Equity

What is equity hiring?
What does intersectionality mean?
Is equity working at York?
What does CUPE 3903 suggest we do about it?
What about seniority?
What’s the basis for the percentages in the equity proposals?

 

What is equity hiring?

Equity hiring is premised on the idea that York faculty should reflect the diverse population of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Compared to GTA data however, certain groups are under-represented at York University and that under-representation indicates that there is systemic discrimination in how hiring is done. The equity seeking groups recognized in the CUPE 3903 Collective Agreements (CA) are Indigenous people, racialized people (officially called “visible minorities” in legal jargon), people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, and women. Equity hiring as a practice comes out of an understanding that racism, ableism, and other forms of discrimination are systems of oppression that need systemic responses, and not the result of a few bad actors. Equity hiring therefore requires the establishment of concrete policies and procedures that intend to address systemic problems.

What does intersectionality mean?

Intersectionality is a way of acknowledging that there are multiple interlocking systems of power and oppression. Most people are not just in one equity-seeking group, but in many. This means that an institution like a university has to figure out a more nuanced approach to equity. One common problem is that ‘equity’ has sometimes worked by lumping all women into a single category, as if we’re all the same. This is a common misunderstanding because it assumes that all misogyny experienced by women is equal in degree, equivalent to another’s and undifferentiated. Equity without an intersectional approach disregards that some women have more power and privilege in society over other women, depending on their race, class, gender positions, and their sexual identification. This power and privilege correspond to their greater or lesser power in institutions, such as a university, depending on whether or not they’re white or racialized, straight or queer, able-bodied or disabled, cis or trans, and so on.

Is equity working at York?

Look around your department. If you are a student, look at your teachers. Who do you see? Who don’t you see? Under-representation is more than anecdotal: the data the union receives from the Employment Equity Self-ID surveys shows us that Indigenous people, racialized people, and persons with disabilities are under-represented as contract faculty. York has made some sweet-sounding promises about addressing the under-representation of Black faculty members within YUFA, but doesn’t have any concrete plans to make equity hiring a reality for contract faculty. Since more than half the teaching at York is done by members of CUPE 3903, the university cannot truly say they are committed to equity hiring at York while simultaneously denying this opportunity to bargain concrete equity proposals.

What does CUPE 3903 suggest we do about it?

Through bargaining surveys and membership discussions, the CUPE 3903 bargaining team has put forward a number of concrete proposals to address equity:

1. Equity targets for Unit 2 appointments
Our current proposals suggest that 65% of all appointments should go to members of one or more of the Employment Equity groups, and 50% of those (or 32.5%) should go to BIPOC candidates, so that contract faculty at York would better represent the wider York community.

2. Lowering the eligibility to the Continuing Sessional Standing Program (CSSP) for equity-seeking groups
The CSSP is a job stabilization program for mid-seniority members of Unit 2. This means that, in order to be eligible for the program, one must work at a certain intensity. However, we know that for members who face systemic barriers to employment, a recurring problem is that they struggle to get the consistent work that would allow them to join the pool. Lowering the intensity requirements for members in one or more of the five equity-seeking groups will allow more members to access the relative stability of the CSSP.

3. Equity targets for conversions
Conversions offer a set number of positions for CUPE 3903 Unit 2 members to move into tenure-track positions in YUFA. The current proposal suggests that 65% of all conversions should be from one or more of the equity-seeking groups, while 50% of those (or 32.5%) should be from BIPOC faculty.

4. Equity targets for Unit 1 tickets (course directorships held by full-time PhD students)
There are a limited number of course directorships available to members of Unit 1 (often called “tickets”). These are often offered informally, which means that equity is not always taken into account. The current proposal suggests that a minimum of 50% of tickets should be offered to members of equity-seeking groups, with particular attention to intersectionality.

5. An intersectionality clause
While different parts of our contracts have different ways of addressing equity, we are also proposing an introductory clause on intersectionality. As described above, intersectionality isn’t just about equitable representation, it’s also about acknowledging and addressing the ways that different power structures (like white supremacy) are embedded in institutional policy and culture. Having an intersectionality clause affirms a deep commitment to equity.

6. Collection of equity data
We want access to equity data that is disaggregated. This means that the Employer would release to the Union detailed, anonymized data from the voluntary self-ID surveys you fill out when you apply for jobs. This would give us a better picture of who is getting hired and who isn’t, so that we know whether we are meeting equity targets or not.

 

What about seniority?

Seniority is, and will always remain, the most powerful tool in any union’s toolbox. Equity and seniority are not opposing forces. We are committed to the idea that everyone deserves to benefit from the protection offered by seniority, which means equitable access to that protection. In order to turn this commitment into a reality, we need to take concrete steps to make seniority available to all, including and especially those who experience discrimination and marginalization.

What’s the basis for the percentages in the equity proposals?

At first glances, these percentages might seem high, but it is important to remember that Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world. We’ve based our percentages partially on data from Statistics Canada which states that approximately 52% of residents identify as a visible minority. In addition, there are four other equity seeking groups who are either part of this 52%, or who make up part of the other 48%–Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, and women. Once we think of hiring through this intersectional lens, then percentages ranging from 50 to 65% make a lot more sense. We want our union to reflect not only the diversity of our student body, but also that of our city.