The Women’s AND the Equity Committee will be meeting on February 26th 2020 @ 11:00AM in the CUPE 3906 office located in KTH B111.
Indigenous Solidarity Working Group Community Grants
Are you an Indigenous organizer working to develop programming, workshop(s), or event(s) with community? The Indigenous Solidarity Working Group is offering grants of $500 in an effort to support Indigenous students and community members in grassroots organizing. Please see attached for the application form due next Friday February 14, 2020 at 12:00am (midnight).
Indigenous students and community members connected with McMaster University are encouraged to attend our second official meeting of the term, next Friday February 14th, 12:00pm – 2:00pm in the CUPE office, KTH B111. The ISWG will be hosting a community review of any applications received by the deadline. Come out and learn more about the community work being done by Indigenous folks at McMaster University, and how you can support certain initiatives!
Please see attached poster and application form for further details. All related inquiries can be sent to Sonia, Chair of the ISWG, at iswg@cupe3906.org.
International Student Night and Cricket Club Launch
When and Where? Friday, February 7th, 5:30 PM in ABB 273
What? Our International Officer, Avijit Mallick, has been hard at work planning the launch of CUPE 3906’s first-ever Cricket Club! This will occur at our next International Student Night on Friday, February 7th, starting at 5:30 PM in ABB 273.
If you are an international Member of CUPE 3906 (as a TA or RA in-lieu, sessional faculty, or postdoctoral fellow), we would strongly encourage you to attend. Even if you have no interest in cricket, there will be plenty of free food to eat and socializing to do. It’s also a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have on matters such as your dental coverage and the $200 UHIP rebate. All related inquiries can be sent to Avijit at international@cupe3906.org.
Unit 2 Dental Opt Out- Extended until Feb 3rd at 4 p.m.
Good news! For those of you who were unable to meet the original deadline to opt out of our dental plan OR to opt in to our family dental plan (Friday, January 31st), we are happy to announce that it’s been extended to 4:00 PM TOMORROW (Monday, February 3rd).
Please note that this option applies only to those of you who are newly hired this term (i.e. you had not previously taught in the 2019/2020 academic year).
Those wishing to opt out MUST include proof of alternate coverage along with a signed copy of our opt-out form. Hard copies of said form and of the family enrolment form are available on the wall to the right of the Union office (KTH B111). There is also a mailbox to the left of our door for any submissions made outside of office hours.
More information on U2 dental coverage, opt-outs, and family enrolments can be found here.
All related inquiries should be sent to our Administrative Coordinator at administrator@cupe3906.org.
In solidarity,
The CUPE 3906 Executive Committee
REMINDER: Units 1 & 2 Dental Opt-Outs Due Friday, January 31st
If you’re a newly hired TA or Sessional (i.e. one who has not yet taught in the 2019/20 academic year), the deadline to opt out of our dental plan is Friday, January 31st. Also note that your signed copy of the opt-out form MUST be submitted with proof of alternate coverage . Our office is located in KTH B111, with a mailbox directly beside the main door for submissions made outside of regular working hours.
More information on U1 and U2 dental coverage and opt-outs can be found here.
General Membership Meeting- Jan 29th at noon
The date of our next General Membership Meeting is:
Wednesday, January 29th
MDCL 3020
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Sign-ins start @ 11:45 AM
Sign-ins will begin at 11:45 AM and the meeting will begin at 12:00 PM sharp.
Some key agenda items:
Bylaws Committee elections (2 vacancies)
Election for the position of Undergraduate Officer
Appointing member delegates to attend the Canadian Labour Congress
Appointing member delegates to attend the OUWCC Conference
+ more to come
As usual, lunch will be provided (including vegan and gluten-free options). Childcare reimbursements are also available to those who attend.
Women’s Committee and Equity Committee (Joint Meeting)- Jan 30 at 1:30
The Women’s AND the Equity Committee will be meeting on January 30th 2020 @1:30pm in the CUPE 3906 office located in KTH B111. Please see the EQUITY & WOMEN’S COMMITTEE poster for more information!
Hope to see you all there!
Hours Tracker Website- Stopwatch Feature
Did You Know? Our hours tracker website has a stop-start function to track your work by the second. Click the play/stop icon in the top right after logging in: https://time.ouwcc.org/en/login
Pay Increase for Postdoctoral Fellows
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
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!