CUPA's Unionisation Drive

NOT UNIONISED

UNIONISED

Carleton Postdocs

Carleton Contract Instructors

Carleton TAs

Carleton Academic Staff

McMaster Postdocs

UHIP costs

Postdoc pays ($171)

Student contract instructors have access to TA Employment Assistance Plan

TA get $330 for single; $660 for dependents towards UHIP costs.

Member pays

First three months paid by supervisor, remainder paid by PDF

Life insurance

None

Coming September 1, 2012

None

Member pays

Paid by supervisor

Health and dental insurance

Individual

Postdoc pays

($1,285 per year)

Coming September 1, 2012

TA gets 20-25% of dental cost;  $300 vision care; childcare ($3 or $6/hour worked).

Member pays 50% of the rate increases since 1998

Medical: First three months paid by supervisor, remainder paid by PDF. 

Dental: paid by supervisor

Family

Postdoc pays

($2,978 per year)

Coming September 1, 2012

Student pays

($580 per year)

Member pays 50% of the rate increases since 1998

Medical: First three months paid by supervisor, remainder paid by PDF

Dental: $36.70/ month

Parental leave

None

None

52 (women) or 37 (men) weeks leave.  Two weeks' at 95% salary, followed by 15 weeks at 55% salary

Up to 52 weeks (for women) or 37 weeks (for men) at 95% of salary (presuming EI benefit eligibility)

35 weeks parental leave. Two weeks at 95% salary, then 15 weeks at 40% salary

Vacation

None

None

None

One calendar month (22 days for most members, 25 days after 14 years for librarians)

Vacation from 15-25 days per year linked to experience

Salary

No regulations

(average is around $20/hr)

Fixed minimum salaries, increasing over time

($6,237 per half course)

Fixed minimum salaries, increasing over time (grads: $36.91/hr, undergrads: $20.89/hr)

Fixed minimum salaries dependent on rank. Annual career development increases.

Fixed minimum salaries based on experience and increasing over time

Additional funds

None

A $70,000 contract instructor "Professional Development Fund"

A $120,000 "Employee Assistance Fund" for UHIP, Vision, Childcare and dental (see above)

$1,400 Professional Expense Reimbursement per member per year

A $20,000 “Postdoctoral Fellow Support Fund”

Tuition assistance

None

$700 tuition rebate

None, increases in tuition over the course of study are reimbursed

Free tuition for member, spouse and dependents to age 26

Tuition covered for relevant courses

Teaching bonuses

Compensation for late cancellation of classes and marking of deferred assignments

Bonus for teaching in the summer above normal load. Additional workload credit for CUTV/CUOL courses.

Financial bonus for teaching classes of more than 75 students

Financial bonuses

$400 annual bonus on anniversary of signing of Collective Agreement

Issue

NOT UNIONISED

UNIONISED

Dignity and Fair Treatment

Only given if they like you. Little recourse to bullying behaviour.

Must be given at all times.

Wages and Benefits

Privately negotiated by management, either without employee input or without any enforcement mechanism.

Spelled out in the Collective Agreement.

Wage Increases (Annual Raises)

Favouritism can determine individual raises.

Will be bargained for everyone.

Discipline

You are on your own, and have little ability to fight discipline.

The Union will defend you with Legal Assistance and a Grievance Process.

Termination

The employer can terminate your employment at will, without cause.

You cannot be terminated without cause.

Problems on the Job

There is no dispute mechanism; or, if there is, it is controlled by the employer.

Your voice is heard. You have a Grievance procedure, backed up by Arbitration (the court-like tribunal which hears labour disputes).

Policies

Forever changing, and set by the employer.

Remain consistent and are disputable under the Grievance procedure.

Job Descriptions

Job descriptions may be inaccurate and are evaluated at the employer's discretion.

Job descriptions must be accurate and evaluated based on objective criteria.