AU’s promised research lockout is an illegal attack upon students (see update)

UPDATE April 7th: Within an hour of the blog going out, we received word that the AVP Research is now working on a way to pay tricouncil-funded research assistants in a potential work stoppage. Other issues related to distribution of research funds are as of yet unresolved.

On April 1st, the Associate Vice President of Research, Andrew Perrin, sent an email to staff stating that research activities would cease during a strike. This also includes paid Research Assistant (RA) work. AUFA Executive is currently investigating ways to support RAs who lack union protection, should AU lay them off in any potential work stoppage.

The email reads as follows:

“All research activities will be paused during a labour disruption.

This includes most paid research assistant and trainee work supervised by an AUFA member, as well as administrative functions such as grant reviews and internal submission and approval of applications. AU is unable to provide any support services for research activities to AUFA members while on strike. We will not process any reimbursements for research activities or travel undertaken during a labour disruption. Access to AU’s digital and physical research infrastructure would also not be permitted during a disruption.

AUFA members on Research and Study Leave will have their leave paused in the event of a strike. They will not be compensated during a strike or reimbursed for research expenses normally paid by AU.”

AUFA specifically exempted research activities from a potential strike due to the nature of research, indirect relationship to core university operations, and impact on both researchers and students.

Notably this email was not circulated to students and no clarity has been provided to Research Assistants. During AUFA’s strike authorization vote last Monday, the employer also applied for the right to lock us out.

RAs are our students, and this is a unnecessary attempt to punish students during a work stoppage. A similar research lockout was tried at the University of Lethbridge. Their administration was forced to backtrack because it is illegal.

The Social Sciences and Humanites Research Council (SSHRC) provided the following written statement to CAUT.

In the event of a strike at the institution, the agencies would maintain grant and award funding to researchers, students and fellows for existing research projects. Funds for grants, fellowships, and scholarships must continue to be used for the eligible expenses for which they were awarded. During this time, in keeping with the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration (TAGFA), the institution must ensure that the research project and/or the grantee's signing authority is not compromised. As such, a grantee may choose to delegate signing authority to one or more person at the university for the purpose of approving research expenditures directly related to the funded research.

As indicated in the “Authorization of grant expenditures” section of the TAGFA: “The grant recipient holds the authority to use the grant funds.  Only the grant recipient can delegate authority to use the grant funds. The delegate should possess the skills and knowledge necessary to exercise the role effectively. Approval of the delegated authority must be formally documented using an appropriate delegation instrument and in accordance with the administering institution’s relevant policies and requirements.”  Therefore unless otherwise pre-authorized, only the grantee or authorized delegate should have access to the funds. 

In short, the grant money is not Athabasca University’s to halt. 

AU’s attack on Research Assistants

There are approximately 70 research assistants at Athabasca University who are paid through grant monies. They are distributed between AUPE, AUGSA, and a large pool of excluded RAs. AU’s unilateral decision to cease their employment pay during a potential strike is an extraordinary act of cruelty against the most vulnerable employees at Athabasca University. This is particularly true for the large number of excluded RAs who do not have union protections.

We stand in solidarity with the RAs who have been unfairly targeted by AVP Research Andrew Perrin. AUFA Executive are looking in to how to provide supports for RAs who will be without jobs or union protections.

We are calling about the Associate Vice President Research to retract his statement, and instead promise to reverse course on this illegal attack upon students and faculty.

Solidarity,

David Powell

AUFA President 

More Details on Digital Picketing

Back in December, AUFA’s Job Action Committee (JAC) provided an overview of flying (i.e., in-person) and digital picketing. As a potential strike and/or lockout looms, this post provides additional details about digital picketing during the first few weeks of any work stoppage. An earlier post this week provided some additional details on flying pickets. 

Overview of Digital Pickets 

If a strike or lockout occurs, AUFA will be organizing four kinds of digital picketing to start with: 

• recruiting individuals to sign AUFA’s online petition,  

• sharing materials on social media,  

• contacting selected individuals (administrators, university donors, MLAs) by phone and email, and  

• contacting non-striking staff to check in on them and ask them to honour our picket line. 

Each day AUFA members will receive updated instructions about digital picketing activities.  

Some forms of digital picketing will entail the use of email or social media accounts. Members interested in creating anonymous email and social media accounts can follow these instructions. 

Instructions for email: Disposable email account - How to.pdf

Instructions for social media:  Disposable Twitter account - How to.pdf

Recruiting Individuals to Sign AUFA’s Online Petition 

AUFA will be launching an online petition that emails each petition signature to key actors at AU. Petition signatories will be pledging not to enroll in an AU course and not to recommend AU to others until a fair deal is concluded. The purposes of the petition are to: 

• easily allow allies and the public to support us, and 

• apply reputational and financial pressure to settle by demonstrating large numbers of interested students are refraining from registering in AU courses until the strike ends.  

Individual AUFA members will be asked to use their networks of family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to solicit five (or more!) signatures per day. This work will supplement our in-person leafletting work with current PSE students on campuses that send AU significant numbers of visiting students. 

What to do: 

• Each day, contact five people you know individually by phone, video chat, email, text, or by seeing them in person. If you are nervous about this, start close to home with family and friends. 

• Explain you are on strike, and that you need two minutes of their time to help us get a fair deal. 

• Ask them to sign the online petition (link and QR code provided). 

What not to do: 

• Do not mass email your contact list; that approach is ineffective. Personalized communications matter. 

Sharing Materials on Social Media 

AUFA will be providing a daily shareable (e.g., photos, memes, infographics) for members to share on social media. The purposes of these shareables are to: 

• generate public awareness of the strike by flooding social media spaces,  

• apply reputational pressure on the employer to settle, and  

• drive traffic to our online petition. 

What to do: 

• Share the memes on your social media accounts (e.g., Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok, and so on). 

• Where a social media platform uses tags, ensure you use: #AUFAStrike #AthabascaU 

• Express how the employer’s behaviour is affecting you, such as “I’m tired to being treated poorly”, “I miss my students”, or “I’d rather be working”. 

• If you would like to add your own comments to a post, consider making a clear demand, such as “negotiate a fair deal” or “fair wages now”. 

• Direct interested people to our online petition. 

What not to do: 

• Do not engage with online trolls; they are not making good-faith arguments, are a waste of time, and are best ignored and/or blocked.  

Contacting Selected Individuals by Phone or Email 

AUFA will be providing a rotating list of the names, emails, and/or phone numbers of selected individuals for members to contact. These individuals are people who may be able to help us get a fair deal. This list will include members of Athabasca University’s Board of Governors and Executive Group, as well as donors, and MLAs. The purposes of these contacts are to: 

• generate awareness of the strike among key audiences, and 

• apply pressure (social, reputational, and financial) on the Board to settle. 

What to do: 

• Each day, contact the identified individuals by phone or email. 

• Explain you are on strike, and you need their help to get a fair deal. 

• Ask Board and executive members to negotiate a fair deal. 

• Ask donors to stop donating to AU for the duration of the strike and to tell AU that they plan to halt any donation until AUFA gets a fair contract. 

• Ask MLAs to direct AU’s Board to negotiate a fair deal. 

What not to do: 

• Do not mass email individuals; as noted above, that approach is ineffective. 

Contacting Non-Striking Staff to Check-in and Ask for Support 

AUPE and CUPE staff will continue to work during a strike. This will be a stressful time for our colleagues. We will be asking AUFA members to call a small number of our non-striking colleagues each day to check in on them.  

During this call, you might also tell them how the strike is going for you and thank them for declining to perform AUFA work during the strike. The purposes of these calls are to: 

• ensure non-striking staff are okay, 

• convey general information about the strike to non-striking staff, and 

• ensure they are aware they can refuse to perform struck work. 

What to do: 

• Each day, contact a few non-striking staff that you know. 

• Have a short, polite chat about how they are doing and also how the strike is going. 

• Thank them for their hard work and for respecting the AUFA strike.  

What not to do: 

• Do not keep people on the phone for longer than 10 minutes. 

• Do not call anyone who has asked you not to call them. 

JAC hopes this additional information is helpful in explaining what digital picketing will look like initially. As the strike and/or lockout goes on, we may change tactics.  

If you have questions about digital picketing, please direct them to me at barnetso@athabascau.ca . 

Bob Barnetson, Chair 

Job Action Committee 

More Details on In-Person Picketing

Back in December, AUFA’s Job Action Committee (JAC) provided an overview of flying (i.e., in-person) and digital picketing. As a potential strike and/or lockout looms, this post provides additional details about flying pickets during the first few weeks of a work stoppage. Tomorrow, JAC will provide more detail about digital picketing. 

Overview of Flying Pickets 

 If a strike or lockout occurs, AUFA will be organizing three kinds of flying pickets to start with:  

• traditional picketing,  

• leafleting post-secondary students, and  

• flyering neighbourhoods in Athabasca.  

Flying pickets will run for 90- to 120-minutes each. The tentative schedule of events is: 

• Athabasca: Wednesdays (picketing, flyering) 

• Calgary: tentatively Wednesdays (picketing, leafletting) 

• Edmonton: Tuesdays and Thursdays (picketing, leafletting) 

• Toronto: To be determined (leafletting) 

The specific events, their timing, and their locations will vary from day to day. The weekly schedule will be communicated each Friday. Before each event, members will receive details (e.g., location, parking, purpose) specific to the event.  

Traditional Picketing 

Picketing typically entails a group of people walking or standing in a public place (such as a sidewalk, boulevard, or greenspace) outside of an AU building or near a busy intersection holding signs. The goals of picketing are to make the public aware of the strike (i.e., apply reputational and financial pressure) and build member morale.  

What to do: 

• Talk with your colleagues and enjoy yourself. 

• Engage with the public in a friendly manner (e.g., wave at cars, say hello to pedestrians). 

• If a member of the public wants to chat, politely explain what is happening. 

• If a member of the public wants to help, hand them a leaflet (supplied by AUFA) or direct them to the event organizer. 

What not to do: 

• Do not come if you are unwell. 

• Do not block or impede the public’s use of sidewalks, streets, or driveways. 

• Do not confront or argue with members of the public (this almost never happens anyway). 

• Do not do interviews with the media; please direct them to the event organizer. 

What to wear: 

• A mask, hat, and sunscreen. 

• Clothing appropriate for the weather; assume it will be 10 degrees colder than expected. 

• Good shoes—you will be standing a lot on hard surfaces. 

What to bring: 

• A picket sign if you have one (we will have sticks and staples onsite as well as extra signs). You will also be able to borrow one on-site. 

• A folding chair if appropriate (yes for greenspace; no for sidewalks). 

• Water and a snack. 

• A friend or colleague. 

Each event will be run by one or more organizers who will be able to answer questions and sort out unexpected events. 

Leafleting Post-Secondary Students 

Leafleting entails a small group of people in a public space quietly handing out leaflets, engaging in one-on-one conversations with students, and asking them to sign our online petition. This might include a food court, hallway, or transit station on or near a college, polytechnic, or university. The primary goal is to make potential AU visiting students aware of the strike, and to get them to pledge to not enroll in or recommend others attend AU until the strike is resolved.  

What to do: 

• Work individually or in pairs; keep other AUFA members in sight. 

• Approach a student, explain who you are, and ask if you can talk to them for 2 minutes. 

• Outline the strike situation (script provided) and explain why we’re seeking their help. 

• Ask them if they will agree to not register at AU during the strike. 

• If so, ask them to sign the petition (QR code on leaflet takes their phone to it). 

What not to do: 

• Do not come if you are unwell. 

• Do not wear a sign, parade in front of an entrance, or gather in large groups (that is picketing behaviour, and this is leafleting). 

• Do not attempt to interfere with people going about their business. 

• Do not confront or argue with members of the public (this almost never happens anyway). 

• Do not bother people who decline your initial request to chat. 

• Do not do interviews with the media; please direct them to the event organizer.  

What to wear: 

• A mask and clothing appropriate for the location. 

• Good shoes—you will be standing a lot on hard surfaces. 

What to bring: 

• Your phone. 

• A friend or colleague. 

Each event will be run by one or more organizers, who will be able to answer questions and sort out unexpected events.  

If you are asked to leave the premises by a representative of the post-secondary institution, please indicate you will comply and then walk the person making the request to the organizer who will address the issue.  

Flyering in Athabasca 

Flyering entails a small group of people placing handbills in mailboxes. The primary goal is to raise awareness of the strike with residents of Athabasca, who have a particular interest in good wages and working conditions and the future of AU, as well as to get them to sign our online petition.  

What to do: 

• Work individually or in pairs; keep other AUFA members in sight. 

• Place a flyer (supplied) in a residential mailbox or tape it to their door. 

• If a resident asks what the flyer is about, explain we’re seeking their help. 

• Ask them to sign the petition (QR code on flyer takes their phone to it). 

What not to do: 

• Do not come if you are unwell. 

• Do not confront or argue with members of the public (this almost ever happens anyway). 

• Do not do interviews with the media; please direct them to the event organizer. 

What to wear: 

• A mask, hat, and sunscreen. 

• Clothing appropriate for the weather; assume it will be 10 degrees colder than expected. 

• Good shoes—you will be walking a lot on hard surfaces. 

What to bring: 

• Your phone. 

• A friend or colleague. 

Each event will be run by one or more organizers, who will be able to answer questions and sort out unexpected events. 

JAC hopes this additional information is helpful in explaining what flying pickets will look like initially. As the strike and/or lockout goes on, we may change tactics. Additional information about digital picketing will be forthcoming tomorrow. 

If you have questions about in-person picketing, please direct them to me at barnetso@athabascau.ca . 

Bob Barnetson, Chair 

Job Action Committee 

AUFA Strike Overview

Yesterday, AUFA members voted to authorize a strike and AU voted to authorize a lockout. This means either party can provide 72 hours of notice that they will be triggering a work stoppage.

At present, AU has not served lockout notice on AUFA. AUFA’s executive has been clear that AUFA will not service notice of a strike without a further vote of the members (unless AU serves lockout notice). AUFA’s hope is that bargaining towards a new agreement will resume this week.

In the meantime, the Job Action Committee (JAC) is finalizing plans should a strike be necessary. This post is a high-level overview of a strike. Posts tomorrow and Thursday will address in-person and digital picketing respectively.

What a strike would look like

A strike entails most AUFA members withdrawing their labour (as approved by the membership in January) and receiving strike pay in lieu of their regular salary. The purpose of withdrawing our labour is to disrupt AU’s operations and thus apply pressure on AU to agree to a fair deal.

AUFA members will also be engaging in flying (i.e., in-person) picketing and digital picketing to attach reputational costs to AU’s intransigence at the table. This is designed to amplify the operational pressure on AU to settle. AU may choose to respond to a strike by locking out AUFA members.

During any strike and/or lockout, AUFA’s bargaining team will continue to negotiate because, ultimately, a strike is about getting a new deal with which AUFA members can live. Often, however, it can take some time for the pressure on the employer to become high enough that they will agree to a fair deal. PSE strikes are on average 3.5 weeks in length and typically last no more than 6 weeks. How long AU might hold out is unknown.

Who will withdraw what labour?

During a strike, the expectation is that all AUFA members will withdraw their labour except:

• those on maternity and/or parental leave

• those on workers’ compensation

• those on long-term disability

• those on research and study leave

• those who receive an exemption (adjudicated by a committee)

Members who are not required to strike should see their AU income continue (because they are not on strike). All other members will receive strike/lockout pay (see below). If AU locks out AUFA members, AUFA members who are exempt from striking (the list above) and whose income is affected will receive strike/lockout pay.

The labour to be withdrawn by striking AUFA members is:

• professors and academic coordinator will stop teaching, coordinating their courses, and performing university service work, and

• professionals will stop performing their professional duties and university service work.

AUFA has no expectation that striking members will stop doing research, undertaking professional development, or stop their external service activities (i.e., you may perform these tasks without salary if you like).

AU has indicated it will create impediments to doing so by limiting access to AU IT systems and research and PD funds that it administers. This may mean you will lose access to your AU computer, email, phone, and systems (and any materials stored on them). Please see this post about professional preparations to make prior to a strike.

What strike/lockout pay will I receive?

All members who (1) withdraw their labour, (2) perform 10 hours of strike duties each week, and (3) provide AUFA with the necessary banking information, will receive strike/lockout pay.

Strike/lockout pay begins on the fourth day of a strike and/or lockout and is $88 per day tax free (i.e., there are no deductions). Payment will be biweekly. AUFA will try to match AU’s current payment schedule.

All members will continue to have access to their regular health, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. Pension contributions will be suspended during a strike or lockout.

AUFA has also set up a Member Emergency Fund. More details about the fund will be available shortly. Please see this post about financially preparing for a strike.

If you have a mortgage, you may wish to approach your bank about delaying or deferring your payments. The key points to make are:

• I am employed by Athabasca University.

• There is a high risk of a strike and/or lockout.

• I expect this work stoppage will cause financial stress.

• I am concerned about maintaining my mortgage payment during this time.

• I would like to discuss whether and how I might have some flexibility in my payments should a work stoppage take place.

What strike duties can I perform?

The Job Action Committee (JAC) has arranged flying (in-person) picketing in Athabasca, Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto as well as digital picketing opportunities (that require no physical presence). JAC will provide more details about AUFA’s flying and digital picketing plans over the next two days.

The Membership Engagement Committee (MEC) has organized a caller group (who will call all AUFA members each week). If you would like to volunteer with this group as part of your strike duties, please contact engagement@aufa.ca. There will also be meetings and other virtual events, such as teach-ins and workshops to attend. MEC may also have other volunteer work available on an ad hoc basis.

Members who are not required to withdraw their labour (i.e., on maternity/parental leave, workers’ compensation, disability, RSL, or who receive an exemption) would not be required to perform strike duties.

AUFA members who become sick during the strike or experience other life events that interfere with strike duties can receive an exemption from a committee. More details on receiving an exemption will be available shortly.

How should I handle student queries?

Students are bound to have questions about the impact of a strike. Most of their questions can, however, only be answered by AU because they are about decisions that only AIU can make.

AUFA remains in contact with both the undergraduate and graduate student associations, AUFA has prepared a strike FAQ for students. AUFA has also posted a list of talking points should students approach you directly with questions.

If you have questions about striking, strike pay, or strike duties, please direct them to me at barnetso@athabascau.ca . Additional information about in-person and digital picketing will be provided tomorrow and Friday respectively.

Bob Barnetson, Chair

Job Action Committee

Open letter to Dr. Peter Scott and AU’s Executive Team

Dear Dr. Peter Scott and members of AU’s Executive Team,

As you are likely aware, collective bargaining between AU and AUFA has not been going well.

We fully respect that you are maintaining distance from the process to allow AU’s bargaining team to represent the employer’s interests at the table. However, the current context does suggest that some direction from the Executive Team may be necessary to bring this extended conflict to a mutually satisfactory conclusion.

Specifically, there are significant contextual factors that are important to highlight.

AUFA members want a fair deal

AUFA members recently rejected a mediator’s proposed settlement by 77%, with 91% of members voting. This sends a strong and clear message that the concessions AU has been seeking in this round of bargaining are simply not acceptable.

No one is looking forward to a strike or lockout that could entail significant disruptions for learners. But AUFA members have also demonstrated that they are not willing to accept significant concessions that would erode working conditions, collegiality, and student experiences over time. Despite previous framing of AUFA as the aggressive party in this dispute, AUFA members are fully aware that our true position is that of defending valued protections and benefits from an unnecessarily aggressive employer.

Not all our members agree on every issue—that is the nature of a democratic organization—but our ongoing engagement efforts have revealed some clear themes that provide important context for determining what a fair deal might look like in this context.

We want to be excited about the future of AU

Our members have told us they believe deeply in the mission of this university. The strongest consensus that has emerged from our consultations is that we care about students and about learning. We want to be excited about our work. We want to be innovative, creative, and rigorous. But we feel blocked by a combination of factors and forces.

The most common concern is that our members feel overwhelmed by work and stripped of agency. Professional members affected by reorganization and major change initiatives feel they are denied the chance to do their best work. Academic members worry about the erosion of collegial governance while pressure increases a sense of precarity, especially for those newer to AU. Our members tell us key decisions are made in ways that shut out our expertise, experience, and enthusiasm.

We don’t oppose change and transformation, but it matters how that change happens. We don’t want to feel bullied, belittled, or ignored. We want you to listen to our feedback—really listen—and meaningfully include us in decision-making processes.

AUFA members are realizing that the process of collective bargaining offers a rare chance to assert our own agency. We don’t have to passively accept negative changes to our working conditions. Instead, we can demand the respect we deserve. We have heard from many members who suggest that they don’t want to strike but they will if necessary.

It’s about more than the language on the table

We all know this round of bargaining doesn’t exist in isolation. Our collective agreement has a long history and context and is intertwined with other aspects of our work environment.

There are a wide range of management decisions that influence how we feel about what’s going on at the bargaining table. There are many examples of this, so we’ll only name a few.

• The IT Optimization project was a really negative experience for most of our affected members, many of whom continue to feel devalued and stripped of agency.

• Top-down decisions affecting members in the Faculty of Health Disciplines, in particular, have combined with the pressures of educating front-line workers throughout the pandemic to create significant stress and erode morale.

• Many members have experienced the Near-Virtual initiative as stressful and contradictory.

• Many members have expressed concern about the lack of consultation and transparency during the implementation of the Integrated Learning Environment.

• We routinely field calls from members looking for clarification and support with navigating AU’s own processes, including significant concerns about a lack of support from HR with basic employment needs and an unnecessarily adversarial approach to labour relations.

• Members continue to feel anxious about AU’s threat to de-designate them from the union.

These experiences illustrate why we see a clear signal in our surveys that our members have extremely low levels of trust in AU’s leadership. Trust was already low when we started the surveys during Dr. Neil Fassina’s tenure, and it has only dropped since. In November 2021, only 15% of members surveyed said they agreed with the statement, “I trust the executive team of the university,” while 58% said they did not. AUFA members are not alone in this. Many AUPE and CUPE members have shared similar frustrations.

This low level of trust affects how we interpret communications from AU. Many members describe feeling insulted or outraged when reading AU’s communications, even on topics unrelated to bargaining, and have described it as incomplete, misleading, or disingenuous.

To be clear, this is not a reflection of the way our members who facilitate AU communications do their work. Rather, this reflects frustration and even exasperation with the lack of meaningful, transparent, and timely communication shared by AU’s top leaders.

It’s important for you to understand that our members have learned over the years to be suspicious or skeptical of the information and spin offered by AU’s leadership. What this means is that platitudes and vague promises won’t win our trust back. We need concrete and tangible actions.

You have the power to change course

The AUFA executive and volunteers will keep listening to AUFA members. In the past few weeks, we have heard that many members feel distracted and demoralized, and that most would very much appreciate an end to this lengthy battle. But our members are also focused on safeguarding and advancing valued protections and benefits.

It is clear that the university is the body with the power to change course. You have the opportunity to set a new tone that foregrounds respect for the workers of this university. You have the chance to open a new chapter of improved labour relations and increased collegiality. Give us all—our members, our colleagues, and our students—the chance to look to the future of AU with renewed optimism and energy.

We ask that you send a strong signal that you are ready to acknowledge, respect, and value the work we do. It’s time for you to demonstrate that you’re prepared to empower us to do our best work in service of our shared mission to remove barriers and increase equality of educational opportunity for adult learners worldwide.

Respectfully,

AUFA Executive and Members

This letter, with 130 AUFA members' signatures included, was delivered to Dr. Scott and the AU Executive on April 5, 2022. We are hopeful this will help to encourage the employer to take a different approach to bargaining than we've seen over the past several months.

Bargaining Update: Mediation Fails After Employer Makes Mockery of Process

AU and AUFA met in formal mediation with mediator Mark Asbell on March 8. Mediation concluded at the end of the day without a mediator’s recommendation. This blog post explains what happened, why mediation ended, and what happens next.

The parties met with the mediator at 9:00 am. After introductions, the mediator met with each party separately to discuss “hills to die on” and outstanding issues where movement is possible. This is a normal part of the mediation process and the basic goal is to find common ground as a means of moving negotiations forward in a productive way.

For its part, AUFA made clear AU’s withdrawal of damaging language aimed at undermining the rights of professionals remains an AUFA priority. We also stressed that a fair wage settlement, reasonable language around designation, and AU’s withdrawal of language limiting Research and Study Leave (RSL) leave for both academics and professionals were equally important for members. In keeping with the normal “give and take” of the mediation process, AUFA also indicated areas where we were open to discussion, including cost-of-living adjustments (COLA).

Mid-morning the mediator informed AUFA that AU was preparing a “full proposal” for our consideration and requested AUFA give them a couple hours to complete that work. Even though AU had already had almost a full week to prepare a counter-proposal, we agreed. A couple hours turned into almost eight hours.

At almost 5:00 pm, AUFA was informed of the “new” proposal. The proposal was nearly identical to their February 28 proposal except for a handful of minor changes to appeal processes and equity language. The proposal includes the elimination of professional RSL and the “buy-out” for pennies on the dollar. It had the same severe concessions with no movement on academic RSL, professional lay-offs or COLA. None of AUFA’s substantive proposals were considered.

It was conveyed to AUFA this was “their last proposal”.

The AUFA bargaining team deliberated on this unfortunate turn of events. We had fully been expecting at the very least a serious AU effort at reaching a mutually satisfactory deal. What we were left with instead was a wasted day and a Board proposal not materially different from its previous proposal.

AUFA came into mediation serious about trying to find an agreement and communicated that clearly to the mediator. In deliberations, AUFA came to the conclusion that AU entered mediation with no intention of finding a deal and used the day to waste time and frustrate all involved. In short, AUFA decided that AU was making a mockery of the mediation process.

While AUFA had booked the rest of the week to devote to mediation, we now believe AU was not serious about finding a solution. With that realization we requested the mediator step away and report that no mediated agreement was possible. Once the mediator issues that report, formal mediation concludes.

It is the bargaining team’s belief that AU is trying to force a strike in an effort to bust the union. We do not want a strike, but will take the steps we need to protect the interest of AUFA members.

The next step is a 14-day cooling off period, where neither party can take any further steps under the Labour Relations Code (although bargaining is allowed to continue). The parties have set aside time for mediation this week and we have two days of bargaining scheduled for next week. Despite our disappointment, AUFA continues to want to move bargaining forward, so the bargaining team will assess our next steps.

During the 14 days, AUFA can can take steps to apply for a strike vote of members. AU can also move towards a Board vote to lock-out AUFA members. After either vote, the parties must give 72 hours’ notice to activate a strike or lockout. Bargaining can continue throughout.

In the coming days AUFA will offer further communications about next steps and set up a town hall to discuss the state of bargaining.

Jason Foster, Chair

AUFA Bargaining Team

Strike Support Rising—Member Survey

In late November, AUFA’s Membership Engagement Committee (MEC) completed its fifth telephone survey of members. Thirty-one volunteer callers contacted 102 randomly selected AUFA members (~23.5% of the membership). The resulting sample is broadly representative of our membership as a whole. This blog presents aggregated results. Key themes include: 

• AUFA enjoys broad support (90%). 

• Trust in the university executive is low (15%). 

• Members want a reasonable wage increase to offset inflation. 

• Member solidarity is high and there is growing support for a strike. 

Climate Questions 

Survey callers asked three recurring and one new climate question. Overall, there were no major differences between the views of professional and academic members. The new question (about morale) addresses comments in past surveys that members often enjoy their job (thus enjoy starting work in the morning) but are frustrated with working at AU. 

Overall, 39% of members agree that their morale is high while 34% indicate it is low. This is significantly different than the 75% of members who indicate they enjoy starting work in the morning. Comments associated with these questions suggest that many members enjoy the work they do. However, they find the context in which they do that work very frustrating. A number of members noted that they have intentionally reduced their university service work in order to reduce their frustration. This new morale question appears to generate a more nuanced assessment of where the membership is at and will be retained going forward.  

When asked if they trust the executive team of the university, 15% of respondents said yes while 58% said no. These results are similar to the April 2021 survey, where 16% of respondents indicated they trust the executive and 63% indicated they did not. It appears the departure of Neil Fassina has arrested the freefall in member trust but the executive has not been able to repair the damage. 

Respondent comments identified several issues driving ongoing mistrust of AU’s executive. These include efforts to bust the union through de-designation, continuing problems with the IT re-organization, lack of any meaningful progress at the bargaining table, unmanageable workloads, pay inequity, the sneaky withdrawal of market supplements, executive invisibility, and insincere communications.  

One member’s comments (paraphrased by the interviewer) provide a representative view of the AU executive: 

The pandemic has been incredibly difficult and the actions of the AU executive team during this time have been cruel. They appear to operate with a total disregard for university employees, in fact they seem to operate with a disregard for what makes AU a good place to work and a good university. I have little faith that they make decisions with the interests of faculty, staff, and students in mind. It has become difficult to hope that the future of the university will be a good one. Their detached, non-transparent, and hostile-to-consultation style of leadership is likely to be disastrous for the university.  

A very small number of members hope a new president will change the executive’s behaviour. It is difficult to imagine how the current executive can turn matters around and a top-to-bottom executive “house cleaning” may be the best option. 

When asked whether AUFA was doing a good job, 90% of members agreed; only 2% disagreed. This is broadly similar to the April 2021 survey, where 93% of respondents indicated AUFA was doing a good job and 2% disagreed.  

Bargaining Questions 

The survey asked several questions about bargaining. The full results have been provided to the bargaining team to inform their approach at the table going forward. Significantly, there has been a notable increase in member willingness to strike. In April 2021, 69% of members said they would strike to avoid a 4% rollback. In this survey, 96% of members said they would strike to avoid any rollback. 

Members were asked what their highest priority change to the collective agreement was. By far, the most common answer was a raise to address inflation. AUFA members have not had a raise in salary grids in four years. Job security was also ranked as a priority, although notably less so.   

With the employer yet to table a full proposal (i.e., monetary plus full language on a number of items are still missing), there is a chance that AU may attempt some wedge tactics. To gauge the effectiveness of this potential approach, members were asked about their willingness to accept an employer offer that provided them with a small gain but only if they agreed to a rollback that would harm other members.  

Respondents overwhelming (81%) rejected such wedge tactics, with only 1% indicating they would accept such an offer. 

What this survey suggests is that wedge tactics would not be an effective approach for AU. This high level of member resistance to wedge tactics is likely influenced by AU’s efforts in 2020 to de-designate large portions of the AUFA membership. This cynical move only strengthened member solidarity.  

Members were also asked whether they had any concerns or questions about a possible work stoppage. These items have been passed along to the AUFA Job Action Committee for discussion. In the meantime, members with questions about a possible work stoppage are encouraged to consult the following resources on the AUFA website:  

• strike primer 

• work stoppage FAQs   

• financially preparing for a strike or lockout 

• professional and practical strike or lockout preparation 

• strike prep 

• striking and strike pay consultation 

Finally, the survey asked members questions about equity issues at AU. These results will be passed along to the AUFA Equity Committee for discussion. Members’ responses will also be shared as part of AUFA’s external equity audit. More information about this audit process (including how to get involved) will be shared in the new year.  

MEC very much appreciates the work of the 31 volunteer callers, who made this survey the easiest to conduct yet. MEC also appreciates the 102 AUFA members who took the time to speak with the callers and help AUFA’s various committees understand the views and needs of AUFA members. 

Rhiannon Rutherford, Chair 

AUFA Membership Engagement Committee 

Professional and Practical Strike or Lockout Preparation

Last week, AUFA provided some basic information about making financial preparation for a strike or lockout. This week, we’ll be discussing how to prepare practically and professionally.

Any job action is preceded by the long series of steps outlined two weeks ago in our strike primer. Once either party is in position to trigger a work stoppage, you will still have 72 hours of notice of any strike or lockout.

Access to AU Systems

Typically, union members have no access to workplace technology during a work stoppage. It would be wise to prepare for the possibility that AU will disable access to our email, files, and computers.

Preparations might include moving any personal or research files to a data stick or non-AU computer, recording important contact information and calendar events, creating and sharing a non-AU email address with colleagues, and ensuring you have access to a non-AU phone.

AUFA has been collecting non-AU contact information from members. If you have not yet provided this information (or if it has changed), please send your information to aufahq@aufa.ca. During any work stoppage, AUFA will use this information to deploy a new member communication platform.

Physical Access to AU

Employers typically restrict workers’ access to the workplace during a work stoppage. When notice of a strike or lockout is issued, staff who normally work on campus may wish to remove their personal property from AU’s buildings.

Grants and Research Projects

AUFA recognizes that some members have time-sensitive obligations related to their grants and research work. AUFA will not interfere with the timely completion of such tasks. It is not clear whether AU will be similarly accommodating.

Consequently, it is worthwhile identifying upcoming deadlines and planning ahead for how you will meet them. This includes ensuring that research colleagues and granting agencies have a way of contacting you if AU suspends access to AU IT.

Notifying Colleagues

Many of us work with colleagues in other organizations. As a work stoppage approaches, it may be necessary to alert them of the work stoppage and that it may impact our ability to respond promptly or meet previous commitments.

Prior to a work stoppage becoming imminent, it may be useful to identify people you work with outside of AU who may be affected by your absence and/or inability to access your AU IT. When a work stoppage appears imminent, send them an email outlining that a work stoppage is looming and outline how this may affect them.

You may also wish to ask your colleagues to refrain from dealing with AU until the work stoppage is ended. Academics, for example, may wish to ask academics at other institutions to refuse to approve transfer credit from AU and stop suggesting students come to AU as visiting students until the work stoppage is concluded.

Discussing a Work Stoppage with Students

Students will be negatively affected by a work stoppage. Some will see delays in teaching and marking. Others will see delays in administrative processes. AUFA will be communicating with AUSU and AUGSA about the timing and impact of a work stoppage, but you may also receive queries directly for students.

Here are some basic talking points that may be helpful in these conversations with students.

• Faculty are seeking a reasonable cost of living increase to their wages after years of salary stagnation. AU has run operating surpluses almost every year for nearly a decade.

• Faculty are also seeking to maintain long-standing rights (e.g., professional freedom) and make improvements in the workplace (e.g., addressing historical inequities and unsafe workplaces).

• AU has not shown any receptivity to these legitimate requests. Indeed, the employer has not even seen fit to table a full offer of its own. This makes it impossible for faculty to bargain a new deal with AU.

• The impact of a work stoppage on AU students is unfortunate. Nevertheless, AUFA members must look after their own interests and those of their families. Students who are frustrated can contact the AUSU (ausu@ausu.org) or AUGSA (president@augsa.com) or AU President Peter Scott (pscott@athabascau.ca) to express their concerns.

• Students who have specific questions about how AU will operate during a work stoppage should consult the AU website or contact AU President Peter Scott (pscott@athabascau.ca).

The Job Action Committee hopes this brief overview will help you to begin practically and professionally planning for a possible work stoppage. We will continue to provide you more information about work stoppages as needs arise. Please direct any questions to Bob Barnetson (barnetso@athabascau.ca).

Bob Barnetson, Chair

AUFA Job Action Committee