If you are a Sessional Faculty Member teaching for the first time this academic year in the Spring or Summer 2019 term, this message applies to you.

New Sessional Faculty Members who are beginning their teaching for the 2018-2019 academic year in May or June 2019 are able to make changes to their CUPE 3906 dental coverage until June 30, 2019.

• To enroll family members at a cost of $853.72 per family, please fill out the forms available on this link and provide completed forms and a void cheque or direct debit permission from from your bank to our office, KTH B111, no later than June 30, 2019: https://cupe3906.org/files/2018/09/2018-Unit-2-Family-Dental-Enrollment-NEW-2-1.pdf
• To opt-out of CUPE 3906 dental coverage if you have alternative dental coverage through your parents or spouse, please fill out the forms available on this link and provide completed forms, a copy of proof of alternate coverage with your name on it, and a void cheque or direct deposit permission from from your bank to our office, KTH B111, no later than June 30, 2019: https://cupe3906.org/files/2018/09/CUPE-U2-DENTAL-OPT-OUT-2018-2019-NEW-2.pdf

Please note: change of status (including family coverage enrollment and opt outs) expires for all members on August 31, 2019.  To maintain your coverage status (or opt-out) next academic year (if you are returning as a Sessional Faculty member), you must complete this change of coverage process again in September.

For more general information on dental coverage or dental change of coverage, please visit https://cupe3906.org/sessionals-unit-2/unit-2-dental-coverage/ or contact administrator@cupe3906.org.

We’ve announced a date, time, and location for our next General Membership Meeting. The full agenda will be released soon.

BSB 119 (Capacity 100)
12:00 PM-3:30 PM
Wednesday, July 3, 2019

As you may have heard, the Ford government – on the day they announced that the legislature would recess for 5 months – introduced a draconian piece of legislation that would place a wage restraint on public sector workers, require the provincial minister to approve a new collective agreement, and restrict free collective bargaining. As we hear more, we will provide updates. Below is a message from CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn.

Ford Government’s attack on workers’ rights a continuation of their assault on the people of Ontario, says CUPE Ontario President

TORONTO, June 5, 2019 /CNW/ – Legislation tabled today at Queen’s Park that would violate public employees’ right to engage in free collective bargaining is a continuation of the Ford Government’s assault on the people of Ontario, said the Leader of the Ontario Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE Ontario).

Fred Hahn made the comments today after the Government tabled so-called ‘wage restraint’ legislation that will affect union and non-union employees this afternoon.

“Over and over again, we see the Ford Government continuing its assault on the people of Ontario. We saw it when they cancelled a scheduled increase to the minimum wage and when they stalled increases to social assistance. We saw it when they passed a budget that has resulted in devastating cutbacks to schools, universities, health care, social service agencies, libraries and a host of other services,” said Hahn.

“Now, after a sham ‘consultation’, the Ford Government is showing its hand again, targeting hardworking front line workers with legislation aimed at driving down wages, benefits and working conditions for public employees. In CUPE, our members make an average salary of $40,000 a year, and over the last decade, if there have been pay increases at all, they have not kept pace with inflation. The Government is sending a clear message to other employers that it’s open season on their employees as well,” he added.

“A government which forgoes billions in revenues, wastes hundreds of millions (and possibly another billion) more by casting aside signed contracts, which then tries to balance the books on the backs of hundreds of thousands of hard-working Ontarians while proclaiming the need for ‘wage restraint’ legislation should be considered a disgrace said Hahn.

He went on to urge every Ontarian—not just CUPE members—not to stand for a government that is indifferent to the harm they are causing to the norms and values Ontarians cherish.

“Ontarians need to make their voices heard—in their MPPs offices, in their communities, on the streets and on the grounds of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. CUPE Members will be standing shoulder to shoulder with them. If left to their own devices, Doug Ford and his government will inflict irreparable damage on this province. No one can sit this one out,” said Hahn.

The 3906 Unit 3 (Postdocs) bargaining team was at the bargaining table late this afternoon when we were informed of this draconian, unprecedented, and unconstitutional intrusion into the collective bargaining process.

We know that the government plans on capping wage increases at 1% for three years, but that the legislature will be put on recess beginning tomorrow. The legislation will not be passed until November. It is unclear how this will impact our bargaining and our members.

Our Unit 1 bargaining team (which includes staff and some executive members) will be bargaining with McMaster all of this upcoming week (June 10 to 14). As a result, the office will be open only intermittently. If you need to schedule an appointment, please contact administrator@cupe3906.org for benefits related inquiries, or staff@cupe3906.org for inquires related to your collective agreement.

Attn Sessional Faculty: Our Benefits Committee will be meeting on Monday, June 3 to review and approve the Professional Development Fund applications from the Winter 2019 semester. You’ll hear back from the committee shortly thereafter. We apologize for the delay.

Our latest bargaining update is now online!

Learn about what happened at our first face-to-face meeting with the Employer’s bargaining team. 👇👇👇

Bargaining Bulletin #3 — Unit 3: Postdoctoral Fellows

The ticketing and removal from campus of McMaster students engaging in a peaceful protest on campus should NEVER happened to begin with. We’re glad to hear that the charges were dropped.

The right to protest is fundamental and cannot be infringed upon as it was recently.

If you are teaching in the spring 2019 semester and have not previously taught this academic year (ie/ since September 2018), a $170 dental premium deduction will be applied to your June 7th pay deposit. More information about the plan can be found by clicking here.

You are able to opt-out of the plan (with proof of alternate coverage)  by May 31st.

You can also add family coverage for an additional cost (see above link), but must also do so by May 31st.