Canadian Association of University Teachers

 
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CAUT Policy Statement on Outsourcing

Preamble

Outsourcing takes two general forms. "Contracting out" refers to work that is performed by non-employees at an establishment or place other than the employer's establishment or place of work. "Contracting in" refers to the situation where an employer contracts with another company to supply persons at the workplace to perform work similar to that of the bargaining unit. It can also refer to the employer contracting with an individual consultant to provide services at the workplace that are identical or similar to those done by members of bargaining unit members.

1. It is important to have in place contractual restrictions on an employer's ability to contract for academic and other services outside the jurisdiction of negotiated collective agreements. These restrictions are essential to protect the integrity of academic work and to ensure that all academic staff are protected by the provisions of their collective agreements, criteria documents, hiring procedures and other policy documents.

2. Collective agreements and academic staff handbooks should prohibit outsourcing unless the association agrees to a specific, limited exception such as teaching and research assistants.

3. If contract academic staff are organized and working under a separate collective agreement, a protocol governing contracting out should be negotiated between the two associations. If the contract academic staff are un-organized, faculty associations should endeavour to incorporate them in the association.

Approved by the CAUT Council, November 2002.