RRUFA December Monthly Meeting Minutes
December 2, 2014
LIC Centre for Dialogue
Present:
| Niels Agger-Gupta | ✔ | Geoff Archer | Jo Axe | ✔ | Brian Belcher | ||
| Geoffrey Bird | David Black | ✔ | Judith Blanchette | Tony Boydell | ✔ | ||
| Connie Carter | Kenneth Christie | ✔ | Robin Cox | Ann Dale | |||
| Audrey Dallimore | Matt Dodd | ✔ | Juana Du | Catherine Etmanski | ✔ | ||
| Lois Fearon | Joshua Guilar | Doug Hamilton | Brigitte Harris | ✔ | |||
| Ingrid Kajzer-Mitchell | Julia Jahanzoosi | Leslie King | Richard Kool | ||||
| Charles Krusekopf | ✔ | Zhenyi Li | Ron Lindstrom | Chris Ling | ✔ | ||
| Stephen Long | Will Low | Eva Malisius | Kathleen Manion | ||||
| Virginia McKendry | Will Meredith | Robert Mittelman | Jonathan Moran | ||||
| Jessica Mussell | ✔ | Mickie Noble | Eileen Piggot-Irvine | Terry Power | |||
| Siomonn Pulla | Michael Real | ✔ | Carolin Rekar Munro | Chaseten Remillard | |||
| Wendy Rowe | Erich Schellhammer | Bernard Schissel | Jean Slick | ✔ | |||
| Marilyn Taylor | Eugene Thomlinson | ✔ | Mike Thompson | Phillip Vannini | |||
| George Veletsianos | Hassan Wafai | ✔ | Jennifer Walinga | Rebecca Wilson Mah | |||
| Michael Young | ✔ | Amy Zidulka |
Guest: Paul Allison (President CUPE Local 3886)
CONTENTS:
- Call to order at 12: 12pm (President Ken)………………………………………….. 2
- Approval of November minutes:……………………………………………………… 2
- New Business:……………………………………………………………………………. 2
3.1 Report on CAUT Council meeting in Ottawa Nov27-30……………………………………….. 2
3.2 Visit from Paul Allison – President of CUPE local 3886 & Supervisor of RRU’s Gardens and Grounds………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2
- Old Business:…………………………………………………………………………….. 3
4.1 RRUFA donation…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
- Regular Reports:…………………………………………………………………………. 3
5.1 Bargaining: (Chris in Wendy’s absence)………………………………………………………………. 3
5.2 Board of Governors: (Charles)…………………………………………………………………………….. 5
5.3 Academic Council: (Rick absent)…………………………………………………………………………. 6
5.4. CUFA-BC: (Ken for Rick, who was absent)…………………………………………………………. 6
5.5 Website: (Will sick)……………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
5.6 Social: (The “Two Geoffs”)………………………………………………………………………………….. 7
5.7 Grievance Report: (David)………………………………………………………………………………….. 7
5.8 Health & Safety: (Unfilled as yet)………………………………………………………………………… 7
- Other Business:………………………………………………………………………….. 7
- Adjournment:…………………………………………………………………………….. 7
1. Call to order at 12: 12pm (President Ken)
2. Approval of November minutes:
Approved by Virginia; seconded by Eugene.
3. New Business:
3.1 Report on CAUT Council meeting in Ottawa Nov27-30
Ken reported on the national meeting, including a session on putting science policy on the government agenda (see: CAUT News link). Other topics included a session with Jack Bush at the National Gallery, and a discussion of Contract Staff.
3.2 Visit from Paul Allison – President of CUPE local 3886 & Supervisor of RRU’s Gardens and Grounds
Ken invited Paul to attend our meeting and say a few words:
Paul: Local 3886 has about 60 members, mostly custodial, maintenance, production workers at RRU. CUPE bargaining is not starting until Feb 2015. CUPE wants equity with other locals within the RRU – Mandate under PSEC. CUPE expects hard bargaining – much like a car salesman who wants to see the boss behind the scene… The 5-year contract period being asked is not good for our members. CUPE is asking for more vacation – same as other universities – e.g. UVic – which has up to 20 days holiday… CUPE won’t make concessions in what it is asking for. Non- union staff have been told not to carry over holidays, something that is part of the CUPE CA to be able to carry forward… 2nd item: Long-term disability was paid by employer – non-union staff now pay for LTD, but are given a stipend that matched the same amount. At some point CUPE expects the Employer will pull the stipend away from staff, which is when these staff will start squawking. Dues are a lot less than the amount of the LTD, which will keep going up. Not taxed on LTD. No concessions – it takes 5 years of negotiation to get language in. Benefits, like glasses and safety equipment, have not changed for 15-20 years. Don’t expect things to take as long as last time…
Question: have you thought about a CUPE drive to bring non-union staff into the local?
Paul: CUPE tried this in the early 2000s; there were certainly lots of non-union staff. Every time we have word of management issues; even with no particular reason or personality; then we have people approaching us. People here have always been scared. It has been a shame to see people distraught and isolated, who clearly would benefit from unionization. I have dealt with a dozen terminations. The union won’t protect a person who is goofing up. Only there is a process – give a chance to change behavior. It would be good for our local to gather in the rest of staff.
Paul: We were only university that did not go on strike: because of our strong ties with RRUFA. The Virtual picket line with the information picket worked. We can stop traffic at the top of hill, but you can still go online and teach. We were the only university who could say RRUFA were considering a virtual picket line… The Information Session during lunch break, did not cost members anything attracted the interest of the international students – and attracted a number of RRUFA members. There was also the threat of pulling 2 housekeepers offline during the MBA residency. There would not have been anyone to do cleaning… We have to be strategic with our Employer… If RRUFA wants to take anything to the next level… The best strike action is the one you don’t do. But I am happy to be here – and happy for CUPE to have solidarity with RRUFA.
Ken: We should definitely organize a social event between our two unions.
Paul: We have seen incredible increases in numbers of students – but our membership has not increased…workload is going up. We have increased pressure. We have similar work environments here at RRU. We (in CUPE) work with our hands a lot but our situation is the same. A/F are similar to temporary and limited-term positions… They face the same issues – dealing with an Employer who says there is not enough money…
Ken: like to give Paul round of appreciation!
(Round of applause from faculty!)
4. Old Business:
4.1 RRUFA donation
RRUFA made a $400 donation to the RRU Foundation, for needy RRU students, as requested by Steve, – on the sad occasion of his parent’s death.
5. Regular Reports:
5.1 Bargaining: (Chris in Wendy’s absence)
Ken: when I talked with Steve – everything is cordial – but in fact nothing is happening.
Chris: Actual bargaining team only met once with Employer. We concentrated on presenting the findings of our consultation process we held a while back on the Professor of Teaching issue…
Other things:
Research and Scholarship Leave (RSL) question: We are in a stalemate in that the Employer agrees in principle but won’t give any money to make this happen… This is despite the clear benefit to the university to allow members to carry out research. Next week (2nd week of December) is crucial – we meet on 4 afternoons. If no movement – we need to ratchet up considerably… We have been in position where we have hold, since they seek to put us in same position as staff with no carry over of unused annual vacation. They get Research Leave is important to faculty. I am optimistic; Wendy is less so.
Eugene: There is still a long slog to getting them to put anything on table… all logistics are still to be negotiated…
Chris: We are a long way to getting an article on retirement… Are retirements going to include librarians? Not in terms of retirement in general but in terms of phased retirement….
Eugene – name of what we call these faculty once they retire from an FTE
Chris – There is baggage with everything we have already come up with… we both agree the position exists, just not what to call the individual in this position. (Not Faculty Emeritus)
Things are cordial with the Employer, but got touchy once or twice
Paul: Do you (RRUFA) still get extended health benefits after retirement? This is what we are asking for this time around…but we expect not to get this. Perhaps next time around…We are working to have extended health benefits after retirement…
Eugene: they do want to change the LTD benefits – apparently our current situation is contradictory to CRA rules. Question of what will replace this. As Paul mentioned, the Employer has mentioned giving a stipend in the same amount as they are contributing for LTD benefits…
Paul: they will take stipend away.
Eugene – they could continue to pay and declare as taxable benefit
Paul: I think they will try to muscle us to pay the whole cost eventually.
Question: Faculty Emeritus status – could be an issue on AC – we could recommend to AC from RRUFA
Chris: RSL: The Employer is saying they cannot reach into a different funding envelope to pay for RSL. We are not accepting this.
Ken: they have brought things into bargaining round… Send email of encouragement to Bargaining Team… Lynn Jolie looking nervous. They want to take away merit pay. The argument they are making is that since staff don’t get merit pay, why should faculty get this?
Chris: They are trying to make a guilt trip argument that there is inequality – but the Employer doesn’t consider paying staff more – and they don’t feel guilty about this.
Question: is there a way to get a written opinion from PSEC about a technical question: Is the Employer correct in their view that RSL cannot come from other savings at RRU?
Chris: we did not get a written response – but PSECs response was different from what Lyn thought to a different question.
Question: This is a moral case – we are the only university in Canada without RSL
Chris – Wendy is trying to make this work.
Ken. A round of applause for Chris, and Eugene and Wendy for the great job they are doing!
(Round of applause from faculty!)
5.2 Board of Governors: (Charles)
Charles: Attended the BoG Audit Committee meeting – Divestment is a big issue. UBC – FA has voted for university to withdraw from all fossil fuels. A similar issue at Dalhousie – has gone to board. Response: They can’t separate out fossil fuels because they are tied up with other investments. There are 2 policies about investments at RRU: investments are about giving returns, and they should follow the corporate social responsibility policy of RRU… This says there should be an annual report on CSR – but no such report has ever been produced in 9 years. However, RRU has almost no money invested in an equity sense – because of RRU Foundation – and Retained earnings – about $33M – have become restricted to capital spending only…
However, RRU is looking to government funding for the next Academic Building. The gift of $5M from Sherman Jen will go into this; so money is tied up and put into GICs. There is a small amount of money in Foundation that they put into investments. We could request from finance office where monies are invested…
Charles is now working with board on how RRU investments should be governed. Mary Collins is an important board member on this. The board is open to new policy on this. Currently there are no statements other than bland statements on meeting the mandate…
The Board has received financial info for this and next year…RRU will show the largest profit ever – 10-20% revenues are up. Expenses are down… We are showing a large profit for the year well above 5%. There is always talk about this 5% not as a recommendation but as a mandate… The Executive will say they are not sure what will happen on April 1… They seem almost afraid of telling the province how much money they are making.
The President is asserting himself in some ways toward end of his term – perhaps this is part of his legacy – and certainly part of the dynamic goings on.
Chris: If it is legacy he is after, could we get him to create the “Allan Cahoon Memorial Research Leave Fund”?
Charles: Lots of people are coming to the Board meetings: Profits up; things look good; numbers are up; so, what’s the problem?
Ken: We should definitely make a request as to where RRU money is invested…
Question: It is distressing there is over 5% when – when everyone is so stressed. What if we could reduce each cohort by 3 students?
Ken: or fund RSL with the surplus?
Charles: Well, they always say, “RRUFA wants its hands in the money jar!” Dan (Tulip) appears to be running out the clock on the idea of a new residence on campus – they have had the proposal for years. Perhaps we could have faculty push the University to move on this?
Question: RRU should be investing in both students and faculty.
Tony: There is a historical aspect to this conversation: The very first international students – set fires in one of the rooms, but things have changed since then… The 5% surplus figure came about in the 1990s when there was uncertainty about the survival of RRU. The Board at the time wanted to create a cushion. Given the relative stability we now have it is time for the Board to revisit this issue.
Charles: When any surplus is put into the reserve – it cannot be used for anything but capital expenditures, not operating expenses. This is a provincial rule – but the $3M cushion/ surplus we could spend this year; but once in the reserve pot cannot be moved out…
Tony: we have a commemorative integrity statement about the federal Historic Site. Originally, the Feds were putting money into the Historic site, but this money was subsequently withdrawn; RRU has a huge deferred maintenance bill. I know they are squirreling money away for maintenance. This will likely only stop when film crews stop giving us extras for maintaining our buildings.
Ken: Thanks, Charles! A round of applause for Charles!
(Round of applause from faculty!)
Motion:
Recommend that Dr. Michael Real be nominated at Academic Council for Faculty Emeritus status based on his long service to RRU.
Moved: Niels
2nd: Ken
Passed unanimously
[Note: this motion was raised with Dean Heinz prior to the December Academic Council Meeting, who said that this was premature as Michael is continuing to work as a faculty member for the 2015/16 year at 60%. If we wish to raise this at Academic Council we need to present this motion at the December 2015 or January 2016 Academic Council meeting. So, in effect RRUFA will need to re-confirm this motion at the December 2015 RRUFA meeting for presentation to the subsequent Academic Council meeting. – Niels]
5.3 Academic Council: (Rick absent)
5.4. CUFA-BC: (Ken for Rick, who was absent)
We will invite the new CUFA BC Executive Director to the February RRUFA meeting.
5.5 Website: (Will sick)
5.6 Social: (The “Two Geoffs”)
Geoff and Geoff – not here – no activity
5.7 Grievance Report: (David)
David: There were two grievances over summer and fall, which were resolved with lots of effort!]
both issues resolved and involved complex issues –
There is a potential policy grievance about the new email policy to delete email after 5 years. Email belongs to faculty, not the university, so this is problematic…
Ken: Thanks to David. A round of applause for David (given this is the holiday season!)
(Round of applause from faculty!)
5.8 Health & Safety: (Unfilled as yet)
Ken: Alison Moran had been doing this role for RRUFA – because she was doing this for university – This person would normally be the faculty rep!
6. Other Business:
Ken: AGM Date: February 10 – no meeting in January.
I hope we can move forward into the new year with good wishes and success.
Merry Christmas everyone!
7. Adjournment:
Move to adjourn: 1:30 pm. Approved by Chris; seconded by Michael.
Recorder: Niels Agger-Gupta