February 21st: Update to Membership
Casual to Salaried Contract Transition: Know Your Rights
As we move towards the end of the winter semester, some casual faculty may be reaching 800 contract hours in the academic year, which runs July 1st to June 30th. Per the collective agreement, once a casual academic staff member exceeds 800 contract hours, you must be assigned to a temporary salaried or permanent position for the subsequent academic year.
The full article reads:
- 1.01h (v) “casual employment” is non-permanent employment on an hourly basis for use in approved programming before 6 pm. A casual academic staff member may work up to the standard hours of work in Section 31, Hours of Work however, when the hours of work exceeds eight hundred (800) contract hours in an academic year, the academic staff member must be assigned to a temporary salaried or permanent position for the subsequent academic year. For the purposes of determining the 800-hour threshold, any adjunct contract hours worked in any approved program that academic year will apply.
What Does This Mean?
Currently, “approved programs may include the following credentials: Degree, Applied Degree, Diploma, Certificate, Apprenticeship, Academic Upgrading, Open Studies, English Language Foundations.” (SAFA CA, S1.01 w)
So, contract folks who teach before 6pm in a program that grants these types of credentials should check their total contract hours. Note, too, that any additional adjunct contract hours taught in the evening for these programs would be added to your casual contract hours as part of the total.
What Should Casual Contract Holders Do?
Be sure to keep track of your contract hours throughout the year. If you currently do not know your contract hours, contact your Academic Chair or the Employee Services group for copies of your contracts. If you think, or you know, you’re going to reach 800 contact hours by July 1st, 2024, please contact the SAFA office so we can keep track of members who are eligible to be offered a temporary salaried or permanent position.
This is fairly new language to the bargaining unit and to management. As such, there were several issues around this language at the end of the last academic year. We were able to get all the issues resolved without grievance; however, not being offered a position after exceeding 800 hours is grievable and SAFA will exercise this right to uphold the agreement and ensure that you are moving towards a permanent position. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your SAFA rep if you have any questions about this topic.
In Solidarity,
Craig Coolahan
Labour Relations Officer, SAFA