Dear Colleagues:
Below is a message from the University of Toronto Faculty Association President Scott Prudham about a possible strike at the University of Saint Michael’s College (University of Toronto).
Could you please distribute this message to your networks, and send letters and emails as requested.
Best regards,
Mark
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Mark Rosenfeld, Ph.D
Executive Director
Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations
17 Isabella Street
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4Y 1M7
Tel: 416-979-2117 x229
Fax: 416-593-5607
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.ocufa.on.ca
www.academicmatters.ca
www.weteachontario.ca
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Dear colleagues,
UTFA is negotiating a second contract for faculty and librarians employed by the University of Saint Michael’s College. We have been in negotiations since early summer 2014. However, the negotiations have stalled over a few remaining issues, including, significantly, job security for faculty with teaching intensive appointments. The USMC Administration actually gave notice in October 2014 to terminate the three faculty in question effective June 2015. Only because of the firm resolve shown by our membership at USMC was that notice subsequently rescinded. Now the employer is refusing to agree to language providing job security provisions sufficient to protect academic freedom for these continuing faculty appointments, thereby threatening to undermine the integrity and quality of undergraduate instruction. We will be in a legal strike position as of February 6. Although we hope to reach an agreement without a work stoppage, we will not agree to casualize continuing academic appointments.
At this time, it would be very helpful if you could send emails and letters to the Administration of the University of Saint Michael’s College calling on the employer to agree to job security language for continuing faculty that is consistent with established principles of academic freedom and with prevailing norms for teaching intensive faculty in the U of T community more generally. You are encouraged to write to:
President of USMC – Prof. Anne Anderson, [email protected]
Principal of Saint Michael’s College – Prof. Domenico Pietropaolo, [email protected]
Chair of the USMC Collegium – Fr. Don McLeod, [email protected] .
…..
Feel free to use some or all of the text of my message above in constructing your own.
In addition, messages of support may be sent to me and/or our Unit Chair and Chief Negotiator, Michael Attridge (cc’d here) and we will pass them on to the members of the unit.
In solidarity,
Scott
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Scott Prudham
Professor, University of Toronto
President, University of Toronto Faculty Association