October 20, 2006
UGFA welcomes our newest members
Clinical Faculty at the Animal Health Laboratory (AHL) and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH)!
This group of approximately 20 veterinarians provides diagnostic and clinical services to referring veterinarians and the VTH. In addition, they teach undergraduate and graduate students and many have research programs. AHL veterinarians joined the University of Guelph in 1997 as part of the enhanced partnership of the University with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). The AHL is situated within the OVC and shares space with the Department of Pathobiology. AHL veterinarians provide laboratory diagnostic services to the province, country and internationally. This group includes anatomic and clinical pathologists, virologists, a molecular biologist and a bacteriologist. Internationally, they are recognized for their expertise in animal diseases important to the animal industries of Ontario, as well as pathogens that can be transmitted people. Together they are responsible for monitoring programs for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease), Avian Influenza, West Nile Virus and a myriad of other pathogens. They and the veterinarians in the Veterinarian Teaching Hospital actively contribute to experiential learning by undergraduates, working closely with OVC pathologists and microbiologists. They are members of graduate student committees and have long been recognized as adjunct faculty and/or graduate faculty.
IN THIS NEWS & VIEWS:
- Teaching Award Presentations
- General Meeting on Salaries $$$$$$$$$ !
- Monday October 30 – 3:00-4:30 pm MacKinnon 115
General Meeting on Collective Agreement Principles - Thursday November 2 – 4:00-6:00 pm MacKinnon 121
Towards our first Collective Agreement – What’s Happening?
New Member Welcome and Teaching Award Reception
When? Thursday October 26, 2006 at 4:00 p.m.
Where? University Club
Recipients of the annual UGFA Teaching and Academic Librarianship Awards are selected from nominations made by colleagues and students, and recognize impressive contributions to University teaching and Library services. This year’s award recipients are:
- Distinguished Professor Awards
- Cecelia Paine, School of Landscape Architecture, OAC
- Ruediger Mueller, School of Languages & Literature, COA
- S. Wayne Martin, Population Medicine, OVC
- Special Merit Award
- John Dawson, Molecular & Cellular Biology, CBS
The Faculty Association is also taking this opportunity to welcome all new faculty, librarians and our newest Members Staff Veterinarians in Animal Health Lab and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. This will give our colleagues an opportunity to meet other faculty, librarians and Staff Veterinarians. The Association Executive will also be present to meet with Members and to answer any questions or concerns that you might have.
Two More Faculty Association Meetings....
Information Meeting # 2
Monday October 30 – 3:00 pm
SUBJECT? Salaries & Possible Salary Schemes
WHEN? October 30, 2006 from 3:00 - 4:30 pm
WHERE? MacKinnon 115
At the October 17 Information Meeting, Members heard a report on how University of Guelph salaries fared with respect to other Ontario Universities (Bad), and some thoughts on what the problem(s) might be. Specific proposals were made about how to fix this very sad situation (more money) and there was general discussion of Members’ ideas and opinions. At this 2nd information meeting, we’ll continue the discussion, because UGFA needs to know what your priorities are in order to represent you effectively.
General Meeting # 2
Thursday November 2 - 4:00 pm
SUBJECT? To discuss and approve Collective Agreement Article Principles
WHEN? Thursday November 2, 2006 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm
WHERE? MacKinnon 121
Our Collective Agreement - What’s Happening?
The story thus far:
On August 24, 2006, the University of Guelph Faculty Association and the University Administration received the decision of the Ontario Labour Relations Board with respect to the definition of the newly formed bargaining unit. The OLRB decided that both department Chairs/Directors and Staff Veterinarians would be included in the bargaining unit, and issued our certificate. In September, the UGFA advised the University Administration that we wished to begin negotiations towards a first Collective Agreement. Until such time as we agree to this Collective Agreement, current terms and conditions of employment (the Special Plan Agreement, and Faculty Policies, and Librarian Policies, etc.) are in effect – but they are frozen.
(If you have questions about what “frozen” means, or if you have concerns about possible actions that could constitute a change in your current terms and conditions of employment, we encourage you to call or email the UGFA office (ext. 52126, facassoc@uoguelph.ca) and let us know.)
What UGFA’s been doing:
Early in September (even before), many UGFA Members began meeting, to discuss what that first Collective Agreement should look like. There are now over 100 Members actively involved in committees who are looking at what issues need to be covered in the Collective Agreement - and what we want the Agreement to say. And we want even more of you involved in those discussions! You have responded to surveys (there will be more), and you’ve come to general meetings, and you’ve written and emailed with your ideas and opinions. Thank you, and keep it coming. But also, offer your expertise and experience to the committees that are working. Call the UGFA office (ext 52516) or email to facassoc@uoguelph.ca.
Collective Agreements are Complex;
Collective Agreements are NEGOTIATED!
The one little thing that could possibly affect the wonderful Collective Agreement that UGFA is preparing is the fact that there are two parties to this Agreement. It is quite possible that the University Administration might have one or two thoughts about what should go in it – and they’ve certainly expressed some “interesting” ideas in the past. So, having a very good idea of what Members would like to see in the Collective Agreement, and a good understanding of the issues involved, is only the beginning. When you look at other university collective agreements (such as the ones you can access through our web-page link to CAUT), recognize that the language in any collective agreement is negotiated language. That is, it’s the best that could be agreed to at the end of a process of negotiation ....not perfect, but the best that could be obtained at the time. In the negotiating process, there are always trade-offs .....a comma there, for a “normally” over here.
This means that there is little point in all ~800 UGFA Members reading every word (and comma!) proposed in the initial draft documents. There will certainly be changes during negotiations, and the Negotiating Team needs to have room to negotiate.
But it also means that when the Negotiating Team meets with the Administration team, they must know what UGFA Members hold as their fundamental principles and their essential priorities.
Approval of Collective Agreement Article Principles
At the first UGFA General Meeting on the Collective Agreement (October 3), Members were asked to vote to approve the principles proposed for several of the initial Articles of the agreement, which concern some general matters (i.e. Preamble, Definitions, Recognition of the Association, etc.). We will continue to ask for your approval as we work through the various Articles being proposed. In order that you will know when you are going to be asked to vote approval of Article Principles at a General Meeting, the topic(s) and the intention to call for a vote will be announced with the notice of the meeting.
Here’s the logo that tells you that you will be voting
The process that is followed to bring Principles to you is that the drafting committees for different Articles meet and discuss details of the proposed article. From this work, the key ideas are identified and brought to UGFA Council as a set of Article Principles. Council is charged under the UGFA Constitution with providing leadership on behalf of Members amd consists of your elected College representatives, Standing Committee Chairs and Executive members. If Council agrees, the Principles for an Article are brought to a General Meeting of the Membership for approval. (If Council doesn’t agree ....well, then the drafting committee for the Article goes back to work.)
Some things are a bit different:
UGFA is now a union, charged with considerable responsibility to represent all Members of the bargaining group fairly and well. In order that we meet the new requirements of certification under the Ontario Labour Relations Act, we have to do some things differently. For example, you will notice that we are asking you to sign-in for General Meetings. We need to ensure that everyone who attends is indeed a Member of the Bargaining Unit and elgible to vote to determine the direction of the Collective Agreement. We will also be asking for approval of the Minutes of General Meetings where we are conducting business (vs. Information Meetings), to provide a required formal record that UGFA is acting in accordance with Members’ wishes.
In order to do the best job we can in negotiations, UGFA is also being very careful about the confidentiality of our internal discussions and draft documents. For example, when committees meet to deal with specific Articles, documents are generally not circulated in advance nor sent by email. Working papers remain in the committee room at the end of a meeting. Similarly, the text shown on the PowerPoint slides at General Meetings or Council meetings is not made available as a take-away handout. (But there is no exam). However, if you are keen to look at material from a meeting you may have missed, or want to talk about particular Articles or issues of interest, please do contact the UGFA President, David Josephy, or the UGFA office. We DO want your input!
Who’s a Member?
Another change as a result of Certification is the fact that UGFA represents ALL members of the Bargaining Group (Faculty, including Chairs, Librarians, Clinical Faculty in AHL and VTH). Previously, faculty and librarians who joined the University prior to 1998 did not have to join UGFA, and UGFA did not represent them in grievances and similar matters. This has changed, and we now represent ALL those in the Bargaining Group - and MUST represent everyone fairly, under the duty of fair representation. Thus, even people who were not UGFA members under the old scheme are now included as UGFA Members, and can come to General Meetings, and vote for next year’s Council and Executive. In the interim, until the Collective Agreement is negotiated and signed, we would be happy to provide a UGFA membership form to any pre-1998 non-members who would like to show their support for UGFA by paying dues ☺.
Your UGFA Executive 2006/2007
| President | David Josephy |
|---|---|
| Vice-President | Glen Filson |
| Salary Chair | Ed Carter |
| Pension & Benefits Chair | Kelly Meckling |
| Grievance Information Officer | Bill Woodward |
| Faculty Policy Chair | Dorothy Odartey-Wellington |
| Status of Faculty and Librarians Chair | Judy Sheeshka |
| Health & Safety Chair | Larry Grovum |
| OCUFA Director | Kelly Meckling |
| Counsellor | Roz Stevenson |
| Treasurer | Bill Cormack |
| Secretary | Keith Cassidy |
| Member-at-Large | Jan MacInnes
Hugh Earl Scott Colwell |
Keep up to date on UGFA and the Collective Agreement Negotiations by visiting our website