Most members received the gains made through bargaining and the arbitrator’s ruling by March 2019. However, some members have reported they did not properly receive these gains such as retroactive wage increases. This page has been put together to help members understand the retroactive wage increases that we received in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.
There are survey links where relevant to help us track any issues and bring them to York at a Labour Management Committee meeting. We’ve also created some infographics to help you better navigate your paystub and student account. If you have further issues please contact your Chief Steward Unit 1.
Retroactive Wage Increases
Unit 1 members, did you receive your proper retro-active pay increase from the last round of bargaining?
In the last round of bargaining, Unit 1 members received the following wage gains:
For 2017–2018: wage increases of 2.1%
For 2018-2019: wage increases of 2.2%
For 2019-2020: wage increases of 2.3%
To see what these sections look like on your paystub check here.
How do I know if I was paid my retroactive wage increase?
As of last year, York no longer distributes paper pay stubs, so you will need to check your employee email, which you can do by following the instructions here, or you can sign in through HR Self Serve to access it as well.
How do I know if I received my proper wage increases?
Before the strike, from September 2016 to April 2017 the basic rate of pay for a full year TA’ship two, one-hour tutorials or, one two-hour tutorial, was $11,218* for 8 months.
*This amount will vary depending on specific member circumstances and contracts assigned by Faculty and Departments. For example in the Sciences, many members have two, one-hour tutorials per semester but is classified as a 0.25 Teaching Assistantship rather than a 0.5 Teaching Assistantship as a result of the hours assigned and duties associated with this sort of TA. Thus, the total basic rate of pay would be half and the wage increases would be adjusted accordingly.
After the strike, the arbitrator awarded union members a 2.1% wage increase for the 2017-2018 year. This was an increase of $236 to the base wage rate ($11,218 X 0.021% = $236). This made the new base wage rate for 2017-2018 about $11,454 for 8 months of TA work.
Since the arbitrator awarded the union this base rate increase in December 2018, York University payroll applied this retroactive base wage rate increase in the spring of 2019.
York Payroll should have applied this retroactive base wage increase of approximately $236 for 2017-2018 TA work in either February or March of 2019. This retroactive base wage rate increase from 2017-2018 should have appeared on your pay stub as the following: Retro-Reg Earnings-CUPE 3903-1 (pdf); text.
What about the wage increase for the 2018-2019 calendar year? When should I see that increase on my pay stub?
Since the arbitrator’s decision was finalized in December of 2018, York University payroll should have also applied the 2018-2019 retroactive base wage rate increase in the spring of 2019.
As of September 1, 2018, the basic rate of pay for one, one hour tutorial was $5,853. Most 1.0 TA’ships are comprised of two, one-hour tutorials or, one two-hour tutorial, and these are remunerated at the rate of $11,706.
Since the arbitrator awarded union members a 2.2% wage increase for the 2018-2019 year, this resulted in an increase of about $252 to the 2018-2019 base wage rate ($11,706 X 0.022% = $252). Thus, members should have received a total of $11,958 for 8 months of TA work in 2018-2019. This also should have been applied to your pay cheques in either February or March of 2019.
What do I do if I was not paid properly?
Please fill in the ‘Retroactive Wage Increase Discrepancy Survey’ to help us collect as much data as possible about the number of members who have not received their retroactive wage increases.
Vacation Pay
Unit 1 members, did you receive your proper retro-active vacation pay from the last round of bargaining?
In December 2018, arbitrator Hayes awarded an increase in vacation pay to some Unit 1 and 3 members. Unit 1 members with 5 years or more of cumulative service on or after 2017/18 will receive 6% vacation pay. The customary 4% vacation pay plus an additional 2% vacation pay premium.
Cumulative service includes all CUPE 3903 work. This means for PhD students any work done during a Masters program (GA or TA) counts towards cumulative service.
As well, due to wage increases retroactive to September 2017 members should have also received a corresponding retroactive vacation pay (vacation pay on the difference between the new salary rate and original salary rate).
Most members should have received retroactive vacation pay on wage increases, and retroactive premium vacation pay, if relevant, by April 2019. Vacation pay premium (the additional 2%) should continue to be paid on monthly wages for members with 5+ years of cumulative service.
Vacation pay is calculated as a percentage of salary.
How do I know if I was paid my retroactive vacation pay correctly?
York no longer distributes paper pay stubs, so you will need to check your employee email, which you can do by following the instructions here, or you can sign in through HR Self Serve to access it as well. Check out our infographics to help understand what this looks like on your paystub.
On a Unit 1 member’s typical pay stub vacation pay appears as “Vacation Earnings CUPE 3903-1”. Retroactive vacation pay on regular earnings and any wage increases should appear as “Retro Vacation Pay QUE” or “Retro Vacation CUPE Unit 1”.
For Unit 1 members with 5 years or more of cumulative service on or after 2017/18 will see their 2% vacation premium as “Vacation Premium-CUPE3903-1”.
Retroactive vacation pay should have been paid by April 2019. You should check your paystubs from September 2017 – April 2019 and compare the vacation pay paid to what you were expecting from the period with vacation on wage increases and vacation premium (if relevant) taken into account. We’ve provided some typical amounts below to help.
So, how do I figure out how much vacation pay I am entitled to?
An estimated summary of vacation pay is provided below. All calculations are based on a 1.0 Teaching Assistantships. A 1.0 TA’ship is typically two, one-hour tutorials or one, two-hour tutorial per week for two semesters*. Amounts will be pro-rated for partial TA’ships.
*This amount will vary depending on specific member circumstances and contracts assigned by Faculty and Departments. For example some members have two, one-hour tutorials per semester, but this is classified as a 0.25 Teaching Assistantship rather than a 0.5 Teaching Assistantship as a result of the hours assigned and duties associated. Thus, the vacation increases would need to be adjusted accordingly.
Vacation pay on new 2017-18 wages
The wage for a TA’ship in 2016-17 was $11,218 (plus $448.72 vacation pay at 4%), and a 2.1% wage increase was awarded for 2017-18. Therefore the 2017-18 salary rate was $11,454, an increase of $236.
You would have originally been paid at the 2016-17 rate and then should have received the additional salary ($236) in early 2019. Along with that retroactive salary increase you should have received retroactive vacation pay on the wage increase of $9.44 (4% of $236).
If you had five or more years of service by September 2017 you should have also received the retroactive vacation premium of $229.08 (an additional 2% of the 2017-18 rate of $11,454).
Vacation pay on 2018-19 wages
A wage increase of 2.2% on 2017-18 rates was awarded, making the 2018-19 salary rate $11,706 for 1.0 TA’ship. Therefore you’d be entitled to $468.24 in vacation pay (at 4%) and an additional $234.12 of premium vacation pay (2%) if you had five plus years of service on or after September 2017.
Due to the timing of the arbitrator’s decision you would have originally been paid the 2016-17 rates until at least December. By April 2019 you should have been paid the wage difference between the 16/17 rates and the current rate along with any retroactive vacation payments. Therefore, it might be best to calculate the total amount paid in vacation and retro vacation pay (plus vacation premium, if applicable) from September 2018 – April 2019 and compare this total to what you’d expect from the TA’ship you held over that period.
Tips on calculating vacation pay
Most members received their retroactive pay increases (2.1% for 2017-18 and 2.2% for 2018-19) and associated 4% vacation pay (not the 2% premium) on those increases by February 2019. For some members their pay increases were not received until later, and the retroactive 2% vacation premium (for members with 5 or more years of service) was not applied until March or April 2019. It can also be difficult to distinguish retroactive vacation pay for 2017-18 from retroactive vacation pay for 2018-19.
If you had a TA contract in 2018-19 only, it is probably easier to add up all the amounts in the vacation pay lines on your pay stubs from September 2018 – April 2019 (or over the duration of your 18-19 TA contract). Depending on your circumstances these lines will be labelled “Vacation Earnings CUPE 3903-1”, “Retro Vacation Pay QUE”, “Retro Vacation CUPE Unit 1”, and/or “Vacation Premium-CUPE3903-1”; add all that appear on your pay stubs. Compare your calculation to what you should have received, which for 1.0 TA’ship in 2018-19 is $468.24 if you have less than 5 years of service as of September 2018 and $702.36 if you have 5 or more years of service as of September 2018.
If you had a TA contract in 2017-18 and 2018-19, then for your 2018-19 contract by April 2019 you should have received $468.24 if you have less than 5 years of service as of September 2018 and $702.36 if you have 5 or more years of service as of September 2018. By April 2019 you should have also received your retroactive vacation pay of $9.44 (4% of $236) on the 2017-18 wage increase and the retroactive vacation premium of $229.08 (an additional 2% of the 2017-18 rate of $11,454).
From January 2019 wages and vacation pay should have been paid at the current rates ($11,706 for 2018-19; 4% vacation pay for less than 5 years service, plus an additional 2% for five or more years service).
What do I do if I was not paid the correct vacation pay for 2017-18 and/or 2018-19, or I was not paid vacation pay at all?
Please complete the Vacation Pay Discrepancy Jot Form as soon as possible so that the union can have evidence of the scope of the problem. This information is essential for us to raise vacation pay issues in upcoming Labour Management Meetings.
Graduate Financial Assistance
Unit 1 members, did you receive the amount of GFA you were entitled to after the 2018 strike?
In December 2018, Arbitrator Hayes awarded increases in Graduate Financial Assistance (GFA). However, we have heard that some members have not been paid the correct amount by York. We’ve put together some information, here, to help you determine if you have received the GFA you were entitled to, and an infographic.
What does this mean for Graduate Financial Assistance payments I receive?
GFA amounts were to be increased by the following percentages:
- For 2017–2018: increases of 2.1%
- For 2018-2019: increases of 2.2%
- For 2019-2020: increases of 2.3%
GFA amounts will vary depending on whether you are a domestic or international student and what year you are in the Priority Pool.
In February 2019, Unit 1 Domestic student members should have received retroactive GFA increases for the 2017/18 academic year and Fall 2018 academic term, that ranged in amounts from $13.60 to $18.78 per term. Unit 1 International student members should have received retroactive GFA increases that ranged in amounts from $22.78 to $29 per term.
Breakdown of Retroactive Payments to GFA
For Members in a Masters Program or PhD Years 1 to 2
International students are entitled to receive:
- For 2017-2018: $1108/term. This is a difference of approximately $22.78/per term from the 2016/17 GFA amount of $1085.*
- For 2018-2019: $1132/term. This is a difference of approximately $24.38/per term from the 2017/18 GFA amount of $1108/term.*
- For 2019-2020: $1158/term
* The difference between 2016/17 GFA amounts and the amounts you were entitled to in 2017-18 and the Fall of 2018 should have been paid out as a retroactive GFA increase in February 2019.
Domestic students are entitled to receive:
- For 2017-2018: $663/term. This is a difference of approximately $13.63/per term from the 2016/17 GFA amount of $649/term.*
- For 2018-2019: $678/term. This is a difference of approximately $14.59/per term from the 2017/18 GFA amount of $663/term.*
- For 2019-2020: $694/term
* The difference between 2016/17 GFA amounts and the amounts you were entitled to in 2017-18 and the Fall of 2018 should have been paid out as a retroactive GFA increase in February 2019.
For Members in PhD Years 3 to 5
International students are entitled to receive:
- For 2017-2018: $1322/term. This is a difference of approximately $27.20 /per term from the 2016/17 GFA amount of $1295/term.*
- For 2018-2019: $1351/term. This is a difference of approximately $29/per term from the 2017/18 GFA amount of $1322/term.*
- For 2019-2010: $1382/term
* The difference between 2016/17 GFA amounts and the amounts you were entitled to in 2017-18 and the Fall of 2018 should have been paid out as a retroactive GFA increase in February 2019.
Domestic students are entitled to receive:
- For 2017-2018: $831/term. This is a difference of approximately $17.09 /per term from the 2016/17 GFA amount of $814/term.*
- For 2018-2019: $849/term. This is a difference of approximately $18.28/per term from the 2017/18 GFA amount of $831/term.*
- For 2019-2020: $869/term
* The difference between 2016/17 GFA amounts and the amounts you were entitled to in 2017-18 and the Fall of 2018 should have been paid out as a retroactive GFA increase in February 2019.
How do I know if I was provided my proper GFA retroactive increases?
You should cross-reference the amounts above to your online York University Student Account, which is where GFA amounts are awarded.
Your GFA payments will appear as: GS-CUPE Unit 1 Graduate Financial Assistance- DOM for domestic students, and GS-CUPE Unit 1 Graduate Financial Assistance- INT for international students. You should have received the retroactive increases from 2016-17 amounts for 2017-18 and Fall 2018 around February 2019.
What if I didn’t receive the correct GFA increases?
Please fill in the ‘GFA Increase Discrepancy‘ survey to help us keep track of how York is handling this issue.
Grant-in-Aid
Unit 1 members, did you receive your proper Grant-in-Aid (GIA) retroactive increases?
Arbitrator Hayes determined that GIA amounts were to be increased by the same percentages as wage increases and GFA increases.
- For 2017–2018: increases of 2.1%
- For 2018-2019: increases of 2.2%
- For 2019-2020: increases of 2.3%
Therefore GIA amounts for a 1.0 TA’ship should be as follows:
- For 2017-2018: $3783/year. This is a difference of approximately $78 from the 2016/17 GIA amount of $ 3,705/year.
- For 2018-2019: $3866/year. This is a difference of approximately $83 from the 2017/18 GIA amount of $3783/year.
- For 2018-2019: $3955/year.
Note, GIA has been paid monthly, as part of your regular payroll. If you hold less than a 1.0 TA’ship your GIA is prorated (i.e., someone with a 0.5 TA’ship will receive half the amount of GIA as a 1.0 TA’ship). In September 2019 York unilaterally changed how GIA payments were received see our What You Really Need to Know About Grant-in-Aid page for more information.
How do I know if I was paid my retroactive Grant-In-Aid (GIA) increases correctly?
Compare what you were paid in Grant-in-Aid (using your past pay stubs) with the amounts above. Retroactive GIA payments covering the increases from the 2016-17 amounts for 2017-18 and Fall 2018 should have been paid by April 2019. The correct GIA amounts for 2018-19 should have been paid starting January 2019. Check out our infographics for help understanding your paystub.
Use your pay stubs to determine what GIA amounts you have been paid. The retroactive GIA payments covering increases from the 2016-17 amounts for 2017-18 and Fall 2018 would have been paid under the line: Retro-Grant-in-Aid-CUPE 3903-1. Normal GIA payments are given as: Grant-in-Aid-CUPE 3903-1.
York no longer distributes paper pay stubs, so you will need to check your employee email, which you can do by following the instructions here, or you can sign in through HR Self Serve to access it as well.
What do I do if I was not paid properly?
Please fill out the ‘Retroactive Grant-in-Aid Discrepancy Survey’ that the Union has prepared to help us collect as much data as possible about the number of members who have not received their retroactive GIA increases.