About YUFA

YUFA

About Us

Frequently-Asked Questions about YUFA

What is 'YUFA'?

The York University Faculty Association (YUFA) is the Association and certified bargaining agent (union) for all academic staff with continuing / CLA appointments at York University. YUFA also represents those who retire from such positions. YUFA has some 1450 members and over 500 retirees.

When did it become a union?

YUFA was formed in 1962, shortly after the foundation of York University. From 1962 to 1976, YUFA was a voluntary association that promoted the interests of tenure-track / tenured teaching staff at York.

In late 1975, a group of faculty and librarians began an organizing drive to form a trade union. The drive was a success, and in May 1976, YUFA entered into negotiations for the 1^st Collective Agreement with the Board of Governors.

While bargaining, the proposed bargaining unit was the subject of several hearings before the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB). A few individuals unsuccessfully attempted to nullify the democratic vote of the faculty and librarians. Faculty at Osgoode, however, applied for and were granted exclusion from the new unit.

The hearings went on for so long that in mid-1976, the OLRB had to grant the union an interim certificate so that it could enter into a contract with the Employer. The 1st Agreement was concluded by the end of 1976 and took effect 1 July 1976.

Finally all disputes about the scope and legitimacy of the union were settled, and on 18 October 1977, the OLRB issued its ruling certifying YUFA as the sole bargaining agent for York faculty and librarians with continuing appointments.

How many Collective Agreements has YUFA bargained?

Seventeen - most recently the 2006-2009 Collective Agreement.

What have some of the big bargaining issues been lately?

In 2006, YUFA won: improved salaries, including increases in the Progress-through-the-Ranks increments; lower teaching loads in many units with a 'normal teaching load' of 3.0 FCEs, and improved graduate supervision credit, e.g., for MRP supervisors and retirees; benefits improvements, e.g., vision, hearing aids, orthodontics, and extending retiree benefits to SRCs; and bringing new librarians' entitlements to sabbatical credit in line with new faculty members'.

Management sought another 3-year contract and reduced entitlements to post-retirement work. Bargaining concluded after almost eight long months.

In 2003, YUFA's bargaining goals included: salaries, including bringing Alternate Stream pay floors to parity with librarians' floors; increasing the Professional Expense Reimbursement (PER) for the 1st time since 1991; retiree benefits' sustainability; improving parental leaves; addressing complement issues; and setting maxima for hours per day and days per week of teaching. Management aims included: getting a 3-year contract; allowing overload rates for faculty in deregulated programs to far exceed those for other instructors; capping tuition waivers; and increasing merit bonuses. Bargaining concluded in about three months.

In 2001, YUFA focused on graduate supervision credit, increased stipends for academic administrators, retiree benefits' sustainability, librarians' research time, fair procedures for dealing with harassment & discrimination complaints, and of course salaries. Management emphasised increasing its discretion over pay raises. Bargaining wrapped up in about three months.

In 1999, YUFA completed negotiations in seven months, improving affirmative action, leaves for parents, librarians' workload, retiree benefits, raises for promotions, and salaries. Management won greater discretion over pay through 'marketability raises' and a merit bonus system.

In 1996/97, YUFA bargained for over a year about salaries (including pay equity for women and anomalously low salaries), workload, intellectual property, technological change, and mandatory retirement, which the Employer sought to impose at all costs. A 55-day strike was necessary to reach an agreement.

How do YUFA and the Employer resolve day-to-day issues?

There's a Joint Committee on the Administration of the Agreement (JCOAA), with representation from the Employer and YUFA. JCOAA implements and administers Collective Agreements, once ratified.

Recent JCOAA topics range from restructuring and implementing teaching load reductions to dealing with surpluses in merit bonus funds, clarifications to long-term disability entitlements, changes in practice like moving from WebCT to Moodle, and interpretation of clauses about 'last' sabbaticals in light of the end of mandatory retirement.

JCOAA has several issue-specific subcommittees, including ones on long-range planning and on benefits. Also reporting to JCOAA is the Joint Affirmative Action Committee.

How is YUFA structured?

YUFA is governed by its members, who meet at least twice a year in General Meetings, including the Annual General Meeting at which the new year's budget is approved and Officers report on their recent activities.

Administrative and leadership functions fall to the Executive Committee, comprised of the ten elected Officers, the past President, two reps from the Stewards' Council, a rep from the Association of Retired Faculty & Librarians, and the union's professional staff.

The Executive is supervised by the Stewards’ Council - a body of 46 stewards representing departments and Faculties, and four stewards representing the DisAbility, First Nations, Queer, and Race Equity caucuses, plus Executive Officers. This Council reviews the Executive Committee’s work plan and progress, ratifies appointments made by Executive, approves negotiating positions to be taken to the membership for ratification, and is a forum for discussion.

The Executive Committee is assisted by various subcommittees, most importantly, the Equity and Grievance committees and the collective bargaining team.

Finally, two Trustees review YUFA's activities and operations, reporting annually to the membership.

For more detail, see YUFA's Constitution and By-laws.

What do YUFA's Officers do?

YUFA's Officers serve two-year terms. They are members of and report to the Executive Committee and Stewards' Council, receiving teaching-load reductions and, in some instances, additional compensation. Click here for Officers' job descriptions and annual compensation.

So, what are Work Plans?

They're the Executive Committee's annual statements of Officers' responsibilities, projects and priorities, as required by the By-laws. They form the basis of Officers' accountability, as Stewards' Council and membership receive regular progress reports. Click here to read Executive work plans.

Who are the current YUFA people?

Click here for the list.

How much are my union dues and what do I get for them?

Your dues are 1.1% of your pay. They are tax deductible. For them you get:

membership in the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT);
membership in the CAUT Defence Fund, which pays you and your benefits in the event of a strike;
membership in the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA);
membership in the National Union of the CAUT (NUCAUT, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), and the Toronto & York Region Labour Council;
advice, representation, and information from ten full- and part-time Officers and four full-time staff;
the facilities of the YUFA Office and Board Room for union work;
legal, actuarial, consulting and other professional services for the union's work on behalf of members;
solidarity donations; and
support for travel to union-related conferences.

How can I get involved?

YUFA needs many members to be involved, and there are many levels of involvement possible - from the full-time commitment of running for President to attending a membership meeting or filling in a survey about bargaining priorities.

For example, you could:

sit on a one-time committee to adjudicate YUFA's academic leaves and fellowships,
write an article for the Website about an issue that concerns members,
attend and report on a conference to which YUFA sends you,
serve as a delegate to the CLC Convention,
participate in a YUFA caucus,
represent your unit on the Stewards' Council, which meets six to nine times annually, or
apply to sit on the Executive's Bargaining Priorities Subcommittee.

Watch for calls that go out or are posted on email / Website. Or if you have a specific interest or task in mind, contact the YUFA Office.

Is involvement in YUFA counted as service?

Yes.

How do I contact or find YUFA?

Click here.

More info?

Version: September 2007