my apprenticeship six months as president of nova scotia’s newest union of educators! elaine...

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

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

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

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.

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)

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)

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.

CAUT (Canadian Association for University Teachers)

Est. 1951national voice for academic staffRepresenting 55,000 teachers,

librarians, researchers and other academic staff

63 member associations

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

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

CAUT - Services

Education & TrainingResearch & PublicationsCollective Bargaining/Legal Services

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

ANSUT (cont.)

Lobbying issuesStudent debt and student aidTuition fees in NSFaculty recruitmentAccess to university for those receiving

income assistance (often single mothers)

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

Negotiating Committee (18 months)

3 Members of the Union

Peggy Gallant, Human KineticsKen MacAulay, BusinessColleen Cameron, Coady and Clinical

Associate

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%

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

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%)

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

Talking Points for Lobby Day - Use Fact Sheets

University & College RevenuesTuition FeesTuition & IncomeLabour Market TrendsOperating GrantsAcademic staff

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

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?

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

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…..

the end….

http://eroundlake.com/blog/archive/2006_04_01_archive.html