CUPE 3906

As part of the McMaster’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and service excellence, and in collaboration with University Technology Services (UTS), the Office of the Registrar’s Office, Equity and Inclusion Office, and community partners, the employer has announce a new enhancement to Employee Self-Service (ESS) in Mosaic.  Your Union is supportive of this and encourages people to have their chosen or preferred name reflected in MOSAIC. We have already bargained language around being able to use a preferred name and secured language to prevent misgendering.

Starting October 6, 2025, employees can update their chosen/preferred first name directly in Mosaic’s Employee Self-Service (ESS).

On November 3, 2025, their display name in Microsoft 365 applications (Outlook, Teams, etc.) will automatically match the chosen/preferred first name in Mosaic.

What’s Next: Starting Monday, October 6, employees are encouraged to review and update their chosen/preferred first name in Mosaic before November 3. After that, one’s chosen/preferred name in Mosaic will automatically sync to Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams).

Why This Matters: This change streamlines processes and supports an inclusive campus experience by allowing individuals to be addressed by the name they identify with — without contacting support or navigating multiple systems.

Questions: For support, please contact the Employee Contact Centre: hr.mcmaster@mcmaster.ca or call 905-525-9140 x222HR

We have a vacancy on our executive committee for the Vice President External position. This position is open to all Local 3906 members and will be elected at our next General Membership Meeting (Tuesday, October 21st, 3 p.m. via zoom). You can find more about the position on the infographic below.

As you may know, a Unit 4 (Residence Life) strike vote was held a couple weeks ago, and members responded 90% in favour of striking if talks break down at the bargaining table. Following this strong mandate delivered by Unit 4 members, we are now forming a Unit 4 Strike Committee to organize and plan for a potential strike.

The first Strike Committee meeting will be this Thursday, September 11th, at 5:00 PM. The meeting will be held in-person at the CUPE 3906 office located in the basement of Kenneth Taylor Hall (Room B111). Membership in the Strike Committee is not limited to Unit 4 – members of any Unit are invited to join the Unit 4 Strike Committee.

Notwithstanding, all Unit 4 Members – PAs, GRAs, ROAs, GCLs, and CAs – are strongly encouraged to join the Strike Committee as it is your Unit that is facing a potential strike.

At this meeting we will be elected Co-Chairs, assigning strike duties, scheduling mobilizing activities, and having early discussions about strike planning and strategy. Whether you are a longstanding member of CUPE 3906 or brand new to our Union, we encourage you to attend!

If you are unable to make the meeting but are interested in joining the Strike Committee, please email catchair@cupe3906.org so we can let you know about future meetings.

Join our Women and Gender Committee as they stand united against gender-based violence.

For any questions, contact Chair of the committee, Kusum Bhatta at womenscommittee@cupe3906.org

Please register in advance here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=B2M3RCm0rUKMJSjNSW9HciYLKJLoppVLooLI2VaeVYBUOEVWU0dFU1EyMERIMUtMWEIyQlVFNkJEVC4u&route=shorturl

Please register in advance here: https://forms.office.com/r/5Jfq7xEYHW

Our first General Membership Meeting, or GMM, of the fall semester will be held on Tuesday, September 16th at 3 pm. The meeting will be held remotely via zoom and a registration link will soon be sent to your McMaster email address. The agenda will be posted in advance of the meeting. We hope to see you there.

We are pleased to announce that the new Unit 1 (TAs and RAs in Lieu) and Unit 2 (Sessional Faculty, Hourly Rated Sessional Music Faculty, and MELD Sessional Faculty) dental coverage rates for 2025-2026 have been determined.

Unit 1 Members can CLICK HERE for a letter that explains the new rates, and provides important information about eligibility, and opting out of dental coverage, and enrolling in family dental coverage for the 2025-2026 academic year. (Unit 1 Dental coverage is only available to members holding an undergraduate degree. Members who do not hold an undergraduate degree are automatically opted out of coverage.) Please note that the Unit 1 deadline for opting out of the dental coverage or enrolling in family coverage is September 26, 2025. Please visit this site for more information about dental coverage, or to obtain a form to opt-out of dental coverage or enroll in family dental coverage.

Unit 2 Members can CLICK HERE for a letter that explains the new rates, and provides important information about eligibility, and opting out of dental coverage, and enrolling in family dental coverage for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please note that the Unit 2 deadline for opting out of the dental coverage or enrolling in family coverage is September 29, 2025. Please visit this site for more information about dental coverage, or to obtain a form to opt-out of dental coverage or enroll in family dental coverage.

Please contact administrator@cupe3906.org with any questions about dental coverage. Due to the high number of inquiries at this time of year, please review the information at the links provided above before emailing. Thank you!