The WMG has been aggressively reviewing workload assignments and resolving inconsistencies and inequitable SWFs. We have made many recommendations and have negotiated letters of understanding to address particular workload article 11 issues.
We are currently working on the Co-ordinators’ role and compensation. We are working on an agreement to take into consideration such items as number of courses, number of students, number of part time faculty, and number of full time faculty etc, to list a few. This will take some time to complete.
The Union side is also engaged in an issue around volunteerism. All work must be recorded on the SWF to accurately reflect and record the work we really do. We believe that faculty are being volun-told and that there is an unspoken pressure to participate. We went on strike to have our work recorded on a Standard Workload Form.
Two standing items on the agenda for future resolutions are Hybrid development and delivery, as well as on-line courses.
We have made some progress with eliminating the word Lead from the SWF and having recorded in more detail the Academic Leadership Activity involved. This is to ensure that co-ordinator duties are not being downloaded onto faculty, yet faculty are getting the recognition they deserve.
The group have successfully negotiated three letters of understanding that clarify articles in the collective agreement.
The first letter is around Article 11.01 E4 dealing with class size audits and overtime calculations.
The second letter deals with Probationary Teachers in overtime and being assigned co-ordinator duties.
The third letter is around overtime and lieu time for Counsellors and Librarians.
We are working on an agreement dealing with late SWFs, inaccurate SWFs and late timetables.
We constantly argue for probationary rights, their workload and expectations, and we are trying to get more time on the SWF for the amount if work is required in the mandatory New Professor Education Program.
We have informed management that averaging of prep with evaluation factors is not allowed in the collective agreement and undermines the SWF, and management has agreed to inform their Deans.
A large part of our work is around Partial Load and Sessionals, in particular the abuse of article 2.03 A B C.
Your WMG:
Ben Kelly, co-chair
Nicole Zwiers
Dave Smith
Peter Hupka