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THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!

Hold on to Your Hats, We're in the Home Stretch Now!

It may have been said before, but it bears repeating- this semester has flown by faster than Superman on his way to a tights sale! Okay, maybe that exact expression hasn't been said, but we're almost done the semester. If history is any predictor of future events, these next few weeks are very likely to bring with them all the chaos and calamity that only the holiday season can produce. Panic, dread, exhilarating highs and devastating lows...and then there are the students. But you've been here before. You. Can. Do. This.

It is more important than ever this time of year that we take care of ourselves and each other. Don't worry, this digest isn't going to be filled with suggestions on why you should smile more or how to be resilient. Instead, let's get real. Things can get tough...and frustrating...and exhausting as you expend the very last ounce of your energy dragging students across the finish line even though your manager may never acknowledge your efforts (hopefully that's not the case). We see you- living and breathing students first every day. But who is saving you? It may sound cliche, but you have to care for yourself before you can help others.  Maybe your students will pass, or maybe they will learn some tough life lessons, but either way they will be okay. As a member recently said, "It's okay to take off your cape". If you see a peer struggling, remind them they can take their cape off too. 

In this edition of your Friday Digest, you will find updated mask pick-up information, some links to interesting and informative reads, and a call-out to coordinators for a group grievance.

As you enter the weekend, commit to put away the marking and spend time on the things that matter most to you, because in the words of the great F. Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once and a while, you could miss it."
Thank you to our member who sent this seasonal reminder:
Cold weather is upon us, and cows seek heat on car hoods. DO NOT forget to tap on your car hood to give the cow enough time to get off before you drive away!
Local Seeks Coordinators for Group Grievance 
Our Chief Steward extraordinaire, Gillian Axten, is compiling a group grievance for coordinators who, under the Kaplan Award, may qualify for a second step in their coordinator allowance. For example, this could be relevant to coordinators responsible for multiple years of a program, an exceptionally large cohort, or tri-campus responsibilities.

Grievances are much stronger when there are specific people attached to them. We are asking all coordinators that think they may qualify for a second step in pay reach out to Gillian to discuss signing on to this grievance. Not sure if that’s you? Gillian can answer your questions.

The grievance process is just that, a process. To read one member’s account, check out Pam Armstrong’s contribution to last January’s CAAT Tales entitled, “How to Eat an Elephant” (found HERE).

Connect with Gillian: gillian.axten@slcfaculty.ca

KN95 Masks Now Available on All Three Campuses

As you are undoubtedly aware, on Monday, Ontario’s chief medical officer strongly recommended that Ontarians wear masks in all indoor public settings, including in schools and in childcare settings.

While this announcement is troubling to some, we do have a bit of good news for you. Local 417 continues to have masks available to our members, which can now be picked up on all 3 of our campuses.

Please reach out the following LEC members to pick up your masks on campus:

Brockville Campus
Christina Chrysler christina.chrysler@slcfaculty.ca

Cornwall Campus
Gillian Axten gillian.axten@slcfaculty.ca

Kingston Campus
Christina Decarie christina.decarie@slcfaculty.ca
Tabatha Rutledge tabatha.rutledge@slcfaculty.ca

Ontario's Auditor General Chimes in on Laurentian University Fiasco
Just when you perhaps thought it was over, Ontario's Auditor General, Bonnie Lysyk, has released her report on Laurentian University. In it, Lysyk confirmed that the elimination of 76 programs affected the academic and career plans of an estimated 932 students She also noted that the insolvency impacted three federated universities resulting in a further 146 people losing their jobs. 

Read more about her report HERE

JOIN OUR INFORMATION PICKET AT CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1ST

 

To: All OPSEU/SEFPO Region 4 members 

STOP FOR-PROFIT BLOOD PLASMA COLLECTION

 

Canadian Blood Services (CBS) announced an undisclosed 15-year deal with Grifols, a for-profit multinational pharmaceutical company, to privatize blood plasma collection in Canada.

 

This agreement gives Grifols a monopoly to collect paid blood plasma in Ontario and British Columbia. CBS has taken advantage of a legal loophole to get around a ban on private companies collecting blood for payment.

 

WHERE: CBS Headquarters - 1800 Alta Vista Dr., Ottawa, ON K1G 4J5

WHEN: Thursday, December 1st, 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.

 

On December 1st join us at CBS’ Headquarters where the CBS Executive Board is set to discuss the deal.

 

Let’s tell them to:

  1. Invest in public plasma collection
  2. Protect plasma donors
  3. Respect the Voluntary Blood Donations Act
  4. Stop the secrecy!

 

Please contact Geoff Cain, Chair of OPSEU/SEFPO’s CBS and Diagnostics Division at 519-200-2740 or geoffopseu@gmail.com for more information.

On Monday the Ontario government repealed its controversial legislation that imposed a contract on CUPE education workers and banned their right to strike. The decision comes as a response to 2 days of province-wide walkouts, rallies, and protests that were supported by unions and workers from across the province.

Read more about the ongoing negotiations HERE.

This message has been shared on slcfaculty.ca, the SLC Faculty Local 417 Facebook public page and private group, Twitter, and via the SLC Faculty Local 417 email list.
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