Contract Faculty – Letters of Offer, Contracts, and More
The process for determining each faculty member's workload --both full-time and contract--happens very late in the semester. Waiting to find out if you have Partial Load status, Part-time status (or any status at all) is frustrating and stressful. Six weeks before the start of the next semester, Full-time Faculty are assigned their workload. After [...]
COVID-19 and Your Joint Health and Safety Committees
Last week, St. Lawrence College announced that a student living in residence (Kingston campus) has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating. SLC Faculty Local 417 wishes the best for this student and wants us all to stay safe. Over the weekend the Kingston JHSC was advised that two other students have been diagnosed with the [...]
The Difference Between Professors and Instructors and Why Language Matters
The following letter to was sent Friday, December 4 to Glenn Vollebregt, College President; Eileen De Courcy, Senior Vice-President Academic; and Kathy O'Brien, Senior Vice-President, Strategy, Communications, and Advancement. The letter was in response to the College's use of the term "Instructor" rather than "Professor" in a recent video for new and returning students. See [...]
College Faculty Bargaining Bulletin #1
Bargaining in the Pandemic This November, college faculty from across Ontario gathered to elect the bargaining team you’ll send to negotiate with the College Employer Council (CEC) next year. In this inaugural bargaining newsletter, you will find short bios of your new bargaining team members, along with a timeline for bargaining cycle. As part [...]
College Faculty Hold Successful Online Pre-Bargaining Conference
On November 20-21, over 130 enthusiastic CAAT-A delegates, alternates and observers gathered virtually to survey the current bargaining environment and elect their 2021 bargaining team. Chair RM Kennedy led attendees through an agenda devoted to an overview of key issues facing college faculty and students in the midst of the pandemic. Presentations from labour [...]
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – St. Lawrence College Faculty OPSEU Local 417
“In our diversity we will build solidarity as union members.” So ends the OPSEU Statement of Respect that is read at the beginning of all union meetings. I write this acknowledging my own failure as President of OPSEU Local 417 in not saying something. I apologize for my inaction. The College has committed itself [...]
The Union-College Committee (UCC) – Do You Have Items for its Agenda?
Each month, a Union-College Committee meets to discuss issues and concerns impacting Local 417 members. According to our Collective Agreement the purpose of the committee is to discuss the local application of the Collective Agreement, clarification of procedures or conditions causing misunderstandings or grievances, internal complaints not addressed in other meetings or processes, grievance [...]
Partial Load Faculty – Bargaining Advisory Committee Opportunities
On behalf of the Bargaining Team, the Divisional Executive (DivEx) is inviting Partial-Load members to submit applications for a position on the Bargaining Advisory Committee (BAC). We are looking to fill 8 Partial-Load member positions on the committee. These individuals will sit alongside 24 local delegates (1 delegate from each local) to collectively form [...]