Friday Digest, November 25, 2022

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This and That
Lurking at the end of any semester, on any college campus, is proof that necessity truly is the mother of all invention. That 'necessity' being a student's need to pass, and the 'invention' being any number of reasons that same student hasn't attended class for the past 11 weeks. The creativity really is impressive- if only this skill could be used for good...

Also lurking on every campus is a myriad of viruses. Be sure to pick up masks from one of your stewards as needed (locations noted below). If you do become ill, please use your sick days. Let's normalize self-care on our campuses.

You may have received a request for professional development (PD) planning from your manager. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to develop skills- but the responsibility rests on you to use this time. More information on using PD is included in this digest.

Other topics of note this week include links to labour in the media, a reminder of important dates and mask pick-up locations, as well as an upcoming Ontario Health Coalition townhall.

Next week we will be sharing more information on how to use and track your sick days. If there is a topic that you would like to see featured, or a photo or article that you would like to share, email us:
christina.chrysler@slcfaculty.ca
curtis.runions@slcfaculty.ca

(Pictured above: How faculty should sleep at night knowing we are protected by the Collective Agreement)

Louder for the People in the Back!
Being part of a union provides a variety of supports and benefits not often afforded to a non-unionized worker. Some aspects of being in a union are quite clear, for example medical benefits. Other parts of the collective agreement (CA) can seem confusing, for example speaking about or against our employer. This can be especially true following times of contract negotiations when there have been additional laws and protections in place to support workers engaged in the bargaining process.

We are fortunate under our CA that we, as individuals and as union stewards, are protected in our right to enquire about our teaching environment, such as calls to members for information, as well as the production of the digests and newsletters that we circulate. Our ability to speak freely without fear of reprisal is crucial in supporting each other as professionals and educators. It is through this shared knowledge and experience that we develop a strong, healthy, work environment.

Article 13.04 states:
Every faculty member is able to exercise academic freedom in the performance of his/her duties. Academic freedom at the College includes the right to enquire about, investigate, pursue, teach and speak freely about academic issues without fear of impairment to position or other reprisal.
Further to that, Article 13.05 (iii) includes:
The College affirms that faculty shall be free to act and speak in their capacity as public citizens provided they indicate they are speaking as individuals and not acting as representatives of the College.

Thank you to everyone who has been courageous enough to participate in online discussions, share experiences, come forward with concerns, and share skills that help us elevate our collective voice. Your actions inspire others to follow suit. We ask that you continue to encourage new faculty to join our mailing list, and take the time to share information you read here as you see fit. Everyone's voice matters, and the more we support each other in speaking out, the greater the change we can achieve.

Let's keep the conversations flowing. We are only islands if we allow ourselves to be divided. Talk to each other. Share experiences. When you need help, let your union speak for you.

We would be remiss if we didn't also say thank you to all our loyal readers in management- without you we wouldn't be here.

If you feel you are being mistreated as a result of speaking freely, either in the academic setting or as a private citizen (e.g. social media), please reach out to a union steward.

Professional Development is
Your Right!

Our Collective Agreement (CA) affords Full-time union members ten days of professional development (PD) per year. A minimum of five of the 10 days are to be consecutive. The arrangements for such professional development shall be made following discussion between the supervisor and the teacher/Counsellor or Librarian subject to agreement between the supervisor and the teacher, and such agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld. (Articles 11.01 H1-3 and Articles 11.04 B 1-3)

YOU, the member, are responsible for ensuring you have ten days of professional development. Your workload should be lightened to accommodate the PD. Reimbursement for PD activities is not guaranteed, and employees must apply for approval.

Read the PD article on our website.

Need Masks? We've Got You Covered.
The LEC continues to provide members masks for use as you see fit.

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

Upcoming College Deadlines and Important Dates

DECEMBER 16- Last Day of Classes
DECEMBER 21- Grades Due
DECEMBER 22- JANUARY 3- College Holiday Closure*
JANUARY 9- First Day of Winter Semester

*Employees required to work during one or more of the closure dates highlighted above will be provided a paid day(s) off in lieu, to be worked out with their manager.

Ontario Health Coalition Emergency Townhall Meeting
OPSEU/SEPFO represents nearly 60,000 health care workers, and now, more than ever, they need your support. The Ontario Health Coalition is holding hospital emergency town hall meetings across the province.

Our public hospitals are in an unprecedented crisis. Almost 100 hospital emergency departments have had closures across Ontario. The Ford government is using the staffing crisis as an excuse to rob our local public hospitals of staff and funding, and funneling millions into for-profit corporations to privatize our public hospital services. We need to take urgent action now.

Join the Hospital Emergency Town Hall meeting for Kingston, hosted by the Ontario Health Coalition:

Due to the overwhelming spread of respiratory infections in Ontario, the OHC is holding these meetings online.

When: Nov 28, 2022 at 7:00 PM

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtde2vqDssGtJZc6pWXLorrjIwYwjL4796

How to join the virtual meeting:

You just need a computer with internet. Register by clicking on the Zoom link above for your local town hall meeting. The registration form just lets the OHC know how many people are coming.
Once you have filled in the registration form Zoom will automatically email you a link for the meeting. Reminders from the OHC will be sent out the day before and the day of.
When it is time for the meeting to start, click on the link Zoom emails you and a window will open that puts you into the meeting. You can choose at that point to have your video camera on or off.

Need help? Email ohc@sympatico.ca and write TOWN HALL HELP in the subject line.

All across Ontario people have banded together for a century or more to build up our local public hospitals. We must force the Ford government to address the crisis and take urgent action to support our local public hospitals.

We can save our public hospitals if we all join together and take action in our communities across the province.

OPSEU Calls for Solidarity for McMaster University Teaching Assistants on Strike in Hamilton

Teaching and research assistants, represented by CUPE Local 3906, began a strike Monday morning at McMaster University in Hamilton. The assistants are seeking an offer that protects students from tuition increases and addresses the rising cost of living in the Hamilton area. In addition, they are also looking to create equitable wages between undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants.
READ ARTICLE

Opinion Piece from CBC News:
“Labour negotiations can’t be in ‘good faith’ without acknowledging the cruelties workers face”
READ ARTICLE

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.