CUPE Unit 2 Dental Update

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

We’re sending another quick heads up about the new Unit 2 Dental Plan, which recently went into effect for the first time ever this Fall. If you had not opted out of the plan, you would have noticed a $170 dental premium payment on your October 26th pay stub. This is a one-time deduction, which covers the period from Sept 1, 2018 to Aug 31, 2019. The dental plan provides $1000 of coverage per calendar year, meaning $1000 for the remainder of 2018, before re-setting to provide $1000 for 2019.
We had sent out numerous e-mails throughout September, so hopefully this is not the first that you are hearing from us on the dental plan.
Full details of the plan can be found here: https://cupe3906.org/sessionals-unit-2/unit-2-dental-coverage/
The dental plan is something that sessionals have long identified as a key priority in bargaining. A limited dental fund was secured in 2013, and the comprehensive plan described above was won in 2017 and rolled out for the start of the 2018-19 academic year. It is the first true benefits plan that sessional have secured through bargaining.
For those of you who have taught here previously, you may also have noticed a wage increase of 3% that came into effect as of September 1, 2017. Courses for 3.0 units are now paid a minimum base-rate of $7,407. Effective September 1, 2019, a further 2% increase will come into effective, bringing the base-rate for 3.0 units to $7,555.

General Membership Meeting- October 31st

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

We want to remind you about our upcoming General Membership Meeting, to be held on Wednesday, October 31st at 12:30 in MUSC 311/13.
At this meeting, we’ll be electing 6 members (plus 1 alternate) to our Unit 1 Bargaining Team to represent TAs and RAs in lieu in our upcoming contract negotiations with the Employer. These positions come with a monthly honorarium and provide an important opportunity to ensure that diverse voices are represented in the bargaining process.
We’ll also be electing an Undergraduate Officer to our executive committee, a 2-year trustee to participate in our annual audit, 2 members to the grievance committee, 4 members to the by-laws committee, and 3 delegates to attend the CUPE National Sectors conference in Ottawa.
As always, we’ll have free pizza and can reimburse child care costs if those are required to facilitate your attendance at the meeting.

Ontario Health Coalition Rally- Oct 23

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

There’s an upcoming rally at Queen’s Park (Tuesday, Oct 23rd at noon) held by Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (a CUPE affiliate) and the Ontario Health Coalition in support of strong, accessible, public health care in the face of likely funding cuts from the Ford government.

A bus from Niagara will be making a stop in Hamilton picking up at The Centre on Barton in between Carter’s Oshkosh and La Vie En Rose at 1275 Barton St E, Hamilton ON, L8H 2V4 leaving at 10am sharp.

Please contact Brittany (secretary@cupe2977.com) if you would like to be on this bus for what is expected to be a great rally! You can also sign up at the link below: https://cupe.on.ca/event/rebuild-and-improve-public-health-care-rally/?instance_id=995

 

Rebuild and Improve Public Health Care Rally

 

Unit 3 Postdoctoral Fellows meetings

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

We have an upcoming Special General Membership Meeting for our postdoctoral fellows on Wednesday, October 24th at noon. The agenda will feature two important items:

  1. election of Unit 3 Chief Steward (to represent postdocs on our executive committee)
  2. election of Unit 3 bargaining team (up to 3 members)

The meeting will be held in MUSC 203 and will feature lunch and some free swag. We hope you’ll be able to join us and be interested in representing postdocs and building a #BetterMac!

Fall 2018 General Membership Meetings

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

Fall 2018 General Membership Meetings are as follows:

Weds, Oct 31st at 12:30 in MUSC 311/13 (election of Unit 1 Bargaining Team)

Weds, Nov 28th at 12:30 in BSB 108

 

We’ll also be having a Special GMM for Unit 3 members only toward the end of October, with an exact date and time TBA

Fight for 5 Years and Fairness

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

If you were at our amazing social earlier this week (or if you follow us on social media), you would have seen our delicious 5 Years and Fairness cake and the launch of our 5 Years and Fairness bargaining campaign.

As you likely know, both Unit 1 (TAs and RAs in lieu) and Unit 3 (postdocs) are heading into bargaining next spring, and we wanted to kick off our bargaining campaign with a clear message: doctoral students need 5 years of guaranteed funding. Based on information we’ve previously gathered, the average length to complete a doctoral degree at Mac is 5.5 years. The current guarantee provides doctoral students with only 4 years, and quite simply that isn’t sufficient or reflective of how long it takes to complete a degree, as virtually any PhD student can tell you.

As the year goes on, you’ll be hearing much more about this campaign and what else it contains, but the message is simple: doctoral students deserve 5 years of guaranteed funding. It’s only fair!

 

September Fall GMM reminder

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

Our September General Membership Meeting is taking place on Wednesday, September 26th at 12:30 in MUSC 311-13. At this meeting we’ll be electing five new executive members and voting on our 2018-19 operating budget. As always, it features free pizza and we’re happy to reimburse child costs to facilitate your attendance.

 

Dental Plan for Sessionals (Unit 2 members)

Brad Walchuk Uncategorized

Over the past few years, CUPE 3906 has been in the process of negotiating and establishing a premium-based dental plan for our Unit 2 Members.
We are pleased to announce that we are finally launching the dental coverage for our members this fall.
The coverage provides 100% for most standard basic services up to $1,000 per calendar year.  Access to the benefit is subject to current eligibility, which is determined by Unit 2 employment within the current academic year.  The member cost for single dental coverage is $170.00 for the current academic year (i.e., September 1, 2018-August 31, 2019).
Members will be automatically enrolled in single coverage (unless they are otherwise covered by our Unit 1 or Unit 3 plan).  Participation in the plan is mandatory for Unit 2 members, unless members can provide proof of alternate coverage in another dental plan.  Members can elect to enroll in family coverage (which provides up to $2,000 in coverage per family per calendar year subject to the enrollment period (however there is an additional cost to enroll in family coverage).
For more general information about plan, including a link to the coverage booklet, please visit our website: https://cupe3906.org/sessionals-unit-2/unit-2-dental-coverage/
For important information about opting out of the dental plan, or enrolling in our family dental coverage, please see this important letter: https://cupe3906.org/files/2018/09/Dental-Letter-to-Members-U2-Fall-2018.pdf
To obtain a copy of the DENTAL OPT-OUT FORM, please click here: https://cupe3906.org/files/2018/09/CUPE-U2-DENTAL-OPT-OUT-2018-2019-NEW-2.pdf
Please note that we require supporting documentation (i.e., proof of alternate dental coverage with your name on it) to opt-out of the plan.
To obtain a copy of the FAMILY DENTAL ENROLLMENT FORM, please click here: https://cupe3906.org/files/2018/09/2018-Unit-2-Family-Dental-Enrollment-NEW-2-1.pdf
Please note that there are IMPORTANT DEADLINES associated with opting-out of the plan and enrolling into the family dental coverage.  THE DEADLINE for OPT-OUTS and FAMILY ENROLLMENTS is OCTOBER 1st, 2018. 
Questions can be addressed to administrator@cupe3906.org.  Due to the high volume of questions we anticipate, please do read the important letter (see: the second link above) before sending questions.