Faculty collective agreement is fully ratified
December 2, 2022
2022 Faculty Bargaining
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Bargaining Bulletins
Below are Bulletins from the past round of faculty negotiations and current.
We can now report that the Faculty collective agreement 2022-26 is fully ratified.
Want to get involved?
Here’s what you can do:
- Post about why Collective Bargaining matters to you on social media – tag the university and uwofa in your posts: Twitter: @westernu @westernuProvost @uwofa1; Facebook: @UWOFA, @Western University; Instagram: @uwofaco, @westernuniversity
- Collective Bargaining matters for Quality Education @WesternU in #LdnOnt @uwofa1
- Collective Bargaining matters for Health and Wellbeing @WesternU in #LdnOnt @uwofa1
- Collective Bargaining matters for Fair and Equitable Workloads @WesternU in #LdnOnt @uwofa1
- Collective Bargaining matters for Protecting Collegial Governance and Due Process @WesternU in #LdnOnt @uwofa1
- Collective Bargaining matters for Job Security for Contract Faculty @WesternU in #LdnOnt @uwofa1
- Collective Bargaining matters for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization @WesternU in #LdnOnt @uwofa1
SUBJECT: Support for conciliation
July 21st, 2022
Dear Provost Strzelczyk and President Shepard,
I write to you in support of the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association (UWOFA), as their representatives continue to negotiate for a new faculty Collective Agreement.
Unfortunately, there have been only two formal bargaining sessions so far, and while I appreciate the constructive dialogue that has been taking place at the table, I am concerned about the potential consequences of this slow progress.
As a member of the Western University community, I hope that your administration will work collaboratively with the UWOFA negotiating team, and the Ministry of Labour appointed conciliator, to achieve a fair and equitable agreement without further delay.
When bargaining sessions resume in August, I call on Western to step up its efforts, in order to minimize any potential disruption to the campus community, and the university’s core mission of teaching and learning.
Sincerely,
UWOFA is looking for members to be featured in short videos highlighting faculty concerns as we head into collective bargaining. Ideally these concerns will be framed to make connections with current bargaining goals.
Each video will be a maximum of 60 seconds and will be posted to our Instagram account (@uwofaco) and then shared on our FB, Twitter, and YT accounts, and our website.
We would like to hear from members from across a range of faculties and departments, both part-time and full-time.
If a member would like to participate, but prefer not to appear on video, we can take a photo instead and post it with a caption.
Please contact UWOFA Communications Officer, Maram Hijazi, to arrange a time to have your video or photo taken.
If you want to get involved in building support for our UWOFA bargaining goals, please contact our Mobilization Chair, David Heap.
Bargaining Timeline
April 7
UWOFA gives official Notice to Bargain, inviting the Employer to meet within two weeks to discuss planning and scheduling of negotiations
April 22
A meeting of the parties takes place, to discuss planning of bargaining, side tables, and scheduling
May 9
UWOFA emails the Office of Faculty Relations asking that process of scheduling bargaining and side tables (Bill 124, Indigenous Faculty Members, Annual Performance Evaluation, Merger of Bargaining Units) be initiated before the end of that week
May 12
Employer responds, indicating they are happy to begin scheduling and confirms agreement on proposed side tables
May 18
The Employer confirms scheduling of housekeeping meetings for May 20 and June 3
May 25
In the absence of Employer initiative on scheduling of other side tables and bargaining meetings, UWOFA sends the Employer a list of 29 proposed half days for bargaining during the period from June 13 to July 15, as well as side tables, starting with Bill 124, for the period from June 2 to June 10
May 20 & June 3
Parties meet to work on collective agreement “housekeeping”
June 3
UWOFA asks the Employer (during housekeeping meeting) what date they anticipate being ready to start bargaining. There is no direct reply, beyond that staff are working on scheduling and that they are not yet ready to have the Bill 124 side table discussion
June 8
Still no reply from Employer to UWOFA proposal for bargaining and side table meeting dates; UWOFA prepares to update membership on (lack of) progress to date, serves the Employer with notice of this plan
June 10
Despite UWOFA’s efforts and the Employer’s expressions of intention to schedule bargaining meetings, no meetings have yet been scheduled at the time this Bargaining Bulletin goes to press
June 15
The Employer is only now responding to the UWOFA negotiating team’s proposed meeting dates. The Employer proposes 3 half days over the next month, and all on the last two days before the summer break. At this rate it appears we may still be in negotiations in 2023.
June 29
Initial meeting scheduled for the Indigenous faculty side table. This side table will continue its work in parallel with collective bargaining, focusing on, among other questions, improvements to the terms of the Letter of Understanding (LOU)* Indigenous Faculty Members signed in 2020 following a process formalized in the 2018 collective agreement.
July 14, 15
Collective bargaining meetings scheduled between UWOFA and the administration. UWOFA Board of Directors have unanimously decided to call for conciliation.
July 21
Pause in Bargaining Bulletins until late August when negotiations resume.
August 26
Your negotiating team at UWOFA is back at the bargaining table with the Employer.
September 30
Strike Vote!
91% of ballots cast were YES votes, in support of the UWOFA Board of Directors authorizing strike action if necessary.
October 24
UWOFA requests “No Board Report”
October 28
‘No Board’ filed with the Ministry of Labour.
November 10
Strike deadline set for November 14 at 11:59pm.
December 2
Faculty collective agreement 2022-26 is fully ratified.