail: Please fill out a copy of the printable donation form and send in with a cheque made payable to "York University Foundation" to the address below. In the cheque's "memo" line please write: York University Undergraduate Hardship Fund". Mail the cheque to the following address: Andrea Lucas, Senior Development Officer, York University Foundation, West Office Building, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3

To Donate by Telephone / Credit Card: Please call: 416-650-8210 and request to make a donation by credit card to support the "York University Undergraduate Hardship Fund".

20 Jan 09 – Planning for Remediation

19 Jan 09 – Clarifying Press Release

by Louise Ripley, YUFA Communications Officer

Having been so directed by YUFA’s Stewards’ Council, I sent the following Press Release, written with Arthur Hilliker and amended by Stewards’ Council, to the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star in time to get it into the Saturday / Sunday papers. Please note that the Globe and Mail wrote its own headline and first line; the phrases “vows to support” or “continues to support” are not present in Press Release itself.

Press Release

These are our principles with respect to the CUPE 3903 forced ratification vote. They are motions passed unanimously at the YUFA Executive meeting of 12 January 2009:

1. YUFA Executive re-affirms its support of free collective bargaining and does not endorse a ratification vote of CUPE 3903 members as forced by the Employer.

2. YUFA Executive strongly urges all YUFA members to respect individual CUPE 3903 members’ rights in the forced ratification vote to vote freely and according to their conscience. We urge all YUFA members to respect CUPE members’ rights to vote freely.

3. YUFA Executive, recognizing the power relations implicit in the roles of YUFA members and CUPE 3903 members, does not endorse any YUFA member attempting to influence how a CUPE 3903 member might vote in the forced ratification vote.

We recognize the serious problems the strike is causing for the students and for York. We also recognize that the issues of this strike need to be resolved for the future of York University.

Here is what each newspaper did with it:

Globe and Mail, Saturday 17 January 2009:

York faculty association vows to support strikers
Staff
January 17, 2009 Globe and Mail

Toronto -- The York University Faculty Association continues to support its striking co-workers, president Arthur Hilliker said in a statement yesterday.

YUFA, representing full-time professors, who aren't included in the strike, voted in a meeting this week to stand behind striking CUPE Local 3903.

YUFA pledged its "support of free collective bargaining and does not endorse a ratification vote," scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, because it was "forced" by the university. Its statement also said the association "does not endorse any YUFA member attempting to influence" votes.

It came on the heels of an open letter earlier this week, which 282 current and retired York faculty signed. Those professors urged CUPE members to accept the current deal.

Toronto Star, Sunday 18 January 2009, at the very end of a long article (41 lines preceded this) about the losses suffered by students in YUFA’s 1997 strike:

Classes at York have been shut down since Nov. 6 by a strike of the Canadian Union of Public Employees 3903, which represents 3,340 teaching assistants, contract faculty and graduate assistants.

Union members are taking part in a secret-ballot vote tomorrow and Tuesday on the university's latest offer organized at York's request by Ontario's labour ministry.

Both a petition by 282 professors last week and a letter from the university's deans urged union members to accept the deal.

But a new letter from the York University Faculty Association has urged all York faculty to let union members make up their own minds and not try to influence how they vote.

"The faculty association reaffirms its support of free collective bargaining and does not endorse a ratification vote of CUPE 3903 members as forced by the employer," said association president professor Arthur Hilliker in a public statement Friday.

Moreover, he said, the executive "does not endorse any YUFA member attempting to influence how a CUPE 3903 member might vote in the forced ratification vote."

13 Jan 09 – Returning to Class

We have heard from many YUFA members expressing concerns around returning to class after the conclusion of the CUPE 3903 strike. Specifically members have expressed concerns around:

• Leaves January 09

• Length of time to return to class

• Teaching Assistant support

• Protection from unreasonable demands for extra work

• Compensation for extra work

• Replacement for course instructors

• Replacement for support where contracts have expired

• Retirees

• Guidelines for dealing with graduate students for graduate program directors

• Supervisors and post-docs

• Modification of Tenure & Promotion Guidelines

• Leaves & Fellowships deadlines (agreement from the Employer to extend to January / March 09)

• Summer school

• Conferences

• Parking

• Health & Safety

As was previously circulated on YUFA-M, JCOAA has been frustrated in its numerous attempts to get a response from the Employer relating to any of the issues we have raised to date. The only area where we have been successful is securing an agreement to extend the deadline for applications for some Leaves & Fellowships. We will continue to press the Employer to respond to the concerns of YUFA members. If you have any concerns that are not addressed in the list above, and if you have specific concerns relating to Health & Safety, please contact YUFA at yufa@yorku.ca.

Mary Kandiuk, YUFA VP Internal and YUFA Co-Chair, Joint Committee on the Administration of the Agreement (JCOAA)

13 Jan 09 – CUPE 3903 Forced Ratification Vote

The following motions were passed unanimously at the YUFA Executive meeting of 12 January 2009:

1. YUFA Executive re-affirms its support of free collective bargaining and does not endorse a ratification vote of CUPE 3903 members as forced by the Employer.

2. YUFA Executive strongly urges all YUFA members to respect individual CUPE 3903 members’ rights in the forced ratification vote to vote freely and according to their conscience. We urge all YUFA members to respect CUPE members’ rights to vote freely.

3. YUFA Executive, recognizing the power relations implicit in the roles of YUFA members and CUPE 3903 members, does not endorse any YUFA member attempting to influence how a CUPE 3903 member might vote in the forced ratification vote.

9 Jan 09 – Communiqué from YUFA Ad Hoc CUPE Support & Communications Committee: Support for Conversion Appointments

This Ad Hoc Committee was set up by the YUFA Executive as a venue for members to express support for CUPE 3903 and provide communications to YUFA members about the strike. The mandate of the Committee was clarified by a series of motions at the YUFA Special General Meeting of 19 November 2008. The Committee includes some members of the YUFA Executive and is open to all YUFA members.

In these last difficult months, there is one subject on which everyone seems to agree. Faculty who have acquired their positions through conversions have been an invaluable part of our collegium and have contributed outstanding research, teaching and service to York University. Conversion appointments also had an excellent success rate in being granted tenure.

We urge YUFA members to contact members of the University Administration negotiating committee and assure them that you support maintaining and even increasing the number of conversions supported in the next CUPE 3903 contract. This is especially important in a time of declared hiring freezes coinciding with anticipated increases in student enrollment. In this context, the loss of conversions is not just a loss to members of CUPE. It is an important loss to full-time YUFA faculty who will experience greater workload pressures in service and graduate advising, as teaching assignments are increasingly transferred away from tenured faculty. In this context, the depletion of the conversion program is a direct threat to the goals of academic excellence espoused by the University.

We recommend that you send letters to the following members of the University negotiating committee with a clear statement in support of maintaining or increasing the number of conversions in the next CUPE 3903 and YUFA contracts.

Dean Robert Drummond (artsdean@yorku.ca)
Barry Miller (bmiller@yorku.ca)
Gary Brewer (brewerg@yorku.ca)

Please send copies of your memos to yufa@yorku.ca.

YUFA Ad Hoc CUPE Support & Communications Committee

Contacts:
Livy Visano, YUFA VP External, lavisano@yorku.ca
Ildikó Kovács, Stewards’ Council Executive Representative, ildiko@yorku.ca

6 Jan 09 – The York University Undergraduate Student Hardship Committee

Faculty at York University concerned about the plight of their students during the current strike have responded by creating a special bursary fund – The York University Undergraduate Student Hardship Fund – to help them with financial hardships.

According to the Fund’s organizers, many students at York face serious financial hardship from lost income and unexpected expenses. Undergraduates who held on-campus jobs and those expecting to work full time between terms have had to put their plans on hold. Many expect to be paying more for rent, food, day care and transportation. International and out-of-province students face additional costs from changes in travel plans. As one student explained, “It appears that the school year will almost certainly be extended. For me, this means that the seasonal income I rely on each summer will be significantly reduced, if not eliminated altogether. If I am going to be in classes later than the usual mid-April, I will also have to make alternate arrangements for childcare.”

In an effort to address this problem, a group of faculty have created a new bursary fund: The York University Undergraduate Student Hardship Fund. They are asking for donations – above all from full-time faculty – although other individuals and organizations (including unions) are welcome to contribute. Donations have already started to come in from generous supporters, including a $10,000 pledge from the York University Faculty Association.

As one of the Fund’s organizers explained, “We know that many of our colleagues at York are really concerned about the effect that the strike is having on the lives of their students. The Fund gives all of us who share these concerns a way of acting on them and doing something tangible to help.”

Money collected will go into the Hardship Fund under the administrative umbrella of the York University Foundation. An allocations committee will establish criteria for awarding grants. Bursaries will be awarded through the Office of Student Financial Services. Any money left will go to Student Financial Services for their students’ emergency fund.

All individuals and organizations wishing to make a tax deductible donation to the Fund can do so by following the instructions set out below. If you would like to make a gift in tribute or in memory of someone, make mention of this when making the phone donation, in a letter when mailing in a donation, or in the space provided when donating online. If you would like an in tribute / in memory card sent out to the person or their family, please supply the appropriate mailing address.

To Give Online
Visit the Foundation Website and click on the "Give Now, Click Here" button on the left side. When filling out the Online Donation Form under "First Allocation", please be sure to click on "Other" and in the box provided please write "York University Undergraduate Hardship Fund".

To Give by Mail
Please fill out a copy of our printable donation form and send it, with a cheque made payable to "York University Foundation", to the address below*. In the cheque's "memo" line, please write: “York University Undergraduate Hardship Fund".
* Attention: Andrea Lucas, Senior Development Officer, York University Foundation,
West Office Building, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3.

To Give by Phone / Credit Card

Please call: 416-650-8210 and request to make a donation by credit card to support the "York University Undergraduate Hardship Fund".

Questions about the Fund may be directed to the following individuals:

• Paul Antze, Associate Professor, Health & Society, pantze@yorku.ca
• Megan Davies, Associate Professor, Health & Society, daviesmj@yorku.ca

The York University Undergraduate Student Hardship Committee

5 Jan 09 – Back to Class Discussions

Dear YUFA Members,

With the exception of the parties' agreement to extend deadlines for some Leaves & Fellowships, the Employer has not responded to issues raised repeatedly by YUFA to date, through JCOAA, with respect to the CUPE 3903 strike. We are continuing to pursue discussions with the Employer.

As Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Administration of the Agreement (JCOAA), I have been in touch with and received agreement from the Chair of Senate with respect to the need for a back to class meeting (date yet to be confirmed) to "explore and identify potential areas in need of coordination". We will keep members informed as information becomes available. In the meantime I encourage members to contact YUFA (yufa@yorku.ca) with any concerns.

Mary Kandiuk, YUFA Vice-President Internal & YUFA Co-Chair Joint Committee on the Administration of the Agreement (JCOAA)

26 Nov 08 – YUFA Press Release & Press Conference

York University Faculty Association to Hold News Conference
Wednesday, 26 November 10 am

The York University Faculty Association (YUFA) will hold a news conference to discuss issues arising from the current strike by the University’s teaching assistants, members of Local 3903 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

YUFA, which supports CUPE 3903 in obtaining a fair and equitable settlement, represents the full-time faculty members and librarians at York University (outside of Osgoode Law School). Its members rely on the essential contributions of the teaching assistants and graduate assistants. YUFA members also supervise the graduate work of CUPE 3903, as they are students at York University. Faculty Association members are also teacher-colleagues of the contract faculty represented by CUPE 3903.

“We are engaged in discussions with CUPE 3903 regarding matters they are discussing with the University administration about job security for CUPE members that would affect our Collective Agreement regarding conversions and a Special Renewable Contract proposal,” said YUFA President, Professor Arthur J. Hilliker. 

The growing number of long term contract faculty in CUPE (which can last 10 years and more), as well as some long term Contractually Limited Appointments within YUFA, represent a substantial problem both for the University and for the individuals, explained Professor Hilliker.

“After years of education, these instructors face high intensity teaching and uncertainty about whether they will have teaching, and if so which courses, year by year,” he said.

“In the past, CUPE, YUFA, and the University’s administration have taken steps to address this,” he said. “Every year since 1988, a modest number of conversions (selected members of the high intensity pool) are chosen to move into tenure track positions. In 1999, a program was created for Special Renewable Contracts for a fixed pool of CUPE members with 15 years and more of high intensity work.

“YUFA has incorporated these past programs into our own contract. We continue to work with CUPE and the administration to find continuing programs of these types that address this major issue,” Professor Hilliker said.

The news conference will be held at 10 am on Wednesday, 26 November 2008, at YUFA’s temporary office, 3100 Steeles Ave. West, (northwest corner of Jane and Steeles), Suite 600.

– 30 –

Contacts:

Professor Arthur J. Hilliker, YUFA President, 905-597-6391

Professor Livy Visano, YUFA Vice President, External 647-287-8736

26 Nov 08 – On-Campus Meetings
In response to enquiries from YUFA members who have academic-administrative positions (such as College Masters, Department Chairs, Graduate Program Directors, Undergraduate Program Directors), we provide the following information.

1. Senate Executive has announced some time ago that if the CUPE strike continues beyond 27 November, then Senate will hold its November meeting off-campus. Since Faculty Councils are sub-committees of Senate, Faculty Councils have good reason to follow the example of Senate and hold this month’s Council meetings off campus; doing so is consistent with Senate Executive’s decision to relocate the November Senate meeting off-campus. Here is the announcement from Senate Executive:

   “The Executive Committee has confirmed that a regular meeting of Senate will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 27. Documentation will be distributed by the end of the week of November 17. Hard copy agenda packages will also be available at the meeting.

   The meeting is scheduled to take place in the Senate Chamber, Ross Building. However, if the strike has not ended by November 27, the meeting will be held in the St. Wilfrid’s Hall located at 1675 Finch Ave West, just west of Sentinel Road. The facility is accessible, and free parking is available.”

   Harriet Lewis, Secretary

2. If you, or others in your unit, wish to suggest that committee, unit, or Council meetings be held off-campus, the decision to move off-campus should be made collegially and democratically by members of such committees. These measures are completely consistent with the value and practices of collegiality which we respect and continue to promote at York University.

3. Does your unit or Faculty have contract faculty who are CUPE 3903 members? If so, holding off-campus meetings means that no members of your unit and Faculty Council, including CUPE 3903 members, are excluded.

4. College Masters, Department Chairs, Graduate Program Directors and Undergraduate Program Directors are YUFA members who agree to do academic-administrative work in order that York University academic affairs can be conducted in and through collegial governance. They have the same rights and responsibilities as other YUFA members provided for in YUFA’s Collective Agreement, including “deal[ing] fairly and ethically with [our] colleagues, students, and other members of the University community” (Article 11.01 c). It would be both illegal and unethical for the Employer to request that these members discipline or even threaten to discipline their colleagues. Whatever YUFA members’ individual political views, as colleagues we watch out for each other rather than watch each other.

YUFA Ad Hoc CUPE Support & Communications Committee

24 Nov 2008 – Communiqué on Binding Arbitration
Collective Bargaining, not Binding Arbitration, will resolve this dispute.

The York University Faculty Association (YUFA) calls on the Employer to cease its public calls for binding arbitration as a method of resolving the CUPE 3903 strike. A fair and equitable resolution to this dispute will be found through collective bargaining, not binding arbitration.

Binding arbitration is a tool used to reach agreement under certain specific circumstances that don’t apply here. These circumstances include:

1. negotiated alternative that has failed and the parties have reached an impasse;

2. both parties agree on the need for binding arbitration.

These circumstances have not been met in the current labour dispute between CUPE 3903 and the Employer. Negotiations have not moved ahead, at least in part because of the Employer's insistence on binding arbitration. CUPE 3903 does not agree on the need for binding arbitration and has stated publicly that it will not accept an outcome imposed in that manner.

As a result, the Employer's continued public campaign for binding arbitration is harmful to the negotiating process. It diverts time and energy from the important work of reaching a fair agreement, and increases the distance between the parties. Dropping the call for binding arbitration would go some way to reach a speedy and fair resolution.

YUFA Ad Hoc CUPE 3903 Support & Communications Committee

21 Nov 08 – OCUFA Joins YUFA for Solidarity Rally for CUPE 3903
On Wednesday, 26 November 2008 at 11am, Brian Brown, President of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), will be joining YUFA in a Solidarity Rally for CUPE 3903 at the main gate (York Blvd.). YUFA members are urged to attend.

20 Nov 08 – YUFA CUPE 3903 Ad Hoc Support & Communications Committee Meeting
The YUFA CUPE 3903 Ad Hoc Support & Communications Committee will meet on Friday 21 November at 11 am in the YUFA temporary office - 3100 Steeles Ave. W. (NW corner of Jane and Steeles) 6th floor.

See Draft Minutes from SGM, 19 Nov 08.

18 Nov 08 – FAQ for YUFA Members

14 Nov 08 – Picket Sign Construction Meeting & Flying Picket
YUFA members are invited to attend a picket sign construction meeting in the temporary YUFA office at 3100 Steeles Ave. West (NW Corner of Jane and Steeles intersection) Suite 600A (Penthouse) at 10 AM on Monday November 17.

Once the signs have been constructed there will a flying picket in support of CUPE 3903 obtaining a fair and equitable settlement. Please dress appropriately and it has been suggested that members may wish to bring musical instruments.

13 Nov 08 – Special General Meeting
YUFA is holding a Special General Meeting for information sharing, members' concerns, and members' opinions concerning YUFA-related issues of the ongoing CUPE 3903 strike. Members are encouraged to attend.

Date: Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Time: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Location: York Woods Library, 1785 Finch Avenue West (between Sentinel Road & Jane Street), Room 2/3

• Research Development Fellowships
• Teaching-Learning Development Grants
• Release-Time Teaching Fellowships

Any questions should be directed to yufa@yorku.ca.

11 Nov 08 – Solidarity Rally with CUPE
The announcement below is provided for the information of YUFA members. Note that YUFA does not support any specific proposals of CUPE 3903, however YUFA does support CUPE 3903 achieving a fair and equitable settlement. YUFA is discussing CUPE 3903 matters that affect the YUFA Collective Agreement that are the subject of negotiations between the Employer and CUPE 3903. Any matters affecting the YUFA Collective Agreement must be ratified by the membership.

Arthur Hilliker, President, YUFA

****Please come out for a Solidarity Rally with striking CUPE 3903 workers at York University****

Wednesday November 12th, 1pm at Main Gate -York Boulevard and Keele

CUPE 3903 - Contract Faculty, Teaching and Graduate Assistants at York University went out on strike at 12:01am Thursday November 6th, 2008. We rejected a concessionary offer and are fighting for job security, decent wages and benefits and accessible education for all! We will be holding a rally at 1pm Wednesday. We are calling on all unions, allies and supporters to please come out to the picket-lines to show your solidarity.

Other forms of Solidarity:
Come out to our picket-lines
Letters to editors
Press releases from your local in support of our strike action
Bringing food to the line
Donations to CUPE 3903 635 Petrolia Rd. Toronto, ON M3J 2X8
To take online action, click here.
For updates please go to: www.3903strike.ca

Please send solidarity messages with the subject: solidarity message.

More info:
Punam 416-779-3032
Katherine 416-828-3851
Rafeef 416-616-4796

10 Nov 08 – YUFA's Off-Campus Office
For the duration of the CUPE 3903 Strike, YUFA will be located at 3100 Steeles Ave. West (NW corner of Steeles & Jane) on the penthouse floor, room 600A. Members can call 905 597 6391 or leaves telephone messages at 416 736 5236 and they will be responded to as soon as possible. 

7 Nov 08 – CUPE Press Conference
YUFA Members are invited to a CUPE 3903 press conference on Monday, 10 November 2008 at noon at the main gate (York Blvd.). YUFA Vice-President External, Livy Visano, and Stewards' Council Executive Representative, Walter Whiteley will be in attendance. Following the press conference, members are asked to take part in a YUFA flying picket.

5 Nov 08 – Contacting YUFA
In the event of a labour disruption, the YUFA office will be relocated off-campus. In the interim, members can leave telephone messages at 416 736 5236; they will be responded to as soon as possible. Members will be advised of the YUFA office remote location via YUFA-M and by calling 416 736 5236, as soon as that information is confirmed.

Regular Website updates will resume once we have connectivity in our off-campus location.

It has been announced that there will be a Suspension of Academic Activities in the event of and for the duration of a CUPE 3903 strike. This action is being undertaken under Senate policies 70 & 76.

The YUFA CUPE 1281 staff are protected in their Collective Agreement from reprisal or discipline for refusal to cross picket lines and therefore YUFA has adopted the practice of moving the office off-campus, so as to assure YUFA members have access to YUFA staff and services. YUFA will advise members as soon as possible with contact information.

The YUFA Executive is engaged in discussions with CUPE 3903 regarding proposals, which Unit 2 has tabled with the Employer, that would impact the YUFA Collective Agreement. Should an agreement impacting the YUFA Collective Agreement result from such discussions, it would of course be brought before the YUFA membership for ratification.