Abolishment: What to Know
SAFA is aware that several members had their positions abolished yesterday. We understand this news is difficult and may raise questions for colleagues across campus. Please know that the Collective Agreement includes specific provisions governing position abolishments, and SAFA’s role is to ensure those provisions are followed.
Below is a brief overview of the position abolishment provisions in Section 13 of the Collective Agreement. Members can review the full section for complete details.
Contract Appointment vs. Position Abolishment
It is important to note that adjunct, casual, and temporary-salaried appointments are typically tied to specific contracts. These positions end when the contract expires or is not renewed. This is different from a position abolishment, which applies to permanent positions and includes consultation, notice, and severance provisions.
When Can a Position be Abolished
A position may be abolished if there is less work available, such as declining enrolment or a program or course being discontinued. Before issuing notices to affected employees, the employer must notify the SAFA President at least ten days in advance and meet with SAFA to discuss the situation. SAFA is informed of the school involved, the number of positions affected, and the reasons for the proposed abolishment.
The collective agreement also requires the employer to go through the following steps before abolishing permanent positions:
- Releasing casual, temporary-salaried, or probationary employees
- Calling for volunteers for position abolishment. If more employees volunteer than there are positions available, a decision will be made based on the volunteers’ skills, abilities, teaching requirements, and years of service.
Only after these steps are completed can permanent employees be abolished. At that stage, the employer applies a rubric based on skills, abilities, and subject matter expertise.
Notice, Severance, and Re-Employment Rights
Permanent academic staff whose positions are abolished receive three months’ notice (or pay in lieu) and severance of one month’s salary per year of service, up to 12 months. Employees with more than two years of continuous service are also vested for 12 months, meaning they have the right to be appointed to the first available comparable position posted. If multiple members are qualified, the appointment is based on years of service.
Questions?
These rules are in place to ensure that abolishments follow a clear process and that affected members receive notice, compensation, and fair consideration for other positions. If you have questions about contracts ending or position abolishments, please contact your SAFA representative or the SAFA office. SAFA is here to support members and ensure the Collective Agreement is applied fairly.
In Solidarity,
Blair Howes and Craig Coolahan