Unit 5 is comprised of Instructors in the Faculty of Education. The group overwhelmingly voted to unionize with CUPE on February 13, 2025.
Unit 5 Bargaining Update #1 – July 14th 2025
The Unit 5 Bargaining Committee (representing Instructors in the Faculty of Education at Brock) met with the Employer on July 11 to begin bargaining an initial collective agreement.
Both teams exchanged proposals and were able to agree on a number of articles on the first day of bargaining. For example, there is tentative agreement on:
– Seniority
– Duration
– The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Unit 5 Seniority will be recognized based on first day worked as a FOE Instructor (ex: 2020 for an instructor who started working in 2020). As well, a Unit 5 member can have an absence from Unit 5 work for a total of 24 months before losing Seniority (also known as break in service).
As for Duration, the parties have agreed that this initial contract will be a relatively short one (2.5 years with the deal expiring on August 31 of 2027).
A Letter of Understanding was agreed re: The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. A member would be able to request release from any work duties to participate in the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
Similar to what exists in the Unit 1 contract, the Employer has proposed Preference in Hiring for FT Faculty of Education Grad Students for Instructor positions. Preference in Hiring is a type of super seniority that places those people ahead of a member with a better seniority date. The Unit 5 membership will be consulted regarding this proposal so that the Unit 5 bargaining team has direction on how to proceed with this employer proposal.
There are four additional bargaining dates scheduled during the summer (July 23, 24, 25 and August 15). Fall bargaining for Unit 5 will happen on September 15, 17 and 22 with more dates being added as needed.
Bargaining:
The group is currently in bargaining for their first collective agreement.
Who is on the Unit 5 Bargaining Committee?
Phil Wachel (CUPE 4207 President)
Phil (in the middle of photo) has worked in the Faculty of Education as a Teaching Assistant since 2012. Phil has served on bargaining committees for Units 1, 2, 3 and 4. He is very excited about being on the Unit 5 bargaining team that is negotiating a first collective agreement for Faculty of Education Instructors.
Diane Newman (Instructor from EDBE)
I have been both an EDUC and EDBE instructor at Brock for the past 10 years. I have taught several courses as well as being a Practicum Instructor in the Faculty of Education.
My early teaching career was with the Niagara Catholic School Board where I was active with our local OECTA union. I then worked with the Ministry of Education coordinating Curriculum Summer Institutes which gave me the full picture of the needs of teachers in Ontario. In my last 12 years I was with our Provincial Teacher’s union, OECTA, where I gained more experience in the bargaining process, both from a provincial and local level.
I look forward to representing Unit 5 in bargaining for our first contract and will do my best to bring your collective needs to the table.
Kaella-Marie Earle, P.Eng, PMP, C.Dir
Kaella-Marie Earle is an Anishinaabekwe from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and Aroland First Nation. She currently works at Enbridge as a licensed professional engineer (focus on Scope 1 methane emission abatement) in storage and transmission operations. She previously worked in hydraulic system design engineering for liquid pipelines across Canada and the US, as well as engineering construction field operations where she managed storage and transmission expansion work and integrity of major natural gas pipelines.
She additionally serves as Vice-Chairperson of the Indigenous Advisory Committee of the Canada Energy Regulator, working with a team of Indigenous leaders across Canada to advise the Board of Directors on building strategy for the inclusion of Indigenous people in energy as well as the implementation of UNDRIP.
Earle is also a part time instructor in engineering and education at Brock University, focussing on topics like First Nation human rights in energy and the energy transition. She holds an Advanced Diploma in Chemical Engineering Technology from Cambrian College, a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Laurentian University, and recently completed the Chartered Director executive program at DeGroot School of Business, McMaster University. Ms. Earle also served as a former member of the NWMO Indigenous Council of Youth and Elders, as previous Co-Chair of the Indigenous Inclusion Committee for the Young Pipeliners Association of Canada, and other leadership roles on energy transition and the inclusion of women in energy. Ms. Earle’s career goal is to weave her Anishinaabe cultural values into her engineering work in a way that will lead the oil and gas industry to a lower carbon energy future, especially in frontline operations