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SAFA weekly update to Membership – April 12, 2021

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Negotiations Update

SAIT and SAFA’s initial meeting on March 31st involved establishing protocols, meeting processes, and a preliminary exchange of documents.  Members of the Negotiating Committee for SAFA include Al Brown (Chief Negotiator), Ken Upton, Earl Simpson, Adrienne Jones, Jessica Norman, and Blair Howes (SAFA President).   Members of the bargaining team for SAIT administration include Jody Fraser, Bengt Northwood, Janet Segato, Lisa Barrett, Amy Dowd, and Lindsay Crocket.

A summary of SAFA’s opening proposal to SAIT can be reviewed online.  The Negotiating Committee is currently reviewing the document that SAIT submitted and will provide comments once analysis is complete.

SAFA will next meet with SAIT on April 28th, with future meetings occurring approximately every 2 weeks (schedules permitting). We expect to provide updates to members on a monthly schedule.  General information about the bargaining process, as well as future updates, can be found on the SAFA website.

Get Your Updates from the Right Source!

We are aware of the new SAIT bargaining page that launched last week.  We want to remind members that SAFA first posted information about the bargaining process this past fall at https://safacalgary.com/negotiations/bargaining-process/. We will continue to update this section as relevant topics arise.

Always remember that SAFA is your agent in negotiations, and you should look to the SAFA website for current, relevant, and accurate information about what is occurring during this process.  If you have questions about interactions with the employer (SAIT) around the negotiations process, contact Al Brown, SAFA Labour Relations Officer.

Spring/Summer Semesters – Questions about Vacation and Work Schedules

As we approach spring & summer semester, instructors are telling SAFA that there is much uncertainty around vacation days, course loading, and work schedules. Remember that SAFA is here to support and fight for you whether adjunct, contract, or full time. Our Collective Agreement still provides standards and protections in these uncertain times.  If you feel that your workload, work hours, or other duties assigned may violate our agreement – please contact SAFA to talk about it! 

Also, remember that last year’s Vacation LoU dates have expired and are no longer in effect.  If you feel pressured by anyone to take this year’s vacation allotment, email [email protected] ASAP to learn about your rights.  SAFA is in talks with SAIT to document new procedures around summer vacation, but there is no replacement LoU at this time. 

Communication is Vital in Uncertain Times

If you have not yet had a chance to submit a non-SAIT email for alternative communications, please do so now online. It is important that the Association have this information on file in the event of a job action or work stoppage. Please note – this is just a matter of preparedness and is not in any way related to the current state of negotiations. Thank you to all members who have taken the time to provide their non-SAIT email address.

Save the Date: Upcoming Events

  • SAFA elections will occur in May, concluding on May 13, 2021.  Open positions include Academic Council representatives and a Board of Governor representative.  If you did not receive the email last week, please contact [email protected]    
  • The Annual General Meeting will be June 10, 2021 at 4:00pm. Information about the online event will be sent in May.

April 30th: Update to Membership

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The History of May Day (May 1st)

May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, is a holiday that celebrates the working class and the labour movement on May 1st.  While not as familiar in North America, it is a well-known holiday in Europe and Asia.

The May Day holiday’s origins in North America stem from a universal work stoppage in 1886 Chicago commonly referred to as the Haymarket Affair. This general strike was centred around a call for an eight-hour workday. The pickets and demonstrations that followed led to police violence and the arrest of labour leaders.

May Day demonstrations were carried out widely in Canada, including Calgary, but they were not well received by politicians and authorities, often ending in forced disbursement. Attempting to avoid more violence, the following year labour leaders in Calgary applied for a permit to have a parade; this was denied by city hall.

While May Day was not well received by officials, it was recognized in both the United States and Canada that there needed to be some recognition of the labour movement. In 1872, the Toronto Typographical Union had gone on strike demanding a nine-hour workday from a 12-hour workday. The strike was widely condemned by The Globe owner, George Brown, who brought in replacement workers, leading to the dismissal of many who went on strike.  Despite not getting the desired results, the strike did get the attention of many, including Prime Minister John A. MacDonald, who passed a law to release strikers who were imprisoned. He spoke widely on the need to enact and observe labour rights.

Seeing the writing on the wall, Prime Minister John Thompson passed a law in July 1894 making Labour Day, as we know it today in the Fall, an official holiday in Canada. Many speculate that this Fall date was chosen to distance it from the mass organization and violence that was commonplace during May Day demonstrations and parades, as well as the fact that much of the world celebrates labour in May.

Over the years, Labour Day has come to be associated with family and BBQs and a day off, losing much of its original meaning. With that said, we must not forget the origins of Labour Day and May Day) and the struggles that labour made to earn workers everything we have today: 8-hour workday, the weekend, parental leave, and paid vacation, to name a few. This May 1st, take a moment to honour this day and those who led the way.  Learn more about Canadian Labour history at the Canadian Labour Congress website.

In solidarity,

Craig Coolahan

Labour Relations Officer, SAFA

April 10th: Update to Membership

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Reminder: Always Review Your Faculty Workload Assignment!

It’s that time of year, when salaried faculty are provided their Spring/Summer workload assignments (and for a lucky few, maybe Fall assignments!). SAFA wants to remind faculty that your workload is made up of Class Contact Hours (CCH), Class Management Hours (CMA), and Professional Duties. 

CCH + CMA + Prof Duties = total workload for semester

While only CCH has an assigned number in our current Collective Agreement, there should be a discussion between faculty and their Academic Chair every semester so that both parties are clear how the assigned CCH allows sufficient time for CMA and Professional Duties.   

If faculty are unsure of the workload parameters, they can refer to  Section 36 of the Collective Agreement and theFaculty Workload Guidelines. 

Remember faculty – if you have concerns, you have the right to to file a workload complaint.

What are potential workload concerns?

  • You were not given your workload assignment at least 4 work weeks before the start of that assignment.
  • Your workload assignment does not contain the minimum information:  CCH hours, course name/number, and instruction mode.
  • The Academic Chair did not reduce the workload when:
    • You’ve been assigned new-to-you course preps (see Guidelines for definition of “new”).
    • The number of students in a section increased.
    • You’ve been assigned multiple different course preps.
  • The Academic Chair did not leave sufficient time for the professional development, curriculum development, or scholarly activity that you’ve been assigned.

For additional information about the Workload Guidelines or the complaint process and timeline, contact your SAFA representative.  SAFA is here to help!

Bargaining Update – April 20, 2022

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The bargaining teams for SAIT and SAFA are pleased to provide the following joint statement:

After working with a mediator, the bargaining teams have a mediator’s report containing recommendations to resolve outstanding items between the parties. The full proposed terms of settlement, which include other items resolved during bargaining, will be subject to ratification by both parties. Notification of ratification must be communicated to the mediator no later than Friday, May 13, 2022. Both bargaining teams are recommending the terms of the report be ratified by their respective parties. 

A special all-member meeting will be held online on May 2, 2022, from 4-5pm to review the tentative Collective Agreement settlement, including the mediator’s report.  The online ratification vote will then be held May 3 – 9, 2022.   If ratified, the terms of settlement will form a new collective agreement.

Negotiating Update April 30, 2021

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April 30, 2021 

 SAFA’s Negotiating Committee has now met with our SAIT counterparts twice and exchanged initial proposals. A review of these proposals has made it clear to SAFA that the two documents are very far apart.    You can review SAFA’s proposal to SAIT in our previous blog post.      

The first thing the Negotiating Committee noticed about SAIT’s proposal is that most of it is missing – SAIT has “redlined” complete sections or concepts from the current collective agreement without submitting an alternative proposal.   We understand that Higher Education is experiencing a fundamental shift in educational practices, and we embrace the possibilities of work from home, online teaching, and other new modalities.  However, this is a time of great jeopardy as well as opportunity.  The outcome of these negotiations will set the structure for our workload, compensation, and professional supports for years to come. Therefore, the Negotiating Team has asked SAIT to provide a complete and meaningful proposal so that that we can work together to continue to be a “global leader in applied education”. 

The highlights of SAIT’s proposal:  

  • SAIT removed the entire professional development section, redlining the dollar value and all definitions.  This was replaced with a vague statement about moving to a new program.   
  • SAIT removed bereavement, family illness, and personal leave days – a reduction of leave by up to 12 days.  SAIT has also highlighted that vacation days will be impacted by their monetary proposal.
  • SAIT wants to undo our hard-fought gains from the last round of bargaining by reducing the entitlements of casual faculty or removing them from our collective agreement. They erased all mention of this role with their edits. As well, they propose moving non-credit adjunct staff out of our agreement.  
  • SAIT did not submit a monetary statement but we expect they will eventually come to the table seeking significant salary rollbacks, since they “red lined” the entire salary grid section of the current collective agreement.  
  • We don’t even know what to say about workload compensation other than – it’s gone.  SAIT removed entire sections on workload, overtime, and overload pay without submitting an alternative proposal.  

At this time, SAFA cannot provide a more comprehensive analysis of SAIT’s opening proposal since significant portions are missing.  Based on the large number of issues, the Negotiating Committee expects that bargaining will be a complex, prolonged process and we appreciate member’s patience. Once more information is provided, we will provide a more detailed analysis of SAIT’s proposal through ongoing blog posts.  

If you have comments or questions, please attend an upcoming town hall meeting the week of May 10th where the Negotiating Committee will present more information. See upcoming SAFA emails for the meeting links.   

National Day of Mourning

We Pause and Reflect on the National Day of Mourning

At SAFA, we pause every April 28 to remember workers killed or injured from a work-related injury or illness.

The most recent statistics show that over 1,000 workers are killed on the job each year.1 Additionally, in 2021 more than 270,000 claims were accepted for time lost due to a work-place related injury or illness.2 Each of these numbers is a person whose life is forever changed.  For that reason, SAFA asks its members to take a moment of silence at 11:00am on April 28th, 2023, to honour those who have died or have been impacted by a workplace tragedy.

Source: https://www.ccohs.ca/events/mourning/

1Fatalities, by Age and Jurisdiction 2021, Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), National Work Injury/Disease Statistics Program (NWISP)

2Lost Time Claims, by Age and Jurisdiction, 2021, Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), National Work Injury/Disease Statistics Program (NWISP)

May 24th: Update to Membership

New Collective Agreement: Frequently Asked Questions

SAFA knows that members have questions about how the new Collection Agreement changes your work at SAIT, so we will be running a series of FAQs on the most common questions we receive.  If you would like to know more about a topic related to the new CA, send your suggestions to [email protected].

Salaried Members Vacation FAQ

The new collective agreement moves the vacation year back to July 1 – June 30. Do I earn vacation for May and June 2022?

No, for salaried members, SAIT will be forward depositing your full vacation entitlement on July 1, 2022.  

Due to an error on SAIT’s part last May 2021, members have already received all the vacation days allowed by the Collective Agreement:

  • In March through June 2020, all SAFA members were scheduled to take their banked, accrued Annual Leave (calculated to June 30, 2020). 
  • On July 1, 2020, 43 vacation days (for the period until June 30, 2021) were added to each faculty member’s vacation balance (or equivalent for librarians).
  • Then, in May 2021, a new LOU was signed with a change in the vacation year so that it started in May. But SAIT made an error in deposited amounts that resulted in a 12-month allocation when only 10 month allocation should have occurred.
  • Now SAIT is making a deposit on July 1, 2022, of your full vacation entitlement (43 days for faculty members). Because of the error in May 2021 that resulted in double vacation for May-June 2021, there is no need to deposit for May 1, 2022, as it is already in the SAFA members vacation balance.

If you currently have a zero-vacation balance, you can still go on vacation in May / June 2022 by going into a deficit vacation balance. This deficit will be corrected July 1, 2022, when another 43 vacation days are deposited in your vacation bank.  

What if I’m a new hire whose start date is after July 1, 2021? Are there any different issues with my vacation allocation? Yes, new hires should review their vacation balance to determine if their time was calculated to April 30, 2022, or June 30, 2022.  (A reminder, the past collective agreement in Section 32.01 stated, “when employment has commenced on or after the sixteenth day of any month, vacation entitlements shall be earned from the first day of the following month”).  If you were hired after May 1, 2021, and you believe your vacation was only calculated to April 2022, contact employee services immediately. You may be owed additional time.

Scenario: Ahmad was hired on January 16, 2022, as a faculty member. He checks his vacation bank and he received 10.5 days in his bank when he was hired.  Should Ahmad receive additional vacation allotment for May 2021 and June 2021? Since Ahmad was hired after the 15th of the month, his vacation was calculated for February 2022 through April 2022 (3 months).  3 months*3.5 vacation days/month = 10.5 days in total.  Ahmad has not been overallocated days and he should be allocated an additional 7 vacation days for May and June 2022.

With the change from 40 hours per work week to 37.5 hours per work week for faculty, will I lose any vacation days?  No, the collective agreement has always referenced “forty-three (43) work days of vacation”. However, historically SAIT had credited your vacation bank with “hours” of vacation based on an 8-hour day. This practice will be corrected, and SAIT will, on a go-forward basis from July 1, 2022, only use vacation “days”. Your existing hours – whatever you have in your vacation bank as of June 30, 2022 – will be calculated as “days” of vacation with no loss of vacation time.

After July 1, 2022, you will record any vacation you take in a “days of vacation” format – i.e., half a day would be recorded as 0.5 day of vacation. Vacation will no longer be recorded in an “hour” format.

What if I have vacation left at the end of this vacation year (June 30, 2022) – will SAIT deposit less than my full amount for next year? No, you will always receive your full allotment (i.e., 43 days for faculty) on July 1, 2022.  As well, the collective agreement says that you may carry forward a maximum of 5 vacation days to the next year with no issues.  If the carry-over exceeds five days, you do not lose the days but “the Academic Staff member must work with their Academic Chair/Leader to create a plan to ensure the excessive days are taken in the next year” (Section 32.09).  

Can SAIT take away my unused vacation days at the end of the year (June 30, 2022)? No, the collective agreement says that you may carry forward a maximum of 5 vacation days to the next year with no issues.  If the carry-over exceeds five days, you do not lose the days but “the Academic Staff member must work with their Academic Chair/Leader to create a plan to ensure the excessive days are taken in the next year” (Section 32.09).  So, if you have excessive vacation days now, begin planning how you will take that time before July 1, 2023.

Scenario: Marina has 20 days in her vacation bank on June 30, 2022.  How much vacation will she have for the 2022/23 year?  Marina will still have 20 days plus 43 days will be deposited for a total of 63 days in her vacation bank.  Since she is carrying over more than 5 days, she will need to speak with her Academic Chair to schedule when she will take at least 58 days of vacation (43 days + 15 carry over days).

What is the impact on my vacation if I retire or leave SAIT during the year? As stated above, SAIT will be forward depositing your full vacation entitlement (i.e., 43 days for faculty) on July 1, 2022. If you retire or leave SAIT, you will be paid for any “earned but unused” vacation days (Section 32.02). For members with 43 days of vacation, the calculation will be 3.5 vacation days per month. If you are in a deficit situation, you will owe SAIT any “used but unearned” vacation days determined through the same calculation (3.5 vacation days per month).

Scenario: If Tomas retires from his faculty position on September 1, 2022, what happens to his vacation days?  Based on a last day of employment of September 1, 2022, Tomas will be entitled to use 3.5 X 2 = 7 vacation days. If he has not taken those days, SAIT will pay him for those days.  If he uses more than 7 days of his 2022 / 2023 entitlement and then resigns on September 1, 2022, the extra vacation days that he used will be clawed back.   

News from Around Canada

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Here’s the first in our new series highlighting interesting post-secondary news:

SAFAGRAM ARCHIVE

2020-20212019-20202018-20192017-2018
SAFAGRAM Fall 2020SAFAGRAM Fall 2019SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2018SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2017
SAFAGRAM Spring 2021SAFAGRAM Spring 2020SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2018SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2018
SAFAGRAM Summer 2021SAFAGRAM Summer 2020SAFAGRAM_Jan-Feb_2019SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2018
  SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2019SAFAGRAM May-June 2018
2016-20172015-20162014-20152013-2014
SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2016SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2015SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2014SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2013
SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2016SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2015SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2014SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2013
SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2017SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2016SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2015SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2014
SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2017SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2016SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2015SAFAGRAM March-Apr 2014
SAFAGRAM May-June 2017SAFAGRAM May-June 2016SAFAGRAM May-June 2015SAFAGRAM May-Jun 2014
2012-20132011-20122010-20112009-2010
SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2012SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2011SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2010SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2009
SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2012SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2011SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2010SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2009
SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb-Mar 2013SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2012SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2011SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2010
SAFAGRAM April 2013SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2012SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2011SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2010
SAFAGRAM May-June 2013SAFAGRAM May-June 2012SAFAGRAM May-June 2011SAFAGRAM May-June 2010
2008-20092007-20082006-20072005-2006
SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2008SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2007SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2006SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2005
SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2008SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2007SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2006SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2005
SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2009SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2008SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2006
SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2009SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2008SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2006
SAFAGRAM May-June 2009SAFAGRAM May-June 2008SAFAGRAM May-June 2006
2004-20052003-20042002-20032001-2002
SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2004SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2003SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2002SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2001
SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2004SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2003SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2002SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2001
SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2005SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2004SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2003SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2002
SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2005SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2004SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2003SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2002
SAFAGRAM May-June 2005SAFAGRAM May-June 2004SAFAGRAM May-June 2003SAFAGRAM May-June 2002
2000-20011999-20001998-19991997-1998
SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 2000SAFAGRAM June 1999SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 1998SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 1997
SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 2000SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 1999SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 1998SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 1997
SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2001SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 2000SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 1999SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 1998
SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2001SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 2000SAFAGRAM Apr-May 1999SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 1998
SAFAGRAM May-June 2001SAFAGRAM May-June 2000SAFAGRAM May-June 1998
1996-19971995-19961994-1995
SAFAGRAM Sept-Oct 1996SAFAGRAM Feb 1996SAFAGRAM April 1995
SAFAGRAM Nov-Dec 1996SAFAGRAM May-June 1996SAFAGRAM June 1995
SAFAGRAM Jan-Feb 1997
SAFAGRAM Mar-Apr 1997
SAFAGRAM May-June 1997

Day of Mourning

On April 28 flags on Parliament Hill will fly at half-mast and people across the country will light candles, were ribbons and black arm bands as they observe a moment of silence to acknowledge those Canadians who have died in the past year due to workplace illness or injury.

As we cross-check those final exams for any grammatical errors or missing pages, and once again verify for possibly- the third or fourth time with our students the exact room location for their final test. Insuring that Labs and shops are amply equipped with supplies for the final practical tests. The Machinery and tools are subject to the instructor’s detailed inspection, final overviews and expectations of what will be on the tests are concluded. Like Clockwork, Instructors reiterate, for the umpteen time the importance of Workplace Safety, and that students need to be attuned to any hazards or possible accidental incidents.

Protection and awareness for oneself is a priority, however, the attentiveness to ones surrounding, and any fellow team/workmate is also significantly important.

Excitement and enthusiasm to get ‘finally done’ is understandable, but in the haste to be overly efficient is when accidents can happen.

Many of our Trades Instructors can testify to the absolute necessity for promoting a Safe Work environment. Accidents in the Trades are plentiful, many result in serious injury, and some have tragic consequences, quite often death.

The Canadian Parliament passed the Workers Mourning Day Act making April 28 an official Day of Mourning. To date, the Day of Mourning has spread to about 100 countries around the world and is recognized as Workers Memorial Day and as International Workers Memorial Day by the International Labour organization (ILO) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

An alarming statistic taken from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) is that in 2014, 919 workplace deaths were recorded in Canada – more than 2.5 deaths every single day. Among the 919 dead were thirteen young workers aged fifteen to nineteen years; and another twenty-five workers aged twenty to twenty –four years.

We are not immune from Workplace Incident Fatalities here in Alberta. According to the Alberta Government, Alberta lost 125 men and women to workplace injury or illness in 2015.  Fatality statistics from the Industry Sector: Construction and Construction Trades in 2015> 10, Fatalities in 2014> 17 Fatalities: Transportation, Communications and Utilities in 2015 > 4 Fatalities, in 2014 > 6 Fatalities: Mining and Petroleum in 2015 2, Fatalities in 2014 > 8 Fatalities. Manufacturing and Processing in 2014 > 3 Fatalities. These statistics identify only 4 of the 8 Industry Sectors in Alberta.

“It is the hope of CCOHS that the annual observance of this day will help strengthen the resolve to establish safe and healthy conditions in the workplace, and prevent further injuries and deaths. As much as this is a day to remember the dead, it is also a call to protect the living and make work a place to thrive”…from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

 Several Canadian Monuments memorialize fallen workers:

Canadian Labour Congress Monument, Vincent Massey Park, Ottawa.

Falconbridge Memorial, Sudbury Ontario.

Miners Memorial, Kirkland Lake, Ontario.

Fire Fighter Monument, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Their Light Shall Always Shine, Memorial Park, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

I am sure that many of our colleagues at SAIT have experienced tragic fatalities in their former working occupations. These incidents can have an emotional and psychological impact on a person, and is not easily forgotten.

On April 28 please take a few minutes of your valuable time to remember those unfortunate individuals that died on the job.

 

James McWilliams, SAFA Faculty Association President.