The York University administration has provided the Ministry of Labour with a list of CUPE 3903 members and their email addresses in order to hold an online vote on the forced ratification. However, there are many problems with this list, including people who are not and have never been members being included.

Of particular importance for members of Unit 1 and Unit 3 is the fact that York has, in the vast majority of cases, provided the Ministry with employee emails. This is not the same @yorku.ca email address that is connected with your student account. These email addresses are automatically generated when members set up their employee accounts to access Moodle or class lists. Even if you have never set up this account, York may have given the Ministry your employee email address.

On Wednesday April 4, York finally released a resource to discover what email address was given to the Ministry of Labour: http://elookup.yorku.ca/.

Here are instructions to access your employee email if you have not set it up:

1. Go to http://hr.info.yorku.ca/
2. Click on “Current Employees”
3. If you know your employee ID and password, you can log in here. If you don’t remember your password, click on “Faculty and Staff” under “Forgot your password or username?” and follow the steps to recover it.
4. Once you have been able to log in, click on your name at the top right of the screen and scroll down to “My Account”
5. On the left side of your screen, you should see the email address listed.

Once you have your email address, you have to change your password before the account can be accessed. Here is how you can do that:

1. Go to mymail.yorku.ca
2. Type in your employee email (but do not log in — if you try to log in it will tell you your username and password is incorrect)
3. Click on “Manage my services.”
4. Click on “Electronic mail”
5. Click on “Change password” and follow the steps.
6. Wait at least one hour and up to 24 hours before trying out your new email and password.
7. Log in to your employee email at mymail.yorku.ca

If you can log into your account but are still not receiving any emails, it might be because Outlook was inadvertently initialized. Try logging in with your employee email login and password to https://outlook.office.com.

If you need to RESET your employee password, or if the steps above do not work, you have two options:

1. Visit the York IT office IN PERSON, and show government issued ID or your YU card.  They will reset your password on the spot and you can change your password from their terminal.

   Stacey  Building
   136 campus walk, rm 107c
   Open 8:30 am to 9:00pm

2. Have your department or manager email askit@yorku.ca on your behalf including:

   A statement that you are an employee
   A statement that you need your EMPLOYEE PASSWORD reset
   Your Employee #
   A non-york email address at which you can be reached.

The Bargaining Team has prepared a unit-specific, issue-by-issue explanation of the employer offer that is bring brought to a forced ratification vote. All the proposal documents are available on the Bargaining Reports page, and the most recent offers can be found here: York Offer for Unit 1, York Offer for Unit 2, York Offer for Unit 3. The union’s latest bargaining position can be found here: CUPE 3903 Proposal Package as of March 20

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CUPE 3903 condemns in the strongest possible terms the recent theft and vandalism of equipment, fascist graffiti, and threats targeting specific members over the past week at the Glendon Campus picket line. On Thursday, March 29, Glendon CUPE members discovered fascist graffiti connected to expressions of white supremacy and anti-Semitism on picket line equipment, and a veiled, unspecified threat for Monday, April 2, 2018, posted on the office window of a CUPE member. This incident comes after repeated theft and vandalism of picket line equipment at Glendon.

These disturbing incidents are of a piece with similar acts of vandalism, racist and anti-Semitic graffiti, and bomb threats at Glendon College beginning in the spring of 2017. Like any other member of the York community, we have every right to expect that incidents of this sort will not be tolerated by the York administration.

Given its refusal to bargain seriously since September 2017, the York administration must take full responsibility for creating conditions that continue to put the safety of all community members in jeopardy.

We call on York President Rhonda Lenton and Glendon Principal Donald Ipperciel to condemn unequivocally the above incidents in public statements to the York and Glendon communities.

We call on our members and our allies to show their solidarity with our Glendon members by joining the Glendon picket line at the entrance to Glendon Campus (2275 Bayview, at Lawrence East) at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, April 2, and throughout the upcoming week.

CUPE 3903 will continue to resist any claim to public space by fascists, racists, and anti-Semites.

York’s offer, which is being presented for a forced ratification vote, contains no back-to-work protocol. This will have serious repercussions on the conditions under which we will return to work, should the offer be accepted.

What is a back-to-work protocol?

A back-to-work protocol is usually negotiated between the union and the employer’s bargaining teams in order to set out the terms and conditions under which work resumes after a strike is resolved. Historically, our team has negotiated back pay between 85% and 100%, depending on how much of the term remains to be completed. The protocol has also typically included protections from reprisals either from the university, for those who have participated in the strike, or from the union, for those who engaged in strike-breaking activities.

What happens to my pay?

Without a back-to-work protocol, there is no guarantee that we will receive any back-pay at all. Considering the university’s hardline approach to negotiations and the strike as a whole, we should expect that accepting this offer without a back-to-work protocol will mean taking a huge pay cut despite having to finish the semester. The March paycheque has come and gone, and many people are feeling the pinch — but accepting this offer is unlikely to be the solution, as the next paycheque will not be forthcoming. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, consider applying to the Strike Hardship Fund.

What if I’ve returned to work?

If you have returned to work, you should know that in refusing to include a back-to-work protocol, York is also refusing to protect you from sanctions laid out in the CUPE National Constitution. This can include monetary fines and the loss of good standing, which would entail a denial of access to funds for extended health, emergencies, and professional development, as well as other union rights.

In sum, this offer is bad for everyone, regardless of your opinion on the strike and bargaining. We need a back-to-work protocol that reasonably represents how much work is left in the semester. Even those who oppose the strike should be alarmed by the lack of protections afforded to them by York’s offer.

CONTENTS

Updates

(1) Vote No: York’s Offer Remains Unacceptable
(2) York’s Offer Has No Back-Pay or Protections
(3) Kosher Food on the Picket Lines
(4) CUPE 3903 Hotline – Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm

Meetings and Events

(5) Strike Committee Meeting: March 29
(6) Good Friday Picket Party: March 30
(7) Unfair Labour Practice Hearing: April 4

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Re: York Administration’s Request for a Supervised Vote for all Three Units

York University has requested that the Ministry of Labour supervise a forced vote by the CUPE 3903 membership on York’s latest offer. By doing so, the York administration continues to reject the process of bargaining constructively with CUPE 3903. This is largely the same disappointing and unacceptable offer that York proposed before the strike.

We, the CUPE 3903 Bargaining Team, call on the membership to —again— reject this offer. This supervised vote is an unfortunate diversion. The two sides should be bargaining. We are confident that once our membership again rejects this offer, a better settlement can be reached through collective bargaining.

Unit 1 should reject this offer because it does not protect Teaching Assistants from the reduction or unilateral changes to their funding. York’s refusal to commit in writing that they won’t change how Unit 1 funding works for the life of the collective agreement indicates clearly that there are plans for future changes.

Unit 2 should reject this offer because two conversions a year is a step backwards for job security, because the Continuing Sessional Standing Program (CSSP) desperately needs to be improved, because York cannot offer Special Renewable Contracts (SRCs) that the York University Faculty Association (YUFA) has “very serious misgivings” about, and because arbitrary changes to qualifications are unfair and discriminatory.

Unit 3 should reject this offer because the elimination of more than 90% of the Unit is unconscionable and has serious impacts on the accessibility of graduate education.

All units should reject this offer because, in the time of #MeToo and #TimesUp, the employer’s refusal to fund a Sexual Violence Survivor’s Fund, while hiding behind an institutional response that is widely known to be lacking, is despicable.

CUPE 3903’s bargaining team has always maintained the members’ ability to judge for themselves the issues at hand in any bargaining session. In the spirit of open bargaining, our members have been involved at every step of this process: drafting surveys for members, writing proposals, debate and discussion around bargaining strategy in our general membership meetings, and particularly in the setting of ‘red line’ issues. We see these as crucial aspects of any open and democratic system.

York has decided to bypass bargaining altogether and present an offer that is largely unchanged since the last union-wide vote on March 2. When all three units voted NO to the employer’s final offer on March 2, it was an informed choice, and this time will be no different.

When we bargain, we bargain collectively. If our employer sees that as a weakness, we can only assume that the contribution of our voices, and that of the broader York community, to this campus is seen as a weakness. Let us demonstrate the strength in our collective will and resolve to ensure that this institution affords us all the dignity and respect of a fair contract.

Sincerely,
CUPE 3903 Bargaining Team

The CUPE 3903 Bargaining Team is still waiting for York University to return to the bargaining table. On Tuesday, March 20, the two sides, working through the provincially appointed mediator, had a productive day of bargaining. This is the path toward a settlement. Despite the movement made by both parties, however, the York administration has reverted back to their stance of refusing to bargain. We believe that the York community is looking for both sides to bargain and reach a compromise solution in a timely fashion.

Therefore, despite York’s unwillingness to bargain in good faith, we once again call on York to return to the table. We invite York to do so by March 28. The pass we have made is contingent on York’s return to the table.

We started the process of bargaining three new Collective Agreements last Fall. At that time, our local presented over 100 proposals that were ratified and endorsed by our membership. Bargaining has been slow but progress has been made. Some issues have been agreed upon by the two sides. A few key issues remain outstanding.

CUPE 3903 has repeatedly withdrawn and amended proposals and we have significantly moderated our demands in an attempt to reach a settlement, most recently on March 5 and March 20. Today, we have sent the mediator a revised package of proposals that, again, focus our demands. We feel that York has not demonstrated the same degree of flexibility.

CUPE 3903 has intentionally worked to remove certain proposals which York identified as barriers to a deal. We dropped our proposal to increase to the number of Employment Insurance-recognized hours of work per contract even though many of our members struggle to qualify for Employment Insurance benefits during their frequent periods of unemployment. Despite York’s concern regarding the legality of our proposal for summer access to campus services for Contract Faculty holding Long-Service Teaching Appointments (LSTAs), we worked out a compromise to which both sides have agreed.

CUPE 3903 has repeatedly underlined the key issues that need to be addressed to reach a settlement for all three units in our local. We need stable funding for Unit 1 (Teaching Assistants). We need to maintain and improve elements of job security and work stabilization for Unit 2 (Contract Faculty). We need to address the loss of union rights and protections for graduate students caused by the unilateral elimination of over 800 jobs in Unit 3 (Graduate Assistants). We need to address Equity and Accessibility concerns. We need modest improvements in wages and benefits.

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Special General Membership Meeting
Wednesday March 28, 2018
5:30pm-8:30pm
30 Tangiers Road
UNIFOR local 112

Agenda

1. Roll Call of Officers
2. Reading of the Equality Statement
3. Reading of the Mississauga Land Acknowledgement
4. Report from Executive Committee on the Conduct of the Strike
5. Report from Bargaining Team on the Status of Negotiations
6. Report by the Strike Committee and Subcommittees on the Conduct of the Strike
7. Treasurer’s Report
8. Motions from the Floor
9. Adjournment

Please contact Sheila Wilmot at cupe3903.equity.officer@gmail.com or at 416-736-5154 ext. 3 if you require any of the following: ASL interpretation, reimbursement for childcare/caregiver/attendant care, and/or transportation costs for members who are unable to secure Wheel-Trans, or other requests for accommodation.

CONTENTS

Updates

(1) CUPE 3903 Files Unfair Labour Practices Complaint Against York University
(2) CUPE 3903 Condemns the Use of Violence to Repress Dissent on Campus
(3) Students for CUPE 3903 Occupy Senate Chambers
(4) CUPE 3903 Hotline – Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm

Meetings

(5) Joint Exec-BT Meeting: March 26
(6) Strike Committee Meetings: March 26 & 29
(7) Strike Budget Executive Committee Meeting: March 27
(8) Executive Committee Meeting: March 28
(9) Bargaining Team Meeting: March 28
(10) Special General Membership Meeting: March 28
(11) Meeting on Strike-Breaking/CUPE Trials

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CUPE 3903 strongly condemns the use of violence and repression against our members – including a Senator – and undergraduate students during the March 22 York University Senate meeting. York Security was given license to crush dissent with physical force, which is far outside their mandate.

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