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OUCC Opposes Bill 307 and Ford’s Attempt to Silence Workers and Students

July 30, 2021/in Did you know?/by WLUSA

The Ontario Universities and Colleges Coalition (OUCC), representing over 435,000 faculty, staff, and students from across the public postsecondary education sector in Ontario, strongly opposes the new provincial election spending rules that are outlined and enforced by Bill 307, Protecting Elections and Defending Democracy Act, 2021. With the use of the Notwithstanding Clause, the government has imposed Bill 307 despite a court decision declaring the law unconstitutional based on the harm that this kind of legislation would cause.

The next provincial election is scheduled for the summer of 2022 and this is a pivotal moment for Ontario politics. Ontarians have struggled and sacrificed through this pandemic, owners of big businesses have become more wealthy, and this government has overseen the demise of Ontario’s vital public institutions. The next provincial election will be key for those in the post-secondary education sector. Our communities need tangible action and investment from the provincial government to overcome the serious challenges facing Ontario’s chronically underfunded post-secondary education system.

Robust campaigns run by independent democratic organizations are vital to our electoral system. They educate the public about important public policy issues that directly affect their lives and show the public how they can engage in the electoral process and make a difference.

Far too often, information around post-secondary education issues are lost during large election campaigns broadly focused on winning votes, not necessarily addressing the challenges facing our public post-secondary education system. The imposition of Bill 307 does not remedy this issue. Rather, it hinders the ability of students’ unions, labour unions, and other independent democratic organizations to educate their members and the public on the nature of provincial elections, democracy, and the importance of their participation. It is also vitally important for under-represented groups so that they can leverage the pooled resources of their unions and associations to engage in broader conversations in advance of and during elections.

Ontario students and youth are a major demographic of voters and yet they are the age group least likely to cast a ballot. Students’ unions play an important role in educating their members (some of whom are first time voters) as well as informing the public about issues such as tuition fees, mental health, healthcare access for International students, and funding changes within the sector.

The restrictions outlined in Bill 307 have placed additional limitations on “third party organizations”—undermining collaboration between students and workers on campus and community coalitions.

Democratic student, worker, and community groups organize important elections-based events, including on-campus all-candidate debates, community meet-and-greets with candidates, and information sessions on the issues and how to vote. The creation of these events involves joint outreach and shared expenses. This type of collaboration is vital for local, membership-based organizations hosting election events that highlight local issues—especially for marginalized groups looking for relevant and accessible elections-related content.

The rules imposed by Bill 307 penalize independent democratic organizations for working collaboratively to serve their communities. This unconstitutional legislation will hinder the discussion of important public policy issues, including those impacting post-secondary education; and undermine effective promotion and equitable participation in Ontario’s electoral process, particularly for students. Taken together, these changes cast a dark shadow over the province’s future.

Signatories:

Kayla Weiler, National Executive Representative – Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario (CFS-O)
Sue Wurtele, President – Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA)
Karen Littlewood, President – Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF)
Alex Silas, Regional Executive Vice-President – Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
Naureen Rizvi, Ontario Regional Director – Unifor
Janice Folk-Dawson, Executive Vice-President – Ontario Federation of Labour

The Ontario Universities and Colleges Coalition represents over 435,000 faculty, staff, and students from every public postsecondary institution in Ontario. It includes members of the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations, Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers’ Federation, Public Service Alliance of Canada, and United Steelworkers.

To arrange interviews or for more information, please contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead
Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations
blewis@ocufa.on.ca | 416-306-6033

TORONTO, ON, July 21, 2021 via Ontario Universities & Colleges Coalition

Home delivery risks and how you can prevent them [via OTIP]

June 25, 2021/in OTIP/by WLUSA

Taking more of your shopping online? You’re not alone. E-commerce sales in Canada hit an all-time high in 2020 as many Canadians turned to online shopping and home delivery services during the pandemic. While home delivery offers a safe and convenient way to receive your goods, it’s important to think about the associated risks and what you can do to prevent them.

Learn more at www.otipinsurance.com/article115.

Laurier’s Milton Campus Officially Approved

June 17, 2021/in Uncategorized/by WLUSA

As announced by Deb Mcclatchey to all faculty and staff this morning, the Laurier community is growing! Earlier today it was announced that the Government of Ontario has given its approval for Wilfrid Laurier University to establish a new university campus with its educational partners in Milton. This announcement has been a long time coming and something the Laurier community has been talking about, and hoping for, for the last several years.

Thanks to the Laurier partnership with the Town of Milton, this new campus will be adjacent to lands for Conestoga College’s Milton campus. The Milton campus gives Laurier a place within one of Canada’s fastest-growing communities, centered in the Waterloo-Toronto Innovation Corridor. The plan for this campus includes an expansion of Laurier’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) offerings under a planetary health umbrella, a field that examines the interdependence of human health and the health of the environment. The Milton campus will be research-intensive and extend Laurier’s research focus in sustainability, climate change and water with new opportunities focused on the STEAM fields, including engineering.

The new campus will be situated on approximately 103 acres of land donated to the university by the Town of Milton that includes 33 acres of developable land and 70 acres of undeveloped greenbelt land. The campus will scale to approximately 2,500 students in the first decade, with Laurier’s first building anticipated to open in 2024. Laurier is looking forward to the opportunity to work together with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation to build a meaningful partnership incorporating Indigenous knowledges and practices on the Milton campus.

You can check out the Government of Ontario news release and Laurier news release for more details about the program offerings and development plans.

Laurier has scheduled a Milton Town Hall for faculty and staff on June 22 at 9 a.m. to share further details. You can click here to register and go here to advance questions. They’ve also created the Milton Strategic Initiative web page to keep everyone up to date on project news.

There is a short video announcing Laurier’s new Milton campus that you can watch and share on social media if you are so inclined.

U of A contract proposal would reduce pay retroactively, require staff to repay ‘overpayments’

May 10, 2021/in Did you know?/by WLUSA

Via Edmonton Journal

A new contract proposal for non-academic staff at the University of Alberta would see retroactive wage rollbacks and require staff to repay “overpayments.”

Postmedia obtained a summary of the contract proposal for the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASA), which outlines an across-the-board reduction of three per cent on all salaries, wage rates and pay scales effective March 31.

“‘Overpayment’ in the period from March 31, 2021, to the date of implementation of the agreement ‘will be reconciled on a repayment schedule as agreed by the parties, provided all overpayments are fully reconciled no later than March 31, 2022,’” the summary states.

The proposal outlines a number of salary range reductions for positions such as accounting clerk, administrative coordinator, entry, intermediate and senior administrative support, classroom lab technologist, journeyman electrician and maintenance service worker.

The salary cuts range from 0.3 per cent to 25.9 per cent.

However, the proposal outlines that employees in these positions would have their salaries or wages “red-circled” on the date of ratification. Therefore, they would not be reduced beyond the proposed three per cent cut across the board.

Following the three per cent cut, wages will remain frozen except for step-based performance increments. The proposed contract would be for a five-year term, expiring in March 2024.

A spokesperson for NASA declined to comment at this time, and said they want to respect the bargaining process.However, in a statement, the University of Alberta said contract proposals recognize the university’s need to bring salary and benefits in line with current markets and financial realities of the institution.

“We recognize that all members of the U of A community are working hard to address current crises; however, to sustain our excellence in teaching, learning and community engagement, our financial reality needs to be recognized in all of our activities, including collective bargaining,” the statement reads.

The university also noted this will be a “very challenging” round of bargaining.

“Through negotiation, we seek an agreement that mitigates job loss and balances the value we place on the critical work of support staff with the financial realities faced by the university.”

The proposed wage cuts to non-academic staff come as the university attempts to grapple with provincial funding cuts over the last few years.STORY CONTINUES BELOWhttps://22fdde825b61815b959dbe60e064a2f0.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html?n=0In Budget 2021, the U of A’s funding was reduced by 11 per cent, or approximately $60.1 million. The cut, combined with those in 2020-21, means the university has had a $170-million reduction in provincial funding over the last two and a half years.

The university is also anticipating an additional $54 million reduction in 2022-2023 for a total funding reduction of $224 million.

In total, Budget 2021 cut spending to post-secondary institutions to $5.04 billion from $5.47 billion in 2021-22.Last year, the university launched a restructuring plan to address funding shortfalls and, in October, it was announced that 650 jobs would be cut by 2022. Those positions are on top of about 400 jobs already cut in the 2019-20 school year through layoffs, attrition and retirement. The university has also proposed tuition increases to 12 undergraduate and graduate programs, ranging from 17 per cent to 104 per cent for students beginning their programs in the fall of 2022.

Protecting your privacy when using electronic pink slips [via OTIP]

May 5, 2021/in OTIP/by WLUSA

In some Canadian provinces – including Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador – drivers can now display an electronic pink slip on their smartphone when asked for proof of insurance. This provides a more convenient option over paper pink slips, which can be easy to lose and difficult to replace. However, many drivers are wondering what their rights and responsibilities are when handing over their phone to a police officer – and how they can protect their privacy while obeying the law.

Learn more at www.otipinsurance.com/article110.

mourners dressed in black at a demonstration

National Day of Mourning

April 23, 2021/in Did you know?/by WLUSA

April 28 is the National Day of Mourning and it is a time to both mourn those who have suffered and those we have lost due to workplace injury or occupational disease.

As we continue to battle COVID-19 into the second year of this pandemic, and, as the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is upon us, we must continue our pursuit of increased health and safety measures for all workers.

As the number of COVID-19 cases in the education sectors rise, as school closures are becoming more and more normalized, we must push back against the government that has allowed this to happen, while continuing to claim the safest and most comprehensive return to school plan in the country.

We know at least one education worker has died due to COVID-19 exposure and that is one too many.

The number of education workers who have fallen ill with COVID-19, many who may end up having long-term occupational diseases from their exposure to the virus, increases daily.

Health and safety should never come second to the bottom line and with the recent budget highlighting further cuts to education at a time when investments are required, more cases of COVID-19 in education are inevitable.

Education workers deserve to arrive home as a whole person at the end of the workday, both mentally and physically.

Please see the following links from the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the Workers Health and Safety Centre (WHSC) for further information on 2021 events:

CLC—Day of Mourning Theme—The Human Cost of COVID-19

Day of Mourning in Ontario—WHSC

On April 28, we mourn for the dead, but we must continue to fight for the living.

Posted on April 21, 2021 by OSSTF/FEESO in ARTICLES

Laurentian University students and graduates, politicians condemn ‘devastating’ cuts

April 16, 2021/in Did you know?/by WLUSA

Treating a public institution like ‘some mine that went bankrupt’ not acceptable: MP

Via CBC News

Students at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ont., continue to react to news the school is cutting dozens of programs and laying off about 100 professors.

Laurentian made the announcement Monday after declaring itself financially insolvent earlier this year. The school filed for creditor protection on Feb. 1, a first for a university in the province. In total, 69 programs were cut, including 28 in French.

Second-year student and university newspaper editor Lexey Burns says students have told her they are ashamed to be associated with the school.

“I had one girl text me yesterday wondering if a Laurentian degree would be respectable anymore,” she said.

Others, she said, are wondering whether wearing clothes with Laurentian logos would be an embarrassment.

Laurentian University’s financial challenges have existed for years. A court-appointed monitor’s report says ongoing deficits were made worse by Ontario’s tuition reduction and freeze, declining domestic enrolment, capital expenditures, the closure of its Barrie campus, and expenses related to the pandemic.

A deeper look into Laurentian University’s financial insolvency

UPDATED’Under duress,’ Laurentian University faculty ratify new collective agreement

Burns says she’s heard the argument that the cutbacks will enable the university to become leaner, but she doesn’t agree.

“They say it’s going to be a Laurentian 2.0 and I think they got the numbers mixed up. It’s definitely more of a 0.2,” Burns said.

“They’ve gotten rid of almost every single humanities program at Laurentian.”

Midwifery program gone

Like Burns, the future for midwifery student Annette Cloutier is also up in the air.

Cloutier says cutting the midwifery program will impact students, as well as people in the region.

“A woman who wants midwifery care, woman-centered care, that is culturally appropriate, this is important to northern Ontario,” she said.

“This should be available and accessible to northern Ontario women.”

‘An ugly stain for years to come’: Laurentian University students, staff reeling from cuts

Laurentian University cuts 100 professors, dozens of programs

Recent Laurentian graduate Monseguela Thes says what’s happening at the school will affect students and professors for years to come.

Thes graduated from the school last year with a business administration degree. He’s originally from the Ivory Coast and says the cuts could affect where international students choose to go.

“I don’t think people would feel free to come to Laurentian. It would be very difficult,” he said. “I’m sure that it will be very tough for people to come back.”

Politicians point fingers

Politicians are worried, too.

Nickel Belt NDP MPP France Gélinas and Sudbury NDP MPP Jamie West said in question period Tuesday that Premier Doug Ford needs to fund Laurentian and stop the layoffs.

“Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano believe students, staff and the community around Laurentian aren’t worth investment,” said West.

Gélinas said Laurentian’s more than 8,000 full- and part-time students are worried and deserve answers.

“Instead of being focused on their final projects and studying for their year-end exams, Laurentian students have been worried about their futures,” said Gélinas.

She notes that Laurentian University is designated under Ontario’s French Language Services Act, which means its French programs are protected.

Meanwhile, at the federal level, NDP MP Charlie Angus, who represents Timmins-James Bay, says the cutbacks are an act of national vandalism.

“You cannot treat a public institution, like a university or a hospital or any other public institution, as though it were just some mine that went bankrupt and you’re going to sell off the assets,” he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also weighed in on Laurentian’s crisis, saying the federal government is waiting to see what steps the provincial government takes before offering support.

In a statement to CBC News, the office of Ontario’s minister of colleges and universities says for most students, particularly if they are close to graduating, they will be able to complete their degree using all or part of the modules of terminated programs, “either through course substitutions at Laurentian or through letters of permission.

“For a small number of students, Laurentian will assist them in transition to a related program or another institution.”

The ministry says it has provided Laurentian with “consistent operating grants … over the last five years, of close to $80 million a year,” and that it provided the school with “far more funding than other institutions.”

Those grants accounted for more than 40 per cent of Laurentian’s total revenue in 2019-20, the ministry says, compared to a 23 per cent average for the universities’ sector overall.

‘Worst time possible’

For students like Kristiina Raisanen, the instability caused by Monday’s announcement is fuelling a sense of anxiety.

The second-year student is pursuing a double major in political science and philosophy. Her program is also being terminated.

“I spent most of my day [Monday] crying and trying to work through the rest of my semester’s work at the same time. This announcement is coming at the literal worst time possible. We’re in one of our last weeks of school right now, and I have two papers and two exams to do by the end of this week,” she said.

“It feels like the rug has been pulled from underneath my feet and I’m just perpetually falling.”

Flexible Working Arrangements

April 15, 2021/in Uncategorized/by Karen Cleaver

Following the announcement that elementary and secondary students will remain home after the April break, we understand that many of you may require more flexible work arrangements to balance work and home. WLUSA would like to remind you that there are options available such as:

Flexing your hours of work;
Taking personal, overtime, or vacation time;
Transitioning to temporarily reduced work hours.

If you require flexible work arrangements during this time, please speak to your manager. If you have any questions, please refer to your Collective Agreement or reach out to WLUSA with any questions you may have.

Ontario Moves Schools to Remote Learning Following Spring Break

April 13, 2021/in Did you know?/by WLUSA

Continued Rise in COVID-19 Cases Demands Shift to Protect Students and Staff and Slow Community Spread

April 12, 2021

Office of the Premier

TORONTO — The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, has made the difficult decision to move elementary and secondary schools to remote learning following the April break. This move has been made in response to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, the increasing risks posed to the public by COVID-19 variants, and the massive spike in hospital admissions.

Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health.

“We are seeing a rapidly deteriorating situation with a record number of COVID cases and hospital admissions threatening to overwhelm our health care system,” said Premier Ford. “As I have always said we will do whatever it takes to ensure everyone stays safe. By keeping kids home longer after spring break we will limit community transmission, take pressure off our hospitals and allow more time to rollout our COVID-19 vaccine plan.”

With appropriate measures in place, schools have been safe places for learning throughout the pandemic, as confirmed by the Chief Medical Officer of Health and local medical officers of health and have demonstrated low rates of in-school transmission. However, increasing rates of community spread pose a threat to the health and safety of school communities. As a result, all publicly funded and private elementary and secondary schools in the province are to move to teacher-led remote learning when students return from the April break on April 19, 2021. Private schools operating in-person this week are to transition to remote learning by April 15, 2021. This action is being taken in support of the Government’s broader efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19. Data will be assessed on an ongoing basis and health officials will be consulted to determine when it will be safe to resume in-person learning.

Child care for non-school aged children will remain open, before and after school programs will be closed and free emergency child care for the school-aged children of eligible health care and frontline workers will be provided. To protect the most vulnerable, boards will make provisions for continued in-person support for students with special education needs who require additional support that cannot be accommodated through remote learning.

“This was not a decision we made lightly, as we know how critical schools are to Ontario students. Our priority has always been to keep schools open, however sharply rising community transmission can put our schools and Ontario families at risk,” said Minister Lecce. “While Ontario’s plan has kept schools safe, as confirmed by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, we are taking decisive and preventative action today to ensure students can safely return to learning in our schools.”

Case rates, hospitalizations, and ICU occupancy are increasing rapidly, threatening to overwhelm the health care system. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the province have increased by 22.1 per cent between the period of April 4 and 10, 2021. In addition, during this same period of time, Ontario has seen the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care increase from 494 to 605.

Since April 8, the province has been under a provincewide Stay-at-Home order, requiring everyone to remain at home except for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services (including getting vaccinated), for outdoor exercisewith your household in your home community, or for work that cannot be done remotely. As Ontario’s health care capacity is threatened, the Stay-at-Home order, and other new and existing public health and workplace safety measures, will work to preserve public health system capacity, safeguard vulnerable populations, allow for progress to be made with vaccinations and save lives.

With students moving to remote learning, vaccine prioritization of education workers who provide direct support to students with special education needs across the province, and all education workers in select hot spot areas, starting with Peel and Toronto, will continue. Starting today, special education workers across the province and education workers in Peel and Toronto hot spots will be eligible to register for vaccination by calling the provincial vaccine booking line at 1‑833‑943‑3900. More information is available at Ontario.ca/covidvaccine.

It is critically important that as Ontarians receive the vaccine, everyone continues to wear a mask, maintain physical distancing when outside of their immediate household and frequently wash their hands. As well, continue to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested if symptoms are present.

“As we continue to see rapid growth in community transmission across the province, it is necessary to take extra precautions and measures to ensure the continued health and safety of students, teachers and their families,” said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health. “As the fight against this third wave of the pandemic continues, everyone must continue following all public health and workplace safety measures and stay at home to prevent further transmission of the virus, so we can once again resume in person learning in our schools.”

Quick Facts

As of April 10, 2021, Ontario currently has 1,646 COVID-19 patients requiring acute care, which includes 605 patients in ICU, with 382 on a ventilator.
Based on the latest modelling data, cases across the province are continuing to grow and the number of people requiring an intensive care bed is projected to rise to approximately 800 people within the next 10 days.
Some jurisdictions around the world, including those in Canada have implemented similar time-limited measures to respond to a dramatic resurgence in cases. Based on their experiences, measures of four to six weeks are expected to interrupt transmission of COVID-19 in Ontario.
Municipalities and local medical officers of health may have additional restrictions or targeted requirements in their region.
Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you have been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert App. Visit Ontario.ca/covidtest to find the nearest testing location.
Prior to April break, more than 99 per cent of students and staff did not have a current case of COVID-19. Since September, 99.2 per cent of students and 98.6 per cent of staff never reported a COVID-19 case.

Additional Resources

Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19
Learn about Ontario’s vaccination program to help protect us against COVID-19.
Support for parents/students
COVID-19: enhanced public health and workplace safety measures
COVID-19 public health measures and advice

Staycation ideas for April break 2021 [via OTIP]

April 9, 2021/in OTIP/by WLUSA

With continued restrictions in place on travel and social gatherings, many Canadians are looking for ways to make the most of their April break while keeping themselves and their communities safe. We’ve rounded up a list of eight staycation ideas that you can safely do together at home this spring break.

Learn more at www.otipinsurance.com/article108.