Report from CAUT workshop

Brad WalchukCommunications, Events, News, Unit 2

This past weekend–while seemingly everyone else was at the CUPE Ontario Convention–I was attending the  “New Presidents Workshop” hosted by the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT). Now, I am neither new nor the president, but the President has delegated me to represent us (the Unit 2 members, that is) who are in fact new to CAUT membership. The purpose of the membership was to outline the responsibilities of local executive, to offer solutions for the challenges that await them, and to introduce and highlight the resources CAUT provides its members. Since we have a fairly elaborate and thorough structure within CUPE, we are ahead of the curve as compared to many of the faculty associations, who in many cases also do not enjoy the benefits of being members of a certified union. That said, the workshop did offer many helpful tips and insights. Moreover, in terms of resources, CAUT can provide complementary and also supplementary services to those we already within CUPE. The most obvious example is Academic Freedom. Simply put, if this is under threat, CAUT is the place to turn to defend this cornerstone of academic life. The CAUT Benefits Trust was also interesting. It operates similarly to our own practice of benefits funds being allocated with and through a third-party. However, in this case, CAUT will use its size and leverage to negotiate the best deal for members. Unfortunately, it is in its infancy and only one group has signed up for it. Nobody wants to be the first and it has yet to be implemented for Contract Academic Staff.

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Asian Heritage Month

Maria MustafaEquity

Written by Malissa Phung

On December 6, 2001 the Canadian government adopted a motion proposed by Senator Vivienne Poy to officially declare the month of May to be Asian Heritage Month in Canada.

Since 2002, in major cities across the nation, cultural festivals, art and photography exhibitions, film screenings, lectures, literary readings, theatrical performances, documentaries, and radio shows have been produced throughout the month of May to not only bring attention to the histories of marginalization and oppression of Asian migrants and their descendants but also to commemorate the achievements and contributions of Asian Canadians to Canada’s national building project.

While it is important to both remember these histories of oppression and acknowledge the marginalized labour of Asian migrants as important contributions to Canada’s economic infrastructure and national heritage,  it is equally important to not lose sight of Canada’s ongoing settler colonial policies towards Indigenous peoples and to remain vigilant of the ways in which Canadian multiculturalism disciplines and manages difference even as it openly supports such efforts to address and correct historical injustices.

As admirable as such efforts to commemorate the culture and history of Asian migrants are, recent backlash against “illegal” migrants or potential “terrorists” across the globe indicate that achieving human equality is far from being realized.  We need to be wary of the ways in which history repeats itself.  In the words of Rita Wong from her poetry collection, Monkeypuzzle, “now head taxes apply/to all immigrants/not just us”—that is, in the form of landing fees.

For more information on Asian heritage in Canada, check out the following links:

  • Virtual Museum of Asian Canadian Cultural Heritage (launched by the Asian Heritage Month-Canadian Foundation for Asian Culture Inc.)
  • 2010 Asian Heritage Month Festival Events in GTA (there are still exhibitions being held throughout May; most notably, Wayson Choy is delivering the 3rd Asian Heritage Lecture, “Asian Identity: Becoming Canadian” at York University on May 25)
  • CBC radio and video programs
  • Asian Arts Freedom School (an art-based radical Asian history and activism program for Asians/Pacific Islanders in the GTA under the age of 30.  They hold creative writing, media, and performance workshops with a heavy focus on community activism and Indigenous solidarity.  Cycle 10 of their creative writing workshop has already started and ends June 1!)

Oppressive Migrant Profiling South and North of the Border

Maria MustafaEquity

Written by Sharlee Reimer

On April 23, 2010, some deeply disturbing racist legislation was passed in Arizona: Senate Bill 1070. The new legislation, allegedly intended to curb illegal immigration, makes it law that police officers must ask for immigration papers from anyone who they suspect might be in the state illegally. If a person cannot produce these papers, they can be detained. How, you might be wondering, would the police know who might be ‘an illegal’? Though the Arizona government is saying that it will not be racially profiling people, many of the people who oppose the legislation argue that the police will inevitably racially profile, judging people by looks and accented speech.

There have been widespread protests about and criticisms of this legislation—it has been criticized for encouraging racial profiling, for being racist, and has been likened to Nazi practices. There have also been a number of boycotts of Arizona. This legislation exists in conjunction with a new education policy, House Bill 2281, that will likely eliminate ethnic studies departments and programs in schools and universities. And just so that we don’t forget the role of Canada in terrifying racist practices, there have been a number of anti-immigration raids in Toronto of late (see No One Is Illegal).

For more sources on these issues, check out the following links:

May GMM

Nancy MacBainEvents, General

Title: May GMM
Location: DH-136
Description: Please come out and join us for our March General Membership Meeting. As always, there will be pizza.

To find out what items are included on the agenda, please contact the CUPE office.
Start Time: 17:30
Date: 2010-05-12

May Day – International Workers’ Day

Maria MustafaEquity, General, News

There are a bunch of events happening in and around southern Ontario to commemorate May Day, the International Workers Day.

Hamilton

Here in Hamilton there are two events to take part in:

  • The annual Mayday Festival will be taking place on King William St, outside the Skydragon, from 11-4 on May 1st.
  • USWA 1005 is hosting a massive rally and march to protest the loss of manufacturing jobs and nation wrecking. The rally starts at 1:00pm in the Hamilton Convention Centre followed by the march. Workers United, a CUPE 3906 working group for precarious workers will have a contingent in the march – join us under the purple banner!  For more information on the rally and march click here.

Toronto

For CUPE 3906 members living closer to Toronto and looking for ways to participate there are two events:

  • The May First Movement, a coalition of working class organizations and progressive allies, is holding their annual march starting at 1pm. Participants are gathering in the parking lot of the CUPE 4400 building at Bathurst & St. Clair. For more information click here.
  • nooneisillegal, a group that organizes for status for all, is organizing their 5th annual migrant justice march that convenes at 1pm in St. Jamestown, Toronto (between Wellesley St. and Ontario St.) For more information click here.
    BUSES!!!  Community groups from across Toronto and Southern Ontario are sending buses to the nooneisillegal march. If you’re coming down from one of these areas, get on the bus!
    ~ Hamilton: 11AM: 71 Rebecca Street
    ~ Guelph: 10 AM: Guelph’s Covered Bridge (behind the Boathouse, and the Guelph Animal Hospital at 110 Gordon St)
    ~ Kitchener: 10:30 AM: Kitchener City Hall
    ~ Waterloo: 10:30 AM: Waterloo Public Square
    ~ Mississauga: 12:00 NOON: Hurontario & Dundas Street
    ~ Davenport: 12:00 NOON: Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, 1900 Davenport Road
    ~ Bloor West: 12:15 PM: Sistering, 962 Bloor Street West
    ~ Scarborough: 12:00 PM: 10 Teesdale Place
    ~ Jane and Finch: 11:30 AM: Jane and Finch Mall
    Note: All buses will leave the march at 4:00pm

People First! We Deserve Better! – G8 & G20 PUBLIC RALLY and MARCH

Nancy MacBainEvents, News, Political Action

QUEEN’S PARK – TORONTO

Saturday, June 26 @ 1:00 p.m.

March ends at Trinity Bellwoods Park (Queen Street West @ Trinity Drive)

WHAT’S THIS ALL ABOUT?
The G8 & G20 Summits taking place in Ontario from June 25-27 offer Canadians a rare opportunity to speak out on priorities that the world’s most wealthy and powerful nations should adopt on economic recovery, environment, human rights, decent jobs, and social justice. Decisions taken by the G8 & G20 governments impact on millions of lives in Canada and around the world.

Join us on June 26. Show the world that Canadians still share the dream of a better world for everyone.

Email ontario@clc-ctc.ca or call 416-441-3710 for more information.

Council of Canadians, Greenpeace, Oxfam Canada, Ontario Federation of Labour, Canadian Labour Congress

May 29 2010: Visions of Science Outreach Day (needs volunteers)

Maria MustafaEquity

Written by Malissa Phung

Dr. Juliet Daniel has been organizing an on-campus event, Visions of Science Outreach, for Saturday, May 29, 2010.  This day-long program of activities and talks aims at inspiring and motivating underprivileged youths in Hamilton to learn more about science and hopefully to work towards careers in science in the future.  If you are interested in volunteering with the set-up of the program, please email Dr. Juliet Daniel at danielj@mcmaster.ca.

Unit 2 Special GMM

Nancy MacBainEvents, General

Title: Unit 2 Special GMM
Location: Divinity College Room 136
Description: We will be holding a Special General Membership Meeting for Sessional
Faculty & Sessional Music Faculty on Thursday, April 15th at 5:00pm in
Divinity College room 136.

The SGMM will be a relatively short meeting including a Bargaining Team
report and an important discussion on our Bargaining Priorities
document.

We hope to see you at this very important meeting.
Start Time: 17:00
Date: 2010-04-15

IMPORTANT Tax Info for Sessional Faculty

Nancy MacBainGeneral

Claiming a Home Office on your taxes

The University has acknowledged that Sessional Faculty are eligible, in certain circumstances, to have “Declaration of Conditions of Employment – T2200” forms filled out on your behalf when you’re filing your income tax return.

T2200 forms are filled out by Employers to confirm that individuals have employment-related expenses that they can deduct when they file tax returns. The most common reason Sessional Faculty would have for claiming under this provision, would be the existence of home office.

Certain conditions apply to be able claim a home office:Read More