Queen's University Faculty Association – Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Please find the fourth bargaining alert attached. We are in negotiations today and hope to bring you more substantive news before the QUFA Fall General Meeting on Wednesday, December 12 (1:15pm, Ellis Hall Auditorium). In the meantime, this alert reviews the timing of decisions. To read Bargaining Alert! 4: Where → Learn More
Dear QUFA Members, Apologies for the late email. QUFA met the University again today (Friday, December 7); the day proved much more productive than the last meeting. The University responded to QUFA’s rejection of the University’s initial proposals with a considerably more promising package. Their proposals included a monetary offset for increased → Learn More
Dear Members, Please take a moment to read the attached update from your Chief Negotiators, Elizabeth Hanson and Rob Hickey. The full bargaining team includes Michael White, Melissa Houghtaling, Paul Young and from QUFA staff, Micheline Waring and me. Also, mark your calendars to attend the QUFA Fall General Meeting → Learn More
Dear QUFA Members, If you have followed recent communications from QUFA and Queen’s, you know we are in the process of discussing conversion to a new pension for Queen’s employees. This new pension plan, the University Pension Plan, has been developed by unions and employers at Queen’s, Guelph and the → Learn More
Please be advised that the QUFA Office will be closed on December 24th and will reopen January 2nd.
Download November 2018 Voices here
Dear QUFA Members, Attached is the first Bargaining Bulletin with important information for the upcoming collective agreement negotiations outlining the context for pension conversion negotiations, offsets, terms for a new collective agreement and timelines. We encourage you to read this let us let us know if you have questions or → Learn More
Good afternoon, Queen’s University, University of Guelph and The University of Toronto, together with their faculty associations, the United Steelworkers (USW) and representatives of the non-unionized employees at the three universities (through the Ontario Association of Non-Unionized University Employees) are working diligently to develop a new pension plan that would → Learn More
“A crisis in science literacy and communication: Does reluctance to engage the public make academic scientists complicit?” published online 22 November 2018. To read John’s editorial click here.
QUFA Lunches and Learns in November: All Welcome! The next workplace L&L is “Having Difficult Conversations” on Nov. 16 and the next financial planning L&L is “Reaping Harvest: Late Career Financial Planning” on Nov. 27 (both 12-1pm, University Club). More information here: http://qufa.ca/events/. As a light lunch is provided, please → Learn More
The work to create a new jointly sponsored pension plan (JSPP) for the university sector has reached an important milestone with an updated agreement reached last week. The University of Toronto, University of Guelph and Queen’s University, together with their faculty associations, the United Steelworkers (USW) and representatives of the → Learn More
Download October 2018 Voices here
Brothers, Sisters, and Fellow Workers, I’m reaching out to implore you to join us this Thursday, October 25th from 6-7pm at the Princess/MacDonnell Tim Hortons as we rally against Doug Ford’s repeal of Bill 148. Today, Doug Ford has at last moved beyond rumours and informal statements. Legislation has been → Learn More
Brothers, Sisters and Fellow Workers, Join us this Monday October 15th for a Day of Action. The Chambers of Commerce and Ontario business lobby are saying jump—Doug Ford is asking how high. However, in spite of the announcements made by the Minister of Labour and Doug Ford’s own verbal commitment → Learn More
Dear Faculty and Staff: Queen’s continues to work closely with the University of Toronto, the University of Guelph, and representatives from our bargaining units and non-unionized employees to explore the development of a Jointly Sponsored Pension Plan, as a way to best provide long-term financially-sustainable defined benefit (DB) pensions for → Learn More
Download September 2018 Voices here
Dear Members, You will not be surprised to hear that we have decided to cancel today’s QUFA Walks at 2pm and Quaff with QUFA at 4pm. The weather promises to make the Walk impossible and we imagine most people will be heading straight home to warm and dry houses at → Learn More
Dear QUFA Members, Welcome to the start of a new academic year. This is our first QUFA Digest email of the season. We will send you a Digest email once per month throughout the fall and winter terms to keep you posted on QUFA activities and on relevant events and information → Learn More
Dear QUFA Members, Welcome back. I hope that your term has gotten off to a great start. To help ease back into teaching, QUFA is hosting a free BBQ this Thursday (tomorrow, Sept 13) for QUFA members and their families. The BBQ runs from 4:30-7:00pm in Breakwater Park just across → Learn More
Dear Members, The Queen’s University Faculty Association and the University Administration have reached a tentative agreement for a modest set of proposed changes to the existing group supplementary medical benefits plan design. The proposed changes are part of the tendering process for group benefits negotiated in the last round of → Learn More
Dear Members, We’ve been busy over the summer planning workshops and socials to welcome you to the new academic year. Most of these require an RSVP by reply email so that we have sufficient materials and refreshments on hand. A flyer with all the Lunch & Learns can be found → Learn More