SAIT’s $25 million target in expenditure reductions and SAFA’s fight for your vacation
Dear SAFA Colleagues:
On April 8th, SAIT sent SAFA a draft Letter of Understanding (LOU) outlining possible temporary layoffs, and the required taking of vacation. SAFA was surprised by this, as our members had just proven in spectacular fashion how capable they are at working remotely and that there is planned work to be done in May and June.
In the LOU, SAIT Informed SAFA that, The Government of Alberta has provided SAIT with a reduction target of $25 Million for expenditures. The financial stress caused by all these pressures can be mitigated, in part, by all employees including academic staff members drawing down their accrued vacation banks and potential temporary layoffs.
Therefore, SAIT has deemed it necessary that SAFA members take vacation time earned between July 1st, 2019 and June 30th, 2020 starting sometime in early May 2020. This puts most SAFA members in the position of using their earned vacation (43 days by the end of June 2020) by early July 2020.in addition to drawing down on previous years’ untaken vacation banks, SAIT has also proposed that faculty employees would be able to use any vacation that would be accrued up until June 30, 2021, another 30 days of vacation. Once all vacation has been depleted, Faculty could be forced into a ‘Temporary Layoff’ which means a temporary period of unpaid leave. The only way to maintain any income after vacation is exhausted will be to apply for the Federal Government’s new Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (if applicable) Employment Insurance or.
While SAFA strongly disputes this position and believes that the upcoming May/June work period is not materially different than past semesters, (with faculty continuing to teach class, update curriculum and ILMs, convert content for online instruction, plan new projects and assessments, and complete professional development activities), it is our primary concern that Faculty continue to be employed.
Since receiving SAITs’ initial proposal on April 8th, SAFA has been in continuous negotiations with SAIT trying to find ways to maintain Faculty employment, rather than becoming more economic casualties requiring outside support. Continued work now will allow us to address any potential threat of layoffs in August or potentially avoid layoffs completely. Much more will be known about the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic by the July/August period when appropriate planning, rather than panic planning, can be done.
I continue to be committed to keeping you informed as we transit these difficult times together. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions.
During this time of uncertainty, I encourage Faculty to utilize the available free counselling services of the Employee Family Assistance Program (Lifeworks) – 1-844-671-3327, which is available 24/7.
In solidarity and service to members,
Blair Howes, SAFA President, on behalf of Your SAFA Team.