Did you work more hours during the CUPE 3903 strike? For Strike Remediation issues, contact YUFA

On May 13th, YUFA Joint Committee on the Administration of the Agreement (JCOAA) representatives presented a draft remediation protocol to the employer following the CUPE 3903 labour disruption. YUFA drafted this remediation protocol to ensure YUFA members are fairly and equitably compensated for the additional work that they performed — and continue to perform —to fulfill their professional responsibilities during the strike.

The employer responded on May 22nd to say that they were only willing to agree to remediation protocol that was agreed to between the parties in 2018.  They were not in agreement with additional remediation that YUFA had proposed to account for the employer’s multiple mixed messages to YUFA members which led to confusion and disputes between YUFA and the employer. YUFA filed three policy grievances on strike related issues

YUFA is inviting members to report to YUFA at [email protected] if any of the following applies so that the Association can determine next steps on YUFA’s proposed remediation protocol:

  • whether sabbaticals or summer research plans were interfered with due to summer course delays due to the strike
  • whether any members had any of their teaching owing as a result of the strike
  • whether YUFA members took up remediation work of colleagues on leave during the strike or in the summer
  • members with summer courses whose workload increased due to remediation required from the strike
  • overwork of Appendix P members due to the strike (i.e. Chairs, Directors, Coordinators, UPDs, etc.)

Remediation Forms

Despite YUFA’s interest in continuing the discussion about remediation with the employer, the employer sent a Remediation Protocol message and form to YUFA members on May 24, 2024. The employer sent this message even though employer representatives at JCOAA had earlier indicated that they would provide advance notice to YUFA about any such message. It is the position of the Association that this protocol and form are inadequate to sufficiently capture the degree of overwork of members. As such the Association is considering next steps.  

In the interim, the Association is advising that members use the remediation forms provided by the employer as best they can to sufficiently capture all strike-related work that was in addition to members’ regular professional responsibilities. This includes the work that Chairs and Directors had to do in relation to the strike such as meetings with their unit on strike related issues, emails to students, and approval of CUPE 3903 remediation hours among other tasks. Members who suspended their teaching during the strike should also fill out the remediation form for the additional work they had to do for their teaching.  The remediation form includes a section entitled “Other alternative types of remediation and time required” where these tasks should be documented. 

The Association will continue to update members on this issue throughout the summer.