Policy Grievance Archive

Collective Agreement referenced: 2017 - 2021 Article(s): Letter VIII Nature of Dispute:  In 2010, WUFA initiated a grievance alleging that the employer had improperly participated in the federal government's premium reduction program. Under the program, when an employer has relatively stable employment and few of its employees are likely to collect employment insurance, EI premiums are reimbursed to the employer, who then has an obligation to negotiate with the union so that reimbursed premiums…

Collective Agreement referenced: 2017 - 2021 Article(s): 1, 12 Nature of Dispute: WUFA was made aware of at least 17 AAS members who were appointed contrary to Article 12:21 of the Collective Agreement, which requires that AAS members be appointed to an AAU, in the Division of Athletics and Recreational Services, or in the Centre for Teaching and Learning. Further, there were at least 11 AAS Learning Specialist members who have been assigned teaching duties as part of their normal workload, but…

Collective Agreement referenced: 2017 - 2021 Article(s): 8, I Nature of Dispute: The University's implementation of PeopleSoft/UWinSite software offloads clerical tasks onto WUFA members that should be performed by secretarial staff. Further, the PeopleSoft/UWinSite system has been implemented in such a way as to effect change in travel policies in violation of the Collective Agreement and existing practice. Result of Grievance: The grievance was withdrawn by WUFA without prejudice at Step 3…

Collective Agreement referenced: 2014 - 2017 Article(s): 3, 4, 35 Nature of Dispute: The University entered into an unknown number of Agreements for Course Design without the Association’s knowledge in violation of WUFA’s role as the sole bargaining agent. Furthermore, some of these agreements appear to have been contracted out to individuals identified in the Agreement as “individual contractors”. Result of Grievance: The grievance was resolved at Step 3 of the grievance process. It was…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2014-2017 Article(s): 55:11 Nature of Dispute:The University refused to initiate the process to fill vacancies in the Sessional Lecturer positions, as required under Article 55:11 of the Collective Agreement. Result of Grievance: The grievance was settled on August 31, 2017, prior to arbitration. The University agreed to fill the vacancies that existed in Article 55:11 as of August 31, 2017. There were (2) positions available to be filled. The parties agreed on a…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2014-2017 Article(s): 41 Nature of Dispute: In July 2015 the search committee that recommended hiring for the position of Associate Dean, Law Library and Legal Research Services for the Faculty of Law, was constituted in violation of Article 41 of the Collective Agreement. Result of Grievance: A settlement was reached by the parties at Step 3 of the grievance process. It was confirmed that the University shall apply Article 41:04(b)of the Collective Agreement as…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2014-2017 Article(s): 54 Nature of Dispute: The Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences allegedly interfered in the application process for Preferred Applicant Status under Article 54:06 of the Collective Agreement by placing PAS applications on hold. Historically, PAS applications have been reviewed by the AAU Renewal, Promotion and Tenure Committee and then applicants are informed of the result by the AAU Head. This practice is consistent with…

Collective Agreement Referenced:  2014-2017 Article(s): 54 Nature of Dispute: The University failed to provide the Faculty Association with sessional instructor appointment letters, beginning from the Fall 2014 semester, as required under the new language in Article 54:04(a) of the 2014-2017 Collective Agreement. Result of Grievance:  The grievance was settled prior to arbitration.  All sessional appointment letters from Intersession/Summer 2015 and Fall 2015 will be sent to WUFA. Going forward,…

Collective Agreement Referenced:  2014-2017 Article(s): 5, 46 Nature of Dispute: WUFA argued that the University arbitrarily altered the terms and conditions of employment for members of at least two faculties through the introduction of a mandatory Faculty Vacation/Conference/Research Request Form. Result of Grievance: At Step 3 of the grievance process, the University withdrew the form that had been introduced in at least two faculties. Grievance initiated: July 30, 2015 Grievance resolved: November…

Collective Agreement Referenced:  2011-2014 Article(s): 59 Nature of Dispute: Unjustified discipline such as removal from class and/or exclusion from campus during investigation for misconduct. Result of Grievance: The policy grievance was initiated in response to a member being removed from the classroom in 2014.  Subsequently, individual grievances were filed on the member's behalf, and they were resolved.  WUFA subsequently withdrew the policy grievance. Grievance initiated: February 12,…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2014-2017 Article(s): 41 Nature of Dispute: WUFA alleged a breach of the Collective Agreement when the membership of the University Librarian Search Committee (ULAC) was altered. Result of Grievance: The University conceded the grievance at Step 3 of the grievance process. The University shall apply Article 41.01 of the Collective Agreement as it related to the composition of the ULAC. Grievance initiated: February 26, 2015 Grievance resolved: August 26, 2015 Relevant…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2008-2011 and 2011-2014 Article(s): 30 Nature of Dispute: The University failed to meet any of the agreed-upon deadlines for its actions in support of employment equity principles and procedures under Article 30 of the 2008-11 and 2011-2014 Collective Agreements. Result of Grievance: The parties reached a settlement in 2015. The agreed-upon terms guide the hiring of the 50 tenure-track faculty over the next 3 years. The key key terms of the settlement are as follows:…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2011-2014 Article(s): P Nature of Dispute: WUFA alleged that the University miscalculated the average University of Windsor Faculty salaries by inclusion of ineligible administrative salaries for comparison with the Windsor Salary Standard(s). Result of Grievance: After further investigation and discussions with the University, it was determined that the salaries in question were correctly included in the UCASS data used to determine the WSS numbers, and the grievance…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2014-2017 Article(s): 54 Nature of Dispute: WUFA grieved that the University routinely fails to send out letters of appointment to sessional instructors at least eight weeks before commencement of classes as required by the Collective Agreement. Result of Grievance: The University committed to developing a policy, university-wide, whereby if a sessional member does receive his/her letter of appointment by the eight-week notice period prior to the commencement of…

Collective Agreement Referenced:  2011-2014 Article(s): 5, 10 Nature of Dispute: WUFA argued that specific research and service assignments given to by Librarian Members in their workload letters for the 2013-14 academic year violated the Collective Agreement. Result of Grievance: WUFA withdrew this grievance, without prejudice, after consulting with Librarian members.  WUFA remains concerned that the practice of assigning specific research areas and service activities in librarian workload letters…

Collective Agreement Referenced:  2011-2014 Article(s): 59 Nature of Dispute: The University allegedly failed to follow procedures in Article 59, resulting in excessive discipline of members by means of letters of warning deposited in their personnel files. Result of Grievance: The letters of warning that were party to this grievance were removed from the members' files. At Step 3, the parties agreed that a non-disciplinary letter of counselling is an acceptable method for administrators to…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2011-2014 Article(s): 5, 10 Nature of Dispute: WUFA alleged that the University examined certain Faculty Association Members’ files and personal communications without prior authorization or express permission. Result of Grievance: WUFA withdrew this grievance without prejudice after discovering further information about the two (2) cases related to this grievance. In the first instance, the email search was conducted by the Office of Internal Audit, and it focused…

Collective Agreement Referenced:  2011-2014 Article(s): 54 Nature of Dispute: The University allegedly failed to send out letters of appointment to sessional instructors at least eight weeks before commencement of 2014 Intersession semester classes in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Result of Grievance: The University conceded the grievance at Step 3 of the grievance process.The affected FAHSS sessional instructors can request that the University not utilize their course evaluations,…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2008-2011 Article(s): 3, 14 Nature of Dispute: In May, 2009, WUFA filed an application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board alleging unfair labour practices on the part of the University. Specifically, WUFA alleged that the University had negotiated voluntary contract termination retirement packages with a number of members without involving WUFA and in violation of the Collective Agreement. Furthermore, these packages were being negotiated while the parties were…

Collective Agreement Referenced: 2008-2011 Article(s): D.2, 7 Nature of Dispute: After making a unilateral decision to change the Pension and Investment Committee structures of the Board of Governors (BoG) Pension Committees, the BoG issued a policy that indicated all members of the committees must sign a confidentiality agreement. Two members affected by the policy are WUFA members who have a responsibility to keep WUFA informed. This responsibility conflicts with the confidentiality undertaking.…