Committees
Committee, caucus and working group activity is not only very important to our local’s success, but also a great opportunity for any member to get involved, learn, and meet other active union members. The people in the committees help enforce and implement the gains we have made in collective bargaining. Most committees are responsible for tasks such as overseeing the disbursement of various funds or analyzing workplace policies or practices. See below for a detailed list of all of our many committees. Any member in good standing is eligible to run for any of these committees. No experience is required for committee positions and training will be provided.
Elections are usually held in April, but if positions become vacant at other times, then calls go out via the web and 3903news and members are nominated. In either time, if a position is not contested then members are appointed by acclamation. If it is then each candidate will have the opportunity to make a brief statement of their interest. If you cannot make the meeting when this would happen, send a written statement of your interest to cupe3903chair@members.cupe.ca by the end of the day prior to the GMM. Statements from those unable to attend the meeting will be read aloud for contested positions.
Committee members’ work is recognized not only with fame, but also fortune (check below to see what kind of honorarium comes with each committee).
Accessibility Committee
The accessibility committee was organized in the Spring of 2005 to improve the union's work around accessibility issues on campus and to ensure that union spaces and meetings are accessible. Four members are elected for a one year term. Honorarium: $250 per year
Advisory Committee on Race/Ethnic Relations, Discrimination and/or Harassment
The mandate of this joint CUPE 3903/York committee is to discuss and investigate systemic and/or individual discrimination, interference, restriction, harassment or coercion exercised or practised with respect to any union member in her employment relationship, by reason of race, colour, nationality, ancestry, place of origin, or native language. The Committee works closely with the Anti-Racist Working Group and may also make recommendations to the Labour/Management Committee. The Committee is elected for a one-year term and consists of at least two CUPE 3903 representatives from any unit, one of which will be the joint Chair. Honorarium: Each representative receives an honorarium of $250 per year
All-University Pension Committee
The All Unions Pension Committee is an advisory body that formulates policy around pension issues. The CUPE 3903 representative is elected for a one-year term. Honorarium: $250 per year
Archive Committee
The Archive Committee keeps the 3903 Archives, which are necessary for the preservation of institutional memory. Two curators are responsible for creating and subsequently maintaining an archival fonds for the local; encouraging members to look for and donate their sources to the 3903 collection; transmitting sources to the 3903 collection; organising at least one annual event on any given 3903/archive-related topic; acquainting themselves with the collection’s index and inform ing members and non-members on the available documents and their degree of accessibility; officiating as go-betweens for members wishing to talk to an archivist; and issuing calls for testimonies. The CUPE 3903 Archive Curators are elected for a one-year term. Honorarium: $750 per position.
Bursaries Committee
Two members from the union meet four times per year with representatives of the employer and graduate studies in order to evaluate applications and oversee disbursements for four different need-based bursaries: GA Bursary Fund, Master's Bursary Fund, Ph.D. Completion Fund, Graduate Student Bursary. Committee representatives are not eligible for the bursaries. Honorarium: $400.
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee is responsible for coordinating CUPE 3903 communications, and in particular is responsible for preparing and mailing newsletters regularly, and maintaining and updating the CUPE 3903 web site. The Communications Committee and the Distribution Committee meet together at least once per month. Honorarium: The newsletter coordinator and web coordinator each $500 per year.
Distribution Committee
This committee consists of 6 members and is responsible for distributing the monthly newsletter and the monthly newsletters to departmental mailboxes and members' homes at a $50 per diem, with the normal workload being 1 day per month. The committee meets with the Communications Committee at least once per month. Members are elected for a one-year term.
Employment Equity Committee
Having access to census material and money to solicit an Employment Equity survey, the committee's mandate includes setting goals and timetables for the elimination of discriminatory practices and systemic barriers to equal opportunity. Issues to be addressed include recruitment of employees, selection procedures, job postings, employer training, salaries and benefits and working conditions. The committee will consist of three union representatives, one of which will be the Joint Chair. Preference will be given to members from each of the designated groups. Honorarium: Each representative receives an honorarium of $250 per year
Election Committee
The role of the Chief Electoral Officers is to organize the elections as per the bylaws. Most of the work is around the annual election that occurs between late January and early March, but they are also responsible for any by-elections that may be held during the year. The work includes accepting the nominations, arranging for members to scrutineer, arranging and setting up tabling for voting, and alongside the executive, communicating the details of the elections to the membership. While there is usually very little work, members interested in this position should expect to commit a significant chunk of time in late February and in early March. Current members of the executive are ineligible for these positions. Additionally, election officers may not run for executive positions in the election for which they serve. Honorarium: $750 per year per position.
Extended Health Benefits Committee
The primary responsibility of members on this committee will be to regularly review applications submitted to the health plan. While one half of the plan will directly reimburse people based on submitted receipts, the second half of the plan will function similarly to the Ways and Means committee, assessing individual cases on a care and needs basis. The committee will regularly convene to review these latter claims, making the difficult decisions as to how to distribute our significantly limited funds. Time commitment will vary from week to week based on the number of claims received. Committee members should be relatively available throughout the year. There are three positions on this committee. Honorarium: $1500
External Committee
This recently created committee will help facilitate our local's involvement with the wider labour movement and our members' participation in union conferences. Right now, the Committee consists of the VPs on the 3903 Executive Committee and the CUPE 3903 representatives at the Toronto District Council and the Toronto York Council. Members who attend conferences and conventions on behalf of the local are encourage to meet with the committee beforehand. Honorarium: no additional honorarium
First Nations Solidarity Working Group
The First Nations Solidarity Working Group was created in March 2007 and supports landrights struggles in First Nation communities in our region. The FNSWG is active primarily in supporting the struggle at Six Nations and in working closely with the Haudenesaunee Men’s Fire at Six Nations. Honorarium: TBA
CUPE Toronto District Council
The CUPE Toronto District Council is comprised of all affiliated CUPE locals in Toronto. It meets once per month. CUPE 3903 is entitled to seven delegates who serve a one-year term. Honorarium: $250.
Grievance Committee
Working with the Grievance Officer, staff and a Chief Steward, the committee members attend key grievance and arbitration sessions, play a communicative role of informing members of their rights to grieve specific contract violations, bring grievances and inquiries of stewards and members to the committee, and work with stewards, the Grievance Officer and staff to politicize the grievance process, including reporting on the status of grievances to the Stewards Council and GMM. The committee normally meets once per month, sends a rep to the GMM and Steward's Council and attends important hearings. Honorarium: $750 per year. 2 general members are elected for a one year term from any Unit.
Health and Safety Committee
The Health and Safety Committee has six representatives. They act as advocates for members on all health and safety matters, investigate accidents and work stoppages involving our members, inspect the entire workplace annually, meet with management every two months to discuss all of the above, and make sure everything is followed up. Honorarium: there is no direct honorarium, although the employer sets aside money annually to pay committee members an hourly wage for work done, paid at the marker/grader rate.
International Graduate Students’ Committee (IGSC)
The IGSC advocates for international graduate student members of CUPE 3903. The IGSC normally has 2 elected members (although it had 4 elected members in 2001-2002), who coordinate the affairs of the IGSC. The IGSC has an annual budget of $5000. Committee members are elected for a one-year term. Honorarium: The two elected members each receive an honorarium of $250 per year.
Labour-Management Committee
The Labour Management Committee consists of one representative from each Unit. This committee meets with management about once a month and is charged with facilitating the implementation and interpretation of the Collective Agreements. Honorarium: $750 per position per year.
Postings Officer
Reviews all job postings for conformity with the Collective Agreements (e.g., qualifications required and preferred by the employer, description of duties, pay rate). Where postings do not conform with the Collective Agreements, the Postings Officer discusses them with the Employer’s postings officer to attempt to remedy the situation. Honorarium: $2,500 per year
Professional Development Fund Committee
This Committee has three elected representatives: the PDF Coordinator, and two PDF Representatives. The PDF Coordinator administers the PDF Fund throughout the contract year in accordance with established guidelines, and is the primary contact person for members. One of the Coordinator’s tasks is to chair four meetings (September, January, March, and June). The purpose of each meeting is to adjudicate the distribution of PDF funds, the Teaching Development Fund, and the Tuition Costs Fund. The meetings are attended also by the PDF/TDF Committee (which includes the CUPE 3903 PDF representative), the Centre for the Support of Teaching, and a YUFA member. The PDF Coordinator is also responsible for the actual disbursement of funds and for the general upkeep of the PDF account. The PDF Coordinator is also a member of the CST Executive Board, and is CUPE 3903's primary and ongoing connection to the CST.
Honorarium: (for the PDF Coordinator) $1,500, paid in three equal instalments during the year.
Honorarium: (for the PDF Representative): $200, paid out as $50 per meeting.
ELECTED IN SEPTEMBER.
Research Costs Fund Committee
The Research Costs Fund Committee consists of two representatives. This committee is coordinated through FGS and meets twice a year for about 4 hours each time. Before each meeting the members read the applications (about 3 hours) and decide how to break down awards for the fund. This committee adjudicates the Research Costs Fund – open to all full-time graduate students who have been or are currently members of Unit 1. Honorarium: Each elected representative receives an honorarium of $250 per year
Research Grants Fund and Travel Costs Fund
The Research Grants Fund and Travel Costs Fund Committee consists of two members. This committee, working with YUFA, decides on allocation of the major and minor research grants, and on travel grants. There are 3 or 4 meetings per year. Most of the time requirement is in preparation for the meetings, since the files can be quite lengthy. Members of the committee are ineligible to apply for funds. The representative is elected for a one-year term. Honorarium: $500 per position per year.
Research Leave Adjudicating Committee
The Research Leave Adjudicating Committee reviews the Research Leave applications of Unit 2 members in the Affirmative Action (“Conversion”) Pool and awards as many Research Leaves (“Sabbaticals”) as are guaranteed through the Collective Agreement. The committee consists of a non-voting CUPE 3903 participant/observer from Unit 2 in addition to three full-time faculty members (including a designate of the Associate VP Research) and a supporting Committee secretary. The representative is elected for a one-year term. Honorarium: $250 per year
Teaching Development Fund Committee
The Teaching Development Fund Committee meets as necessary to review application files and make selections for the Major and Minor Teaching Grants yearly competition. The committee is comprised of two elected members of CUPE Unit 2, one full-time faculty member, and a representative of the Centre for the Support of Teaching. Honorarium: $250 per position.
Toronto and York Region Labour Council
The Labour Council is comprised of all affiliated locals across the labour movement in the Toronto and York region. It meets once per month. CUPE 3903 is entitled to sixteen delegates elected for a one-year term. Honorarium: $250.
Trans Fund Committee
This committee, which consists of 3 members from any unit, will over see the $15,000 Trans Fund on an annual basis. Committee members will generally be elected at the Committees GMM in April. In addition to administering the fund, committee members will be responsible for outreach, education, networking, and political organizing. The representatives are elected for a one-year term. Honorarium: $1000 per position.
Union Trustees' Committee
One trustee is elected each year, and sits for a three-year term (in other words, the committee has a total of three members). The trustees review and audit the union’s accounts to ensure compliance with all legal requirements and to ensure transparent and legitimate usage of all union funds. The audit is carried out at the end of the fiscal year, and most meetings are held in February and March. Honorarium: $1000 per year.
Ways and Means Fund
This committee meets as often as is required to assess applications to the Ways and means Fund and to disburse funds. Three members are elected for a one-year term at the September General Membership Meeting. Honorarium: Each elected representative receives an honorarium of $1000 per year.
York Pension Fund Board of Trustees Representative
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the York Pension Fund is a board that reports to the Board of Governors but which has some union representation. The representative to this Board serves as a fiduciary for a three-year term. Honorarium: $250 per year