On April 21, the Canadian Federation of Students [CFS] has released an open letter addressed to the federal and provincial governments, Canada research funding councils, and university administrations. The letter demands the suspension of graduate tuition fees for the Spring/Summer term for all graduate students. Our local has endorsed the letter. The pandemic has accentuated the already precarious conditions of graduate students having to pay exorbitant fees for their stays in graduate programs over the summer when TA jobs are very scarce.
CERB for international student members
Our local has inquired with the Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre about eligibility of international student members for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit [CERB]. This is what the MP’s office said: … Read more…
Workday glitch alert!
It would seem that Workday’s bugs continue plaguing the human resources and financial management system at Brock.
Members applying for jobs should be aware of their attachments’ format they upload to the application. Workload seems to only accept .docx and .pdf.
Here is the gist of the glitch – a member applies, includes all the required information, sends it off and receives confirmation from Talent Acquisition. If the attached documents are not in docx or pdf, the hiring staff in the department where the application is directed will not receive it. To the staff responsible for hiring, you have not applied…
Making sure that submitted documents are in particular format should not be our problem, and certainly our livelihood should not hinge on such a chosen, human made technicality.
Employee and Family Assistance Program extended!
The Employer has extended the EFAP benefits until SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 for all Unit 1, 2 and 3 members who are on the respective units’ seniority lists.
This means that any member, whether currently holding a contract or not, can use the Employee and Family Assistance Program, an online and phone based support service. It offers Professional Counselling, Financial Support, Legal Support, Nutrition Support, Family Support, Career Counselling, Health Coaching and Naturopathic Service.
Message from Centre for Pedagogical Innovation
In light of this weeks announcements regarding Brock University and next steps for completing teaching responsibilities for the Winter term (including assignments, exams and course evaluations) we want to ensure your members are aware of the resources, tools and options available to them.
EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE MEETING
TONIGHT AT 5 PM in the Shaver Meeting Room in the Four Point Sheraton Hotel, Thorold.
The Shaver room became our alternative office (strike headquarters, should there be a strike). We use it for meetings.
STRIKE DEADLINE MARCH 19th
We have encountered an impasse at conciliation at the end of February, and requested “no board report” to be filed by a conciliator with the Ministry of Labour. This has been done and the MOL stamped the no-board notice March 2. This means that our strike deadline is legally set 17 days from March 2nd – MARCH 19!
Again, it does not mean we are going to strike. It all depends on the result of two more days of conciliation leading to the strike deadline – March 17 and 18th. But we need to be prepared and among other things, do this:
Picket Captain training
This training will be conducted on campus in the following week (MARCH 9 – 13). It is about three hours long and it will include food!
Who can become a picket captain? Any member who is confident to be the go-to person for the 4 hour duration of their picket shift, and who can keep the picket running and reasonably organized.
What do Picket Captains do? Check out this manual to have an idea. Do not worry, the training will boost your confidence to undertake it 😉
Please email the union ASAP so we can include you in the scheduling for this training! info@cupe4207.org
Sign up for Strike Pay
This CUPE National form – Strike Pay Application Tally Sheet – is available in our office MC C 402, or anywhere the Strike Mobilization Committee members bring the form with them for signing, if you want the financial boost of a strike pay when picketing!
CUPE National Strike Fund covers the regular academic workers’ strike pay — $300 for 20 hours of picketing per week. Our local will top up to $400 a week from our own Strike Fund.
Please be mindful that the longer the picket line the shorter the strike! In other words, the more people on the picket line the shorter the strike and the the more pressure is on the employer to settle!
To ensure there is even dispersion of members per picketing shift, the 20 hours per week are divided into five 4 hour shifts.*
Sign up for Strike-Related Committees
A strike is a complex undertaking and the very important elements of it, such as being safe, are coordinated and carried out by the many union members who are committed to make our university run better and fair!
This Word document can be filled in and emailed back to us, or printed out and sent/brought to us in MC C402. If the office door is closed, there is the big wooden mailbox you can drop it in (office hours for the March 9 – 13th week are posted below).
* If you are coming from other regions to work at Brock, CUPE National is willing to make exception for alternate hours scheduling of picketing, but that needs to be indicated on the Strike-Related Committees form! If your condition prevents you from walking, please let us know so you can be accommodated in alternate picketing duties.
The union office will be open next week for forms signing and their drop off, for inquiries and updates. We will have refreshments there as well – yummy snacks and soft drinks!
The OFFICE IN MC C 402 is going to be open on
MONDAY March 9: 1 pm – 5 pm
TUESDAY March 10: 12 pm – 4 pm
WEDNESDAY March 11: 9 am – 2 pm
THURSDAY March 12: 1 pm – 4 pm
FRIDAY March 13: 12 pm – 5 pm
MARCH GMM
We are having a general meeting on March 12 at 5 pm in Thistle 240.
- BARGAINING UPDATES and MOBILIZATION
- ELECTION FOR CHIEF STEWARD UNTIL AGM APRIL 6 GENERAL ELECTIONS. Our Chief Steward Nathan Cecckin, has been elected into the vacant TREASURER position, until April 6th AGM, hence there is a vacant position left behind – the Chief Steward.
- ELECTIONS FOR CUPE ONTARIO CONVENTION – 10 voting delegates! https://cupe.on.ca/convention2020/
- NOTICE TO CHANGE TO BYLAWS WAS GIVEN AT OUR GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING FEBRUARY 27 WILL BE DISCUSSED AND VOTED ON AT THIS GMM.
The amendments can be viewed here : https://4207.cupe.ca/files/2020/02/PBF-26-Feb-2020.pdf