UOITFA Observes Fair Employment Week: Social Media Day of Action and Other Resources

Fair Employment Week, taking place this year from October 17th to 21st, is CAUT’s (Canadian Association of University Teachers) annual campaign to raise awareness about precarious employment on campuses and support local organizing to improve the working conditions of contract academic staff. More information on CAUT’s Fair Employment Week can be found here. Join the UOITFA at one of the numerous events this week to help us raise awareness for our contract faculty colleagues: 

UOITFA in Solidarity with PSAC 555: Tuesday October 18th, 10am to 1pm
The UOITFA stands in solidarity with PSAC 555, the union that represents teaching and research assistants, invigilators, sessional faculty, and post-doctoral fellows at Ontario Tech University. PSAC 555 is currently in bargaining with Ontario Tech and their sessional faculty unit has been in conciliation with the University since the Fall of 2021.

Sessional Instructors at Ontario Tech University are bargaining for job security, fair workloads, and the right to disconnect. The bargaining demands are fair and reasonable and would improve working conditions for contract faculty and improve learning conditions for students.

You can show your support for PSAC 555 by coming out to the UOITFA’s table for Fair Employment Week in ERC from 10am to 1pm on Tuesday October 18th to show support for PSAC 555’s bargaining team. You can also send a letter to President Murphy asking him to provide leadership and ensure fair workloads, equitable compensation, and job security for our contract faculty colleagues.

CAUT’s Fair Employment Week Keynote: Wednesday October 19th, 1pm
In the latest round of bargaining at Open University in the UK, contract lecturers won permanent contracts. Hear from Richard Bradbury, a member of the negotiating team, about this historic victory. Click here to register on Zoom.

Social Media Day of Action: Wednesday October 19th 
The UOITFA will be participating in CAUT’s social media day of action in support of our contract academic staff colleagues. The UOITFA will be participating in CAUT’s social media day of action, and we need your help to show support of our contract academic staff colleagues. How to get involved:

  • Send tweets or posts in support of Fair Employment Week and your Contract Faculty colleagues. You can even use the UOITFA’s pre-drafted tweets to make participating as easy as possible!
  • Take a picture or selfie with the UOITFA solidarity with contract faculty infographic and post it online
  • Retweet/repost messages from the UOITFA and your colleagues
  • Send a picture or message of support to the UOITFA at [email protected] and we can post it from the UOITFA social media accounts

Graphics can be found here and pre-drafted tweets can be found here!! If you need any assistance participating in CAUT’s social media day of action, please reach out to us at [email protected] and we would be happy to help!

CAUT Zoom Social for Contract Academic Staff: Friday October 21st, 2022, 1pm
Contract academic staff from coast to coast are invited to an informal Zoom social to talk about the unique issues of CAS, discuss strategies to improve working conditions, and join together in celebration of the work and contributions CAS make to our universities and colleges.. Click here to register for the Zoom Social.

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