The following open letter has been drafted by rank-and-file members of CUPE 3903 in response to York University’s ill-prepared return-to-campus plan in fall 2021. This letter is a set of demands that York must provide the necessary accommodations for all faculty and staff who want to work remotely, as well as provide fail-safe working conditions for those who opt to teach on campus. Given the highly contagious delta variant and inadequate protection at York, our working conditions must be taken seriously by the current York administration, whose overriding interest so far has been their “bottom line.” The extreme allure of funding by attaining the largest possible student enrollment, including that of foreign students, whose ultra-high fees now make up 40% of all tuition fees at Canadian universities, has overtaken all reason. New research on COVID-19 infections is now increasingly being linked to the long-term effects on the brain. York administrators need to start thinking seriously and stop playing with our lives.

To add your name to this growing list of York faculty and staff, please fill out this form.

Our union’s executive supports Covid-19 vaccine requirements for in-person/on campus activities at York at present as the most effective way of keeping our union’s members and the wider York community who are required to be on campus as safe as possible amidst the ongoing pandemic. Our support for this requirement relies on the appropriate health and human rights exemptions being in place for those who are unable to be vaccinated. We have made it clear to York that our support for a Covid-19 vaccine requirement does not mean that we support loss of work, disciplinary action or termination of employment for members who have not been vaccinated, and that these members should be given alternative options for fulfilling their employment contracts regardless of their reasons for not being vaccinated. We will vigorously defend the labour rights of any member facing any of these actions, regardless of vaccination status.

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Did you know members of CUPE 3903 are entitled to workplace accommodations for illness, disability, family status, and other Ontario Human Rights Code grounds? The process can seem onerous, but we are here to help!

Due to high demand, CUPE 3903 is holding a third workplace accommodations information session on September 15th at 11am. Whether you are planning to request an accommodation or you’re considering your options, this session is for you to learn more about what is available to you.

In this information session, we will discuss:

• The workplace accommodations process
• Documentation requirements for accommodation requests
• Work from home accommodations due to the pandemic
• Leaves of absence you may be entitled to
• How your union can support you in the process
• Any other questions you might have!

You must register to attend this information session: register here. You will be sent a Zoom link to access the information session closer to the date of the event.

As part of your registration, please indicate any access needs you may have. Please note that captioning and ASL will be provided on request. For ASL and captioning, please contact our Equity Officer (cupe3903equity@gmail.com) with your request by September 1st, 2021.

The same info session will also be offered on September 7th at 3pm.

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is the only absolute monarchy in Africa. King Mswati III, who has ruled since 1986, controls all arms of the state: the executive, legislature, and judiciary. Recently, a peaceful protest movement has erupted in the country, calling for enhanced democracy, including the ability to form political parties, the ability to elect a Prime Minister rather than having one appointed by the King, and an end to police brutality. The movement also has economic and social demands, calling for jobs, infrastructure, and better access to health care and education.

But Mswati III is responding to this movement with extreme repression and state violence. An estimated 78 protesters have been killed, with 200 severe injuries and over 700 arrests. In addition, two pro-democracy Members of Parliament have been arrested, while another is now living in political exile. The two arrested MPs are being tried by a judge who is a member of the royal family.

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Join CUPE 3903 executive, staff and Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) members for an info session on your right to safe work. Each session will start with a presentation of your rights in the workplace, how to exercise them, and the role of the JHSC in workplace safety. It will be followed by a Q&A with the presenters.

Agenda:

• Role of the JHSC
• JHSC powers
• Process for reporting to the JHSC
• How refusing unsafe work functions
• Your rights and responsibilities with work refusals
• Q&A

Please register in advance for a session of your choosing:

Thursday 26 August, 2-3.30pm

Friday 17 September, 1-2.30pm

Email any questions or requests related to these sessions to Chris Little, VP Unit 1, cupe3903vpu1@gmail.com

The following executive committee positions are currently vacant and need to be filled:
i) Chief Steward Unit 3
ii) Vice President Unit 3

Due to resignations and vacancies, the above positions are being reopened for nominations. The nomination period for these positions are open as of August 19. At that time, members interested in nominating themselves will fill out a nomination form. If needed, the nomination period will be followed by a two week campaign period and a five day election (via Simply Voting).

Timeline:
Nomination period (2 weeks) – August 19 – September 1
Campaign period (2 weeks) – September 2 – September 15
Voting (5 days): September 16 – September 20

We are hosting a General Membership Meeting via Zoom on August 31st at 11:00am to 2:00pm! All members are encouraged to attend.

Please register in advance for this meeting here.

In order to register, you will need to provide your employee number, which will be kept confidential. Your employee number is on your monthly pay stub. If you don’t know your employee number, please click here for instructions.

Keep reading for the tentative agenda, accessibility information and more.

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We currently have four vacancies in our delegation to the Joint Health and Safety Committee. We are looking to fill these vacancies urgently as we move towards the start of the new term, ideally with members who expect to be on campus during the fall term or who are at least willing to attend campus to carry out health and safety inspections. Glendon campus is currently unrepresented on the JHSC, so we are also keen to have a representative who works there on the committee.

To nominate yourself for one of these positions, email Chris Little, Vice-President Unit 1, cupe3903vpu1@gmail.com

Nominations will close at 5pm on Sunday 29 August. If there are more nominations than vacancies, the positions will be voted on at the General Membership Meeting on 31 August.

Members of the JHSC are paid by the employer for work done at the hourly marker/grader rate.

Nominations are open for Units 1, 2 and 3 Labour Management Committee representatives. There are three vacancies, one for each unit. Those interested should email Chris Little, Vice-President Unit 1, cupe3903vpu1@gmail.com.

This committee meets with management about once a month and is charged with facilitating the implementation and interpretation of the Collective Agreements

Nominations will close at 5pm on Sunday 29 August. If there is more than one nomination for any unit’s position, the candidates will be put to a unit-specific vote at the General Membership Meeting at 11am on Tuesday 31 August.

Note: the term of new Labour Management Committee representatives will run until 31st March 2022. Due to the Labour Management Committee not sitting during bargaining, the positions were not filled at the end of the prior committee’s term on 31st March 2021. The honorarium of $750 will be pro-rated accordingly.

**Please note the new date for the second session.

Did you know members of CUPE 3903 are entitled to workplace accommodations for illness, disability, family status, and other Ontario Human Rights Code grounds? The process can seem onerous, but we are here to help!

CUPE 3903 is holding workplace accommodations information sessions on August 11th at 12pm and September 7th at 3pm. Whether you are planning to request an accommodation or you’re considering your options, this session is for you to learn more about what is available to you.

In these information sessions, we will discuss:

• The workplace accommodations process
• Documentation requirements for accommodation requests
• Work from home accommodations due to the pandemic
• Leaves of absence you may be entitled to
• How your union can support you in the process
• Any other questions you might have!

You must register to attend these information sessions: August 11th or September 7th.

As part of your registration, please indicate any access needs you may have.

Please note that captioning and ASL will be provided on request. For ASL and captioning, please contact our Equity Officer (cupe3903equity@gmail.com) with your request by the following dates:

• August 11th info session: ASL/Captioning deadline August 5th, 2021
• September 7th info session: ASL/Captioning deadline August 30th, 2021