Pay Increase for Postdoctoral Fellows

Brad WalchukUncategorized

As you know, Unit 3 members voted to ratify the tentative agreement from November 27, 2019, in December 2019. One of the changes in the Agreement is a pay increase. You will see an  increase in one of two ways:
i) Members whose anniversary of the commencement of their appointment falls on or after November 29, 2019, will receive a 1% pay increase starting on the anniversary of their date of hire.  You can see the language regarding this increase on page 32 of the agreement, available here: https://cupe3906.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/501/2019/12/Tentative-Agreement-Tabled-Nov-28_435pm-FINAL.pdf
ii) Members whose anniversary of the commencement of their appointment occurred between September 1, 2019 and November 28, 2019, will receive a $300 lump sum payment this coming pay (i.e., Friday, January 17th, 2020).  You can see the language regarding this increase on page 47 of the agreement, available here: https://cupe3906.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/501/2019/12/Tentative-Agreement-Tabled-Nov-28_435pm-FINAL.pdf
Please contact the Union (mecampbell@cupe3906.org) if you have any questions regarding these increases/payments.
Finally, if you would like to participate in the decision-making process regarding Unit 3 benefits (i.e. the health care spending account and professional development fund) as a result of our contract negotiations, please attend our Benefits Committee Meeting on February 3, 2020, at 1:00 PM in  the Union Office (KTH B111).  The Union relies on your input and participation to determine the best possible use of these funds.
In solidarity,
Your CUPE 3906 Executive Committee

Upcoming Committee Meetings

Brad WalchukUncategorized

Unit 1 Stewards’ Network Meeting:
Tuesday, Jan. 14th | 10 AM – 11 AM in KTH B111

The next meeting of the Unit 1 (TAs and RAs in-lieu) Stewards’ Network will be held in the union office (KTH B111) on Tuesday, January 14th at 10:00 AM. All Department Stewards are encouraged to attend this short meeting, which will include discussion about the new hours tracker app and the opportunity to attend CUPE Spring School.

Any Unit 1 Members interested in becoming a Steward for their department are encouraged to come by the union office for the required nomination form. This is a great opportunity for those who are curious about working with unions and excited by the idea of advocating on behalf of their fellow Members. There are still a number of vacancies in most departments, so we strongly encourage those interested to reach out to any of the following people:

Nishant Kashyap, Unit 1 Chief Steward: chiefsteward_tas@cupe.3906.org
Mollie McGuire, Vice President: vicepresident@cupe3906.org
Nathan Todd, President: president@cupe3906.org

Bylaws Committee Meeting:
Friday, Jan. 24th | 12 PM – 2 PM in KTH B111

The Bylaws Committee will be holding their first meeting of the new year in the union office (KTH B111) next Friday, January 24th, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. All members are welcome to attend. The Local’s current bylaws – along with information regarding recent amendments – can be found here.

Benefits Committee Meeting:
Monday, Feb. 3rd | 1 PM in KTH B111

The next Benefits Committee meeting will be held in the union office (KTH B111) on Monday, February 3rd, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. All members are welcome to attend!

Online Hours Tracker Available Now

Brad WalchukUncategorized

We are happy to announce the release of our new online hours tracker (<– Click Here), developed with help from CUPE Ontario. Our Executive Committee and Stewards have had some time to test it out, and we are now ready to share it with the general Membership. You will need to make an account, and from there you can easily join the CUPE 3906 group. From there, you will see a number of pre-loaded options from which to choose. Given that a number of our Unit 1 Members (TAs and RAs in-lieu) have expressed concerns about going over their hours allotted by their employment contracts, we are encouraging you all to use this hours tracker. The more you track your hours, the better chance we have at ensuring you aren’t overworked or underpaid! Please also feel free to forward any feedback or technical issues to president@cupe3906.org.

TAs and Sessional Faculty: Important Deadlines for WINTER 2020 Dental Plan Change of Coverage Period (Opt-Outs and Family Enrollments)

Mary Ellen CampbellUncategorized

TEACHING ASSISTANTS AND RESEARCH ASSISTANTS (IN LIEU): Important Deadlines for WINTER 2020 Dental Plan Change of Coverage Period (Opt-Outs and Family Enrollments)

This message may apply to you if you i) hold an undergraduate degree and ii) hold a contract to work as a CUPE 3906 Unit 1 Member in the Winter 2020 academic term (but did not hold a contract to work as a CUPE 3906 Unit 1 Member in the Fall 2019 academic term).

If you are working as a CUPE 3906 Unit 1 Classification “A” Member in the Winter 2020 term and did not work as a CUPE 3906 member in the Fall 2019 Term, you have until January 31st, 2020 to Opt-Out of or enroll family into the CUPE 3906 Dental Plan.

For more information about opting out of the dental plan, or enrolling in the family dental plan, please see this letter, which is available at our website:

https://cupe3906.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/501/2020/01/U1-Dental-Letter-Winter-2020.pdf

For general information about the dental plan, please visit https://cupe3906.org/tas-unit-1/dental-plan/

Questions about the dental plan may be forwarded to administrator@cupe3906.org or mecampbell@cupe3906.org.

SESSIONAL FACULTY AND HOURLY RATED SESSIONAL MUSIC FACULTY: Important Deadlines for WINTER 2020 Dental Plan Change of Coverage Period (Opt-Outs and Family Enrollments)

This message may apply to you if you i) hold a contract to work as a CUPE 3906 Unit 2 Member in the Winter 2020 academic term and ii) did not hold a contract to work as a CUPE 3906 Member in the Fall 2019 academic term.
If you are working as a CUPE 3906 Unit 2 Member in the Winter 2020 term and did not work as a CUPE 3906 member in the Fall 2019 Term, you have until January 31st, 2020 to Opt-Out of the CUPE dental plan or enroll family into the CUPE 3906 Dental Plan.
For more information about opting out of the dental plan or enrolling in family dental coverage, please see this letter, which is available at our website: https://cupe3906.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/501/2020/01/U2-Dental-Letter-2020-winter.pdf
For more general information about our dental plan, please visit https://cupe3906.org/sessionals-unit-2/unit-2-dental-coverage/
Questions about the dental plan may be forwarded to administrator@cupe3906.org or mecampbell@cupe3906.org.

 

Key Deposits no longer permitted

Brad WalchukUncategorized

In our recent round of Collective Bargaining, we secured coverage for both Units 1 and 3 under the Key Control Policy for employment-related keys. This means that YOU CANNOT BE CHARGED A DEPOSIT for a key needed for your employment. If this happens, please let us know. We’re also in the process of getting people back deposits that they’ve already paid.

Under the policy, a lost key is $13

 

Unit 3 Ratification Information

Brad WalchukUncategorized

Your bargaining team recently came to a Tentative Agreement with McMaster for the Unit 3 Collective Agreement, which governs your rights and benefits as Members of CUPE Local 3906.
That said, we will be holding a Special General Membership Meeting (SGMM) for you to learn about and vote on the Tentative Agreement next Monday, December 16th, in BSB 104 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. There we will be electing up to four scrutineers (to be paid $100 each) to help supervise the vote count. Voting will begin immediately after the SGMM and continue until 3:30 PM. 
 
We will also be operating a polling station in the lobby of JHE from 9 AM to 5 PM on Tuesday, December 17th. This will be your last chance to vote on the ratification of the Tentative Agreement. 
There will be copies of the Tentative Agreement available for you to review at the polling stations. While these copies will need to stay at the polling stations, you are encouraged to reach out via email or drop by the CUPE Office (KTH B111) if you have any questions.
For those of you who may be wondering why the Tentative Agreement isn’t posted online: Until the agreement is ratified or rejected by the membership, it is your tentative agreement to consider. Posting the agreement online would open the agreement up to the general public and the media. While we recognize that our members would often prefer to view these things online, protecting the confidentiality and integrity of your tentative agreement needs to be our priority.  This is a customary practice in collective bargaining. We do apologize for the inconvenience this causes. 

Upcoming Events + Other Announcements for Our Members

Brad WalchukUncategorized

Submit your benefits claims by Tuesday, Dec. 17th in order to beat the new year rush!
  • Forms can be dropped off at the CUPE office (KTH B111). Outside of regular business hours, please use the dropbox beside the office door.
  • The Benefits Committee will be meeting to discuss outstanding claims and PDF applications on Wednesday, Dec. 18th, at 1:00 PM in the CUPE office. All 3906 Members are welcome to attend!

Bargaining News

Unit 3 SGMM + Ratification Vote Kick-Off: We will be holding a Special General Membership Meeting (SGMM) for Unit 3 Members (Postdoctoral Fellows) to learn about and vote on the Tentative Agreement reached by their bargaining team and the University.
  • WHEN: Monday, Dec. 16th, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM | WHERE: BSB 104
  • Voting to continue in BSB until 3:30 PM and resume in the JHE lobby Dec. 17th, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. 
  • Remember to bring photo ID!
From the Unit 1 Bargaining Team: By now most of you will know that Unit 1 (TAs and RAs in-lieu) ratified their new Collective Agreement with McMaster University on November 27th. Thanks to the incredible support of our Members and community allies, we successfully fought off all concessions and made a number of significant gains. Those hoping to learn more about the new Collective Agreement prior to its final ratification by McMaster’s Board of Governors on December 12th are encouraged to come by the CUPE office or reach out via email. Again, we are so grateful for the solidarity. Thank you all!

Now Available through the Indigenous Solidarity Working Group: Community Impact Grants!

The Indigenous Solidarity Working Group invites self-identified Indigenous persons to apply for the Community Impact Grant. The Community Impact Grant is intended to support self-identified Indigenous persons at McMaster in the work they do with Indigenous community, including – but not limited to –  the planning and implementation of community-based programming, land-based learning opportunities, and capacity building. Grants of up to $500 are available to CUPE 3906 Members and non-Members alike. Those who wish to apply should request an application form by emailing iswg@cupe3906.org. While there is no deadline, the grants will be distributed to qualified applicants on the basis of first come, first served. The ISWG will be meeting to discuss the first round of applications in mid-January.

Holiday Office Closure: Dec. 18th – Jan. 6th

The CUPE office will be closed for the winter break from December 18th to January 6th. We thank our staff for all of their hard work over a very busy few months – particularly with two Units in bargaining – and hope they get some well-deserved rest!

Unit 2 Professional Development Fund- Due Weds, Dec 4

Brad WalchukUncategorized

Just a quick reminder that applications to the Unit 2 Professional Development Fund are due in the CUPE Office (KTH B111) by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4th. Information about the fund, eligibility, inclusions/exclusions, and a link to the application can be found here: https://cupe3906.org/sessionals-unit-2/professional-development-fund-unit-2/
In the next week, we’ll be sending out our usual end-of-the-term e-mail about post-contract work and EI applications.

Unit 3 (Postdocs) reaches tentative collective agreement with McMaster

Brad WalchukUncategorized

We are pleased to announce that your Unit 3 (Postdoctoral Fellows) Bargaining Team has reached a Tentative Agreement with McMaster University for the Unit 3 Collective Agreement, the contract that governs your rights as CUPE 3906 Unit 3 members at McMaster.

Details of the Tentative Agreement will be presented to Unit 3 members at an upcoming Special General Membership Meeting (date, time, and location to be announced).

In the meantime, details of the Tentative Agreement will remain confidential out of courtesy to members and to the Employer.

Thank you for your support and interest in this process.  We will provide more details about the ratification process as soon as possible.

In solidarity,

Nathan Todd
President, CUPE 3906

CUPE 3906 Statement on Northern Syria

Brad WalchukUncategorized

CUPE 3906 condemns invasion of northern Syria by the government of Turkey. Turkish armed forces have been bombarding Kurdish regions in northern Syria since October 9th, causing many civilian casualties and displacements. These actions are illegal and risk developing into genocidal tactics, and as such cannot be ignored or treated frivolously by the international labour community. A full version of CUPE 3906’s Statement on Northern Syria can be found here.