You may be aware that QUFA initiated a policy grievance immediately following the Administration’s imposition of new rules compelling Members to install Microsoft Endpoint software on all devices used to access the tools required for your work.

QUFA grieved that the policy and its implementation were unreasonable because of infringement on collective agreement rights, including but not limited to the privacy rights enshrined at Article 23.

Following one day of proceedings on November 4, 2025, Arbitrator Kaplan issued an award on Friday November 7, 2025, allowing QUFA’s grievance in part. A copy of the decision is publicly available online here.

Many of the remedies QUFA sought as a means of correcting the harm arising from the breach of the Collective Agreement were granted, but not all. QUFA was not successful in obtaining a declaration that the Endpoint rules were void for unreasonableness, nor were we able to obtain an Order directing the Administration to engage in a comparative assessment of alternative endpoint software(s) offered by companies other than Microsoft.

With that said, QUFA was successful in obtaining an Order compelling several measures aimed at ensuring Members are not compelled to install such software on a personal device. QUFA Term Adjunct Members who rely on a personal device to do their work should receive communication from the Administration with updated information about changes to the requirements very soon.

The Order also includes measures to ensure adequate consultation and information sharing with QUFA and its Members. In particular, the requirement of a new Standing Joint Committee on Technology (SJCT) will ideally help ensure current and future software requirements are minimally intrusive to Members’ privacy rights and the requirement to obtain fresh Privacy Impact Assessments from a neutral third party will help ensure those assessments are reliable, thorough and truly independent.

Any questions about this outcome can be directed to QUFA’s Grievance Officer, Karen Sisson by email to ks233@queensu.ca.

In April of 2025, QUFA and Queen’s University agreed to renew the Collective Agreement for one year, with a June 30, 2026 expiry date. This Roll-Over MOA was ratified by the QUFA membership and the Queen’s University Board of Trustees. The QUFA Executive Committee has appointed a Bargaining Team and Chief Negotiator for the upcoming 2026 round of negotiations. Please check the Bargaining Page for more info.

Queen’s University and QUFA have reached an agreement regarding the compensation structure applicable to Term Adjuncts assigned to instruct or course coordinate clinical courses at the School of Nursing (the “Going Forward Framework”). The Going Forward Framework will apply going forward, covering the remainder of the current Collective Agreement and through the term of the renewed Collective Agreement. This means that this framework will apply from now until the expiry of the next Collective Agreement between QUFA and Queen’s University. The Parties’ agreement follows significant negotiation efforts respecting the compensation structure for Term Adjuncts instructing clinical courses or engaging in course coordination of clinical courses at the SON. Both parties remain committed to a productive and respectful working relationship. The full agreement can be found here.