my apprenticeship six months as president of nova scotia’s newest union of educators! elaine...
TRANSCRIPT
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My Apprenticeship
Six Months as President of Nova Scotia’s Newest
Union of Educators!
Elaine MacLean
StFX Association of University Teachers (StFXAUT)
December 12, 2006
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Academic Trade Unionism
American Association of University Teachers (1915) – academic freedom
British Association of University Professors (1919) – collective bargaining nationally
CAUT - Canadian Association of University Teachers (1951) – reverse decline in economic & social status
StFXAUT StFX Association of University Teachers (1957) – similar to CAUT
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StFXAUT – StFX Association of University Teachers
1957-1987 – Faculty (FT)1987-2005 – Faculty & Librarians (FT)February 2005 – Certified under NSTUA
to include Faculty, Librarians, Lab Instructors, Clinical Associates, Coady & Extension academic staff (FT & PT)
December 2006 – First Collective Agreement
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StFXAUT -Mandate
to promote the welfare of the University and its academic staff; to achieve this purpose, it may cooperate and affiliate with other bodies, in particular with regional, national, and international associations of university teachers and research workers, and of universities and colleges.
to represent all employees who are eligible for full membership in the Association in all matters of employer-employee relations including salaries and working conditions.
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Membership & Executive
376 Members (~261 faculty members)9 Member Executive 8 Committees (S&B, Handbook, Social,
Communications, Status of Women, Nominations, Negotiating, etc.)
Administrative assistant (9hr/wk)
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My History @ StFXAUT
1994 : Hired as a librarian at StFX1995-1997 : Handbook Committee1997-1999 : Executive - Secretary2001-2003 : Chair, Status of Women2005-2006 : VP (half year only)May 2006 : President (2nd woman/1st
librarian)
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StFXAUT Dues
Mil rate – .5 ($5 per $1000)
Dues to CAUT (Canada-wide)Dues to ANSUT (NS-wide)Defense Fund ($5/mo/member)Honorariums and/or course relief for
president, chief negotiator, etc.
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CAUT (Canadian Association for University Teachers)
Est. 1951national voice for academic staffRepresenting 55,000 teachers,
librarians, researchers and other academic staff
63 member associations
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CAUT – Academic Freedom
Right to teach, learn, study and publish - free of orthodoxy or threat of reprisal and discrimination
Right to criticize the university
Right to participate in its governance
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CAUT (cont.)
active in the public interest to improve the quality and accessibility of PSE in Canada
presses for public funding and policies to ensure our institutions are accessible
advances equity and human rights fights for fair working conditions,
compensation and benefits that foster quality teaching and innovative research
works for collegial institutional governance that is publicly accountable and gives the academic community its proper voice
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CAUT - Services
Education & TrainingResearch & PublicationsCollective Bargaining/Legal Services
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Nova Scotia Association of University Teachers (ANSUT)
Established in 1997
Membership is academic staff associations of all universities and degree-granting institutions in Nova Scotia, except Dalhousie University and the Nova Scotia Agricultural College.
Primary mandate is lobbying
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ANSUT (cont.)
Lobbying issuesStudent debt and student aidTuition fees in NSFaculty recruitmentAccess to university for those receiving
income assistance (often single mothers)
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Certification Challenges @ ~ 50yrs
Vocal minority in lead up to vote, came close to a vote of non-confidence in the executive
Much debate re the membership of the bargaining unit
Challenge from administration – question was not clear
2 votes – first ballots were destroyed Very long process April 2004 – Feb. 2005 60% + vote in favour of certification
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Negotiating Committee (18 months)
3 Members of the Union
Peggy Gallant, Human KineticsKen MacAulay, BusinessColleen Cameron, Coady and Clinical
Associate
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Collective Agreement – Ratification
Ratified last week – Tuesday, Dec. 5thTotal votes cast: 233 (62% of the
bargaining unit)Votes in favour: 217Votes against: 16Of those who voted, % in favour of
accepting the tentative agreement: 93%
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What did we get?
Language for our new members – lab instructors, clinical associates, Coady & Extension academic staff
Salary grids for new members Academic freedom clause for all new members Teaching workload reduction for faculty Parity for 2011 (MSVU, Acadia, MtA, UPEI) Grievance Policy Intellectual Property
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Next Steps…
Appoint 2 members to a joint committee for the administration of the agreement
Appoint a grievance officerConstitutional reviewMOU re Employment EquityFind ways to include our newest
members in the association (40%)
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Parliament Hill Lobby Day – Nov ‘06
Annual Event prior to CouncilCAUT makes appointments with MP’s
and senators from NS (bio’s)Met with MP Cuzner, Senator Cowan,
Senator Moore
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Talking Points for Lobby Day - Use Fact Sheets
University & College RevenuesTuition FeesTuition & IncomeLabour Market TrendsOperating GrantsAcademic staff
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Priority for Lobby Day
Describe what is happening at our institution with concrete examples, like fewer course offerings, antiquated equipment, larger classes
Describe the impact of public funding cuts in general (fact sheets)
Describe what the government can do
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Lobby Day Debriefing & Follow Up
Submitted our lobby report indicating: Did the politician seem supportive? How would you characterize this politician vis-à-vis
your message? What specific issues generated the most
discussion? What issues did politician raise with you? Did they make any specific commitments to PSE? Worthwhile to follow up with this politician?
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My challenges…
Collective vs individual representation
Balancing big picture vs local situation
Inclusiveness – the silent minority (40%)
Transitioning from a faculty association to an association of academic staff
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All this being said…
…and to ensure that you do not come away from this presentation with the mistaken
impression that academic trade unionism is A HOT TOPIC on the StFX campus, I aim for complete disclosure and tell you that THE hot
topic at the StFX campus is…..
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the end….
http://eroundlake.com/blog/archive/2006_04_01_archive.html