WLUFA

Greetings,

WLUFA has been petitioned by 21 members of the Association to hold a General Meeting of the membership to discuss items on the attached agenda. This meeting will be held on Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. in Room SBE2250 Schlegel Centre.

Our apologies to Brantford members, but due to the lack of video conferencing space on the Waterloo campus, we are unable to provide a link with you. WLUFA will pay mileage to those who wish to attend and car pool.

Executive Committee

WLUFA celebrated the End-of-Winter Term Party on Thursday, April 19, 2012. The President acknowledged this year’s retirees: as Michele Daviau, Professor, Archaeology Department; Ruth Harris, Associate Professor, SBE; and Alastair Robertson, Associate Professor, Department of Economics.

WLUFA would like to thank all members who allowed their names stand for election to the Executive Committee.

The following are the voting results for the WLUFA nominees for Executive Committee Members as listed:

In addition to the President – Judy Bates, and Past President – Mike Skelton, the members as elected will serve on the 2012-2013 Executive Committee.

Articles and letters regarding the Balsillie School:

Jim Turk’s OpEd in the Record:
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/columns/article/690311–universities-must-serve-the-public-interest-not-private-ones

Kathie Cameron and Judy Bate’s First Letter to the Record:
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters/article/692373–flaws-remain-in-governance-document

Kathie Cameron and Judy Bate’s Second Letter to the Record:
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters/article/702973–maintaining-integrity

Letter from Gus Van Harten and Stepan Wood, York Professors:
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/columns/article/701009–york-university-did-the-right-thing-in-cancelling-cigi-deal

Associate Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School of York University Stepan Wood’s letter to the editor in response to Balsillie’s op ed in the Globe:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/letters-to-the-editor/april-13-letters-to-the-editor/article2400489/print/

Letter from Robert Davison, CAS in History:
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters/article/691567–troubling-influence

Letter from President of St. Jerome’s Faculty Association:
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters/article/701663–academic-freedom-mustn-t-be-compromised

Letter from Kate Lawson, UW:
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters/article/692543–potential-dangers

WLUFA has scheduled an End of Winter term party on Thursday, April 19th, 2012 in the Hawk’s Nest at 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Two drink tickets per guest. Refreshments will be served. See you there!

The following is posted on behalf of the WLUFA Executive Committee:

WLUFA is very pleased to announce that this year James Turk, Executive Director of CAUT (Canadian Association of University Teachers), will speak at the AGM on issues of Academic Freedom and Governance.

The WLUFA Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. in room P2007 - Peters Building, Waterloo.

Please note that we are unable to link with members at Laurier Brantford because Waterloo does not have a video-conference room large enough to accommodate our needs. Because your participation is important to us, however, WLUFA will provide compensation for mileage to members who wish to car pool. In order to receive the compensation, please submit an expense claim form to Linda Watson (lwatson@wlu.ca) after the meeting.

Click here to see the Agenda April 2012 for the AGM.

Dear WLUFA,

We are writing to thank you for your support during our 2008-2009
strike and to share information about our current round of
negotiations.

As you may have heard, CUPE 3903, representing contract professors,
teaching assistants, and graduate research assistants at York
University and Glendon College, have set a strike deadline for 12
April 2012.

It is crunch time for us and we are writing to solicit your support.

We have been bargaining with the Employer since November. The Employer
is still dragging their heels on our priority issues, while offering
up concessions, in particular to our precariously employed contract
faculty members. This is occurring in spite of our far less ambitious
set of demands than in the last round of bargaining, in which we ended
up locked out for nearly 3 months, and then legislated back to work.
It should be noted, however, that in our last round we still made
significant gains.

Some small gains have already been made at the bargaining table this
round; however, the Employer refuses to take seriously the 4 priority
demands that our membership identified over the course of several
general membership meetings in early autumn 2011. Our 4 priorities are
meant to deal with aspects of employment equity and precariousness and
are as follows: 1) anti-claw back language to prevent the Employer
from rolling back research monies in response to wage gains won during
bargaining; 2) tuition rebates (often called post-residency fees in
our sister locals’ CAs) for graduate students who no longer take
classes; 3) a minimum funding package for graduate research assistants
similar to those already received by teaching assistants; and 4)
continuing appointments for CUPE faculty (e.g. renewable 3 year 3
course contracts for long service faculty, the restorations of
tenure-track promotions, and a minimum work entitlement for those who
have taught at York for at least 2 years).

We have issued a no board report after gaining a strike mandate from
our membership, and the bargaining team is working tirelessly to make
every possible gain and fight off proposed concessions. We need
support from the broader labour and social justice community, both in
these final days before our strike deadline as well as after April 12
should negotiations not come to an end and we find ourselves on strike
or locked out. For example, your union can sign on as a supporter of
CUPE 3903 and you can circulate our updates to your members. Your
union can also help with planning a rally that would open a potential
strike and help with getting speakers from across the broad
progressive community in Toronto. Your union can also help set up a
support network of non-3903 members prepared to participate and help
in any job action that may occur.

We hope to receive whatever support you can provide.

In solidarity,

CUPE 3903’s stewards’ council on behalf of the executive

http://3903.cupe.ca/

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Solidarity is Pink

We have all seen the effects of homophobic and transphobic harassment in schools in several high-profile suicides by young people. These tragedies have prompted many to take action and raise awareness of bullying. Homophobic and transphobic harassment is happening in our schools and workplaces, sometimes on a daily basis.

We encourage you to participate in the International Day of Pink, which takes place on April 11, this year. On this day, teachers and education workers will engage with students and colleagues on ways to end homophobia and transphobia. Workers in many other sectors will participate as well, by wearing pink shirts on this day; and by organizing celebrations of diversity and communicating that homophobia and transphobia will not be tolerated.

We encourage you to call on your members to show their solidarity by wearing a pink shirt and organizing Day of Pink events in their workplace, communities and schools. Together, we can put a stop to homophobic and transphobic bullying, discrimination and violence.

Learn more about the Day of Pink by visiting: http://www.dayofpink.org/

————–

La solidarité en rose

Nous avons tous et toutes été témoins des effets du harcèlement homophobe et transphobe dans les écoles qui ont donné lieu à plusieurs cas de suicides commis par les jeunes et ayant retenu l’attention. Ces tragédies ont incité plusieurs personnes à agir et à sensibiliser la population à ces questions. Le harcèlement homophobe et transphobe se fait dans nos écoles et nos lieux de travail, parfois sur une base quotidienne.

Nous vous encourageons à participer à la Journée de la Solidarité en rose qui, cette année, se tiendra le 11 avril. En ce jour, les enseignants et enseignantes et les professionnels et professionnelles de l’éducation trouveront des moyens avec les étudiants et étudiantes et leurs collègues pour mettre fin à l’homophobie et à la transphobie. Les travailleurs et travailleuses de nombreux autres secteurs participeront aussi par le port de chemises roses ce jour-là; en organisant des célébrations de la diversité et en communiquant de façon générale que l’homophobie et la transphobie ne seront pas tolérées.

Nous vous encourageons à faire appel à vos membres afin qu’ils et elles manifestent leur solidarité en portant un t-shirt rose et en organisant une activité de Solidarité en rose dans leurs lieux de travail, leurs communautés et leurs écoles. Ensemble, nous pouvons mettre un terme à l’intimidation, la discrimination et la violence homophobe et transphobe.

Pour en savoir plus sur la Solidarité en rose, veuillez visiter : http://www.dayofpink.org/fr

—————————————————————————————————————-

Canadian Association of University Teachers / Association canadienne des professeures et professeurs d’université / 2705 promenade Queensview Drive, Ottawa, (Ontario) K2B 8K2

James L. Turk, Executive Director / Directeur Général

tel: (613) 726-5176

fax/téléc: (613) 820-7244

mobile (613) 277-0488

turk@caut.ca

twitter: @jameslturk

WLUFA is delighted to announce the result of the ratification vote.

The Members voted 83.5% in favour of ratification of the tentative agreement. The Board of Governors has already ratified the agreement.

We will be in touch with you with further information as it becomes available.

Sincerely,
Judy Bates

Greetings,

According to the Ontario Labour Relations Board for ratification votes, all votes must be by secret ballot. Voting closes at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 16 in Waterloo and 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 15 in Brantford. Please see the Summary for ratification.

Voting in person at Laurier Brantford
Wednesday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. RCW 319 – R. Kristofferson’s Office
Wednesday 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. RCE 315 – G. Warrick’s Office
Thursday 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. RCE 315 – G. Warrick’s Office

Voting in person at Waterloo in the WLUFA Office R114 (202 Regina St.)
Wednesday 8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

If you are unable to vote at the times and locations listed below this is the procedure you must follow. There will be no electronic or proxy voting.

1. Ask the WLUFA office to sent you a ballot via e-mail.
2. Print the ballot and check one of the boxes
3. Put this ballot into a BLANK envelope and SEAL it.
4. Place the above envelope (which is blank and sealed) in second envelope addressed to WLUFA – 75 University Ave. W. Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5. You MUST place your name in the return address area of the OUTER envelope.
5. Send this to the WLUFA office. It must be received by Friday, March 16 at 3:30 p.m. Ballots received after 3:30 on March 16 will not be counted.