LABOUR RELATIONS UPDATES
June 8, 2011
The following message is from Dr. Sarah McKinnon, Vice-President, Academic and Chair of the OCAD University Negotiation Committee and Professor Sandra Altwerger, President, OCADFA:
Improvements to the Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan
We are writing to update you on OCAD University’s Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan and recent improvements to this offer, as negotiated last week between the University and the OCAD Faculty Association.
Earlier this term, a retirement incentive arrangement was extended to OCAD University’s tenured faculty. While a number of faculty inquired about the details, only three individuals applied by the June 1 deadline. The feedback we received on the offer included the following: some felt they weren’t ready to retire by next year, but might in a further year or two; several indicated that there was too little time to weigh the decision regarding the retirement in time to accept the incentive offer; and others commented that the offer itself was not rich enough to allow for retirement.
We are very pleased to announce the following revised offer, which addresses these concerns within the University’s financial and administrative parameters. Changes are noted with underlined text. OCADFA and the University jointly recommend it as a fair and competitive plan for those who are considering retirement. No plans exist for a future retirement incentive offer at OCAD University beyond this offer.
OCAD U’s Revised Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan:
Timing:
• There will be three opportunities to apply for participation in the plan, according to the following deadlines and subject to funding availability:
o July 1, 2011, for a retirement plan to commence in the 2011/2012 academic year;
o November 1, 2011, for a retirement plan to commence in the 2012/2013 academic year;
o March 1, 2012, for a retirement plan to commence in the 2012/2013 academic year.
• Participants may request deferral of up to one year, subject to University approval.
Eligibility:
• Application is open to tenured faculty only, on the basis of age plus years of service totalling 80 or more as of the deadline for application, subject to approval by the University. Considerations for such decisions will include such factors as financial, curricular and faculty complement planning.
Options:
• Phased Option: A one-year phased teaching load reduction, from 100% to 50% in the following academic year, with an irrevocable commitment to retire on June 30 of that year. Salary, benefits and pension coverage and premium contribution levels are maintained at unreduced levels for the phase-out year, with a lump sum payment of 25% of salary issued at retirement.
• Lump Sum Option: A one-time retirement allowance of 100% of salary to be issued at the end of the academic year, with an irrevocable commitment to retire on June 30. Salary, benefits and pension conclude at retirement.
For further information regarding eligibility or either voluntary retirement option, please contact your Dean of Faculty or Adam Bereza, Human Resources Administrator (Academic Staff).
May 3, 2011
The following message is from Dr. Sarah McKinnon, Vice-President, Academic and Chair of the OCAD University Negotiation Committee and Professor Sandra Altwerger, President, OCADFA:
Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan
We are pleased to announce jointly that an agreement was reached today between the University and the OCAD Faculty Association on a one-time Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan.
As you are likely aware, a retirement incentive arrangement for OCAD University’s tenured faculty was identified as an issue of mutual interest between the University and OCADFA, and one of significant interest and benefit to faculty. We agreed to negotiate the Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan outside of the collective bargaining process. While we continue to discuss other matters at the bargaining table, we have agreed to proceed with a voluntary retirement incentive offer to eligible faculty in the coming weeks in order to implement it for the 2011/2012 academic year.
The opportunity to apply for the Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan will be extended in the coming days to those tenured faculty whose age plus years of service total 80 or more as of June 30, 2011. Subject to approval by the University based on issues of funding, curricular and faculty complement planning, applications will be due to their Dean of Faculty and Human Resources by June 1, 2011.
The plan includes two options:
• a one-year phased option, with a reduced teaching assignment from 100% to 50% for the 2011/2012 academic year, and with salary, benefits and pension maintained at unreduced levels until full retirement on June 30, 2012; and
• a lump sum option, with a retirement allowance of 50% of salary and full retirement on June 30, 2011, with salary, benefits and pension concluding at retirement. Participants may opt to have this lump sum payment divided into two payments, with one payment issued in each of the 2011 and 2012 calendar years.
For further information regarding eligibility or either voluntary retirement options, please contact your Dean of Faculty or Adam Bereza, Human Resources Administrator (Academic Staff).
We are pleased to provide this opportunity for eligible faculty, and in doing so to facilitate faculty complement planning and implementation of the University’s new Academic Plan.
April 28, 2011
The following message is from Dr. Sarah McKinnon, Vice-President, Academic and Chair of the OCAD University Negotiation Committee and contains information regarding the University/OCADFA negotiations:
Thank You’s and Updates on Retirement Incentives & Bargaining
I am writing to extend my thanks to those involved in yesterday’s events, and to provide further update on the possibility of an offer of voluntary retirement incentives and collective bargaining.
First, I would like to acknowledge the terrific work of Mary Wilson, Director, CIADE and the staff who helped organize this year’s symposium on teaching and learning innovation, Big Talk, held yesterday. And thank you to those who attended and shared your passion for art, design and education, as well as your expertise and ideas. It was wonderful to see this active engagement and dialogue.
Also, on behalf of the University I would like to reiterate the thanks expressed at yesterday’s Faculty Appreciation Event to all of you for your dedication, hard work and commitment to our students and to the University. As announced at the event, Professor George Boileau is this year’s winner of the Price Award for Excellence in Teaching. The Non-Tenured Faculty Teaching Award was shared by winners Professors Nicole Collins and Spencer J. Harrison. I enjoyed the opportunity to raise a glass in toast to our faculty with you! As always, I also appreciate the excellent work of my office staff in coordinating this event.
Since my communication several weeks ago, a number of faculty members have approached their Dean or myself to express interest in participating in a voluntary retirement incentive program, and to inquire about the details. While there are no specifics to share at this point, we hope to be in a position to do so shortly. The University proposed such a plan to OCADFA outside the collective bargaining process on March 25, 2011, and we look forward to receiving their response soon.
You may also be aware that OCADFA has chosen to refer bargaining to a mediation-arbitration process, as is their right under the Memorandum of Agreement. While we are working together to establish dates for this process to unfold, in the meantime, we continue to meet and make progress at the bargaining table on key issues.
I will be in touch to share more information on these issues as it becomes available. Meanwhile I wish you all the best for a productive and rejuvenating summer.
April 1, 2011
The following message is from Dr. Sarah McKinnon, Vice-President, Academic and Chair of the OCAD University Negotiation Committee and contains information regarding the University/OCADFA negotiations:
End of Term Update, Winter 2011
As we enter the final weeks of the Winter Term 2011, I write to thank you all for your contributions to OCAD University and to our students, as well as to update you on a few items of interest to faculty and academic staff.
April is an extraordinarily busy period with the end of classes, critiques and exams, marking and grading. I value greatly the contributions you make every day in classrooms and studios and I want to acknowledge your dedication.
I also wish to acknowledge our academic administrative team of Deans, Associate Deans, Chairs, and Graduate Directors, who have worked tirelessly this year. They have been instrumental in achieving curricular and infrastructure reforms to improve future teaching and learning opportunities, and fostering collegial and productive debates among faculty and academic staff in pursuit of these goals.
There will be an opportunity for me to express my gratitude in person at the Annual Faculty Appreciation Event on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at 4 p.m. in the Great Hall. Immediately preceding this event from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Auditorium is Big Talk!, the annual OCAD U symposium on teaching and learning innovation. I do hope you will join us for these two important events. Further details are available on the following link: OCAD U Events Calendar.
You may be aware that faculty bargaining between the University and the OCAD Faculty Association (OCADFA) has been underway since November 2010. The parties are working hard collectively to reach a balanced renewal agreement that addresses the needs of faculty and academic staff, facilitates the achievement of our new academic plan, and meets our current financial constraints. Given the ongoing nature of these discussions, I am not yet able to provide further details in this regard.
Meanwhile, the University has been making best efforts outside the collective bargaining process to address two key faculty issues for the 2011/2012 academic year: long-service sessionals and a voluntary retirement incentive offer.
The five-year maximum for sessionals will be reinstated on July 1, 2011, in the Faculties of Art and Liberal Studies, as per the arbitrator’s decision which concluded the last round of bargaining in 2007. The University highly values the contributions of its sessional faculty and has been actively exploring ways to address this issue. To this end, eight new Contractually-Limited Teaching Appointments (CLTA) have been established for July 1, 2011, open solely to sessional instructors impacted by the maximum. This measure, in addition to the seven new tenure-track positions for next year and possible additional CLTA appointments, will move us closer to achieving a better balance between sessional and non-sessional teaching at the University over time.
A number of OCAD U faculty have expressed interest in a voluntary retirement incentive arrangement. In order to establish this initiative for the upcoming academic year, the University has proposed to OCADFA that a one-time offer be extended to eligible faculty this spring. We await their response, and look forward to sharing further details with you at the earliest opportunity. Meanwhile, if retirement is of particular interest to you, I encourage you to speak with your Dean of Faculty.
Once again, I would like to thank you for your valuable work, and for your commitment to the University and to our students. Please accept my best wishes for the end of term.
July 29, 2010
The following message is from Dr. Sarah McKinnon, Vice-President, Academic and Chair of the OCAD University Negotiation Committee:
Ontario Public Sector Compensation Restraint and Faculty Bargaining
On Tuesday July 20, 2010, Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance, delivered a speech on compensation restraint to public sector stakeholders. This followed the government’s previously announced two-year compensation freeze legislated for non-bargaining unit public employees effective March 25, 2010, and its directive to public sector employers and unions to seek agreements with no-net compensation increases for a two-year period following the expiry of current agreements.
During last week’s speech, the minister announced a plan for further consultation between the government and public sector partners over the next two months, and encouraged all employers and unions already at the bargaining table to pause in order to allow this consultation to take place.
Specifically, the government plans to meet with a small party of selected University and faculty union/association representatives from August 9 to August 20 at the Royal York in Toronto to discuss participative solutions to the government’s mandate for the post-secondary environment. As OCADU’s Vice-President, Academic, I am one of eight Ontario university representatives selected to participate in this sectoral consultation.
With OCAD U and OCADFA slated to commence bargaining this fall for a renewal agreement, the impact of this government announcement on the timing or substance of these negotiations is not yet clear. The University will be working with OCADFA to determine how to proceed, and will circulate more information as it becomes available.
For more information on the government’s public sector compensation restraint initiative, please see the following link: http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/ontariobudgets/2010/faq_july.html
Last Modified:1/24/2012 12:57:29 PM
HR SPOTLIGHT
Call for Nominations
Nominations for the Equity Award and the Award for Employee Excellence must be submitted to HR by Monday, May 28, 2012.
Don't forget to join us on Thursday, June 14, 2012 from 9-10:30am in the Lambert Lounge when we will announce the winners of both awards.