OPSEU Local 560

You’ll recall that local 560’s top priority entering the last round of negotiations was increased faculty control of the academic process – "academic freedom." We are disappointed that no apparent progress was made on this important issue in negotiations.

Ultimately, we see the development, the effectiveness, and even the educational validity of the Ontario college system demanding that control of the educational and training processes be the responsibility of faculty not administrators or bureaucrats. As the system matures, the academic decision-making models which drive the college system continue to demonstrate that they cannot even properly measure let alone produce the educational and training results that truly matter. This is not and should not be surprising. While this continues, issues of low morale, and diminishing satisfaction and commitment will continue to fester and plague the system. While band-aid solutions — often based in the day’s most popular managerial theory — can sometimes produce a short-term amelioration, they don’t and can’t address the fundamental deficiencies in the structure.

At the risk of oversimplification, the central relationships in the college structure must be those between students and their faculty. When those relationships become less satisfying and less stable, the students and faculty suffer. The system itself suffers and begins to break down, although the symptoms may not be obvious to those more peripheral to the student/faculty relationship, and especially to those who are measuring success using other indices. When a college places its real, though un-admitted, focus on the relationship between funding agencies and the institution, or between governing bodies and managerial and other employees, or indeed anywhere but the student/faculty relationship, the result will inevitably be injurious in the long run. More concretely, when curriculum is set, evaluation methods determined, course offerings established, and class sizes fixed by institutional cost-cutting objectives rather than educational needs, dissatisfaction will follow. Superficial and bottom-line oriented analyses will only mask the underlying debility.

Real solutions lie in adopting academic decision-making processes that place trust in and responsibility upon those who deliver academic services – the professors, instructors, counsellors, and librarians. Faculty must continue to press for greater control of their work, for greater academic freedom and responsibility.

NO CONCESSIONS

You have read it in newsletters from the bargaining team, but it bears repeating: It was the strong strike mandate that enabled the team to deliver the contract. Management came to the table insisting on concessions. They wanted major rollbacks in workload protection and in classifications. You’ll recall the proposals on opening up the Instructor classification and the massive attacks on the formula.

We were able to move salary rates to a position between high school and university teachers. It’s an important step.

While it’s good to have a contract in place with no threat of strike or lockout for some time, in the fall of 2000 we’ll need to be preparing again for negotiations. We cannot lose sight of our Local’s long-term goals and we should press for accelerated bargaining, an earlier offer and, if necessary, an early strike vote.
 

CONTRACTS
New booklets are now being prepared but will not likely be available from the printer until the new year. We’ll distribute them ASAP.

BENEFITS
Remember, the new dental benefits allow for $2000 of "regular" coverage per year, and up to $2000 lifetime for orthodontics. Orthodontics are covered at 50%, the rest at 100% of the previous year’s ODA fee schedules.

Coverage for prosthodontics (crowns and bridges) did not change. You should check your contract for details, if necessary.)

SALARY
The new salary maximums take effect as you complete a full year on the job. That means for those who went up to a new maximum as of September 24, 1998, you’ll go up another step on September 24, 1999 and another on September 24, 2000. Partial-Load rates are also increased. If you were deemed to be a LICO employee under the Social Contract Act, you have already been receiving rates above the 1992 schedules and, accordingly, your increase will not be as great. Everyone will be brought onto the 1998 schedules.

Having trouble understanding just what’s going on in education these days? Bill 160? Bill 136? Close 138 schools in the Megacity? Keep them open, but only for a year? New curriculum? Millions of dollars for government ads about, "Putting kids first?" (Isn’t it the Bank of Nova Scotia that’s, "Putting people first?")

Just keep this one simple axiom in mind when considering any of the Harris Government educational policies. This government wants to privatize as much of the education system as possible. It’s a simple but true guide. When viewed from this perspective, the apparently senseless makes perfect sense.

Here’s how it works. Weaken the public system to the extent that parents will opt for private or charter schools as alternatives. Take funding from the public system and return it as "tax reductions" so that parents can spend their educational dollars privately — a sort of tacit voucher system.

Of course, the tax reductions are greater for those with higher income, and even then don’t begin to cover the new costs. Voila, after a time, a two-tiered system. Putting some kids first. It’s already happened in several U.S. jurisdictions.

Who benefits? Why the private trainers, of course, the educational entrepreneurs. Corporate education is big business in the States, just like private corporate medical care. And the Harris government has been very clear that it sees the privatization of public services as a virtue. There is no reason whatsoever to believe that the public education systems would be exempt from this policy.

At the post-secondary level, and increasingly at the secondary level too, so-called corporate partnerships provide an avenue for the introduction and expansion of corporate control. Microsoft, Pepsi, et al don’t just want to develop a market among students and graduates, they want to develop a mindset – a social, political and cultural predisposition not just to product but to a philosophy and pattern of behaviour which is supportive of their world view, a view shared and endorsed, not coincidentally, by the Harris government.

So put aside the advertising and Harris political rhetoric— the ads bashing teachers, followed by ads bashing Toronto school trustees, and promises of "more dollars in the classroom," while millions are siphoned off. Just remember the underlying agenda, and it all fits together.

Readers will have noticed the circulation of a booklet referred to as Personal Safety/Security Threats, Policy. This document came about as a result of an order from the Ministry of Labour. The Ministry inspector was concerned that the College did not have specific procedures in place to deal with violence in the workplace and, although this document is not viewed by us as perfect, it is better than not having any procedures. It has at least forced management to review the way they deal with situations that pose risk to us all. It is unfortunate that it took an order from the Ministry to get management to address this issue, but we have had to fight for almost everything else in the area of health and safety, so why should this situation be any different?

It is important that members at each campus become involved in health and safety issues in their areas. One of the best ways to do this is to serve as a health and safety representative or a member on a joint occupational health and safety committee. Work in health and safety can be very gratifying and can strongly influence the way we feel about our workplace. There are currently openings for faculty reps on Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committees at the Newnham, King, and S.C.A. campuses.

Please indicate your interest in serving on one of these committees by calling Malcolm Archer at extension 4374. The College will credit you with time on your SWF, which they have suggested will no longer be unreasonably withheld. You do not have to have had any prior knowledge or background in health and safety to be eligible. It will not take a tremendous amount of time, but will bring a great deal of personal satisfaction. You will be able to positively influence your workplace.

To deal with health and safety concerns in a timely and appropriate fashion, it is important to remember the following points:

• Notify your supervisor immediately of any health and safety concerns you have. Your health and safety representative cannot intervene properly on your behalf before you have taken this step.
• Even though you have notified your supervisor, it is always advisable to inform Local 560 health and safety representatives as well. If your supervisor does not address your concerns in a satisfactory or timely manner, it is important that your representatives have all the pertinent information so they may act quickly to protect your interests.
• Speak up when you see an inspection tour taking place in your work area. It is an appropriate time to inform joint occupational health and safety committee members of hazards or potential hazards in your workplace.

Listed here are the vacancies and the current representatives in each work area. These people help to create a work environment that is both safe and healthy. We are all very appreciative of their efforts.

Local 560 Health & safety representatives
CENTRAL COMMITTEE	Malcolm Archer Richard Duffy Dan Janjic Muriel McKenna Joe Stavroff
NEWNHAM	Muriel McKenna Jim Moran Requires one member
GARRIOCK HALL	Mark Rohlehr Requires one member
DON MILLS	Ron Tarr
SCA	Requires one member
YORKDALE	Jon Sudlow
YORKGATE	Joanna Bechtold

Faculty occasionally encounter problems collecting claims for medical or dental services covered by the collective agreement. If this happens to you, we suggest you call the union office at 495-1599 and we will forward the information to Ruthanna Dyer, who is an OPSEU member of the provincial Joint Insurance Committee. This committee meets regularly to discuss problems and issues of concern. Part of its mandate is to review contentious claims, i.e. those not accepted by Sun Life. Often, though certainly not always, Sun Life’s original decision can be reversed.

The Workload Monitoring Group, WMG, consisting of an equal number of management and union representatives, meets on Wednesdays to discuss workload issues and to address complaints submitted by faculty or the union.

The Workload Monitoring Group often are able to spot problems or potential problems and effect a resolution. They review all SWFs and quite often are able to identify abnormalities or inconsistencies that should be addressed. The WMG also considers timetable and any other directly work-related matters.

If you have any questions about your SWF (Standard Workload Form), you can contact a steward, a member of the WMG, the union office, or your Chief Steward, Josef Stavroff.

The Chief Steward and Local 560 members of the WMG help ensure that the college is correctly applying the collective agreement in assigning members' workloads.

WMG Union Members: 1998-99

Eleanor MacLennan Ext. 4525

Paul Matson Ext. 2434

Josef Stavroff Ext. 2208

Carol Williams Ext. 2266

If you have an insurance policy with Johnson Inc., you may apply for $1,000 scholarships or academic grants for yourself or your dependents through a program established this year by Johnson Inc.

Scholarships
Scholarships are to assist students beginning post-secondary studies following the completion of high school.

Academic Grants
These grants are to assist those returning to post-secondary studies following an absence of two or more years and for those beginning studies as mature students.

Amount
A total of 100 scholarships/grants, each with a value of $1,000, will be awarded annually.

Deadlines:

Scholarships: October 31st, following the completion of the graduating year from high school
Grants: any time

NOTICE: At The Seneca Board of Governor meeting on November 26, 1998, Mr. Sal Merenda was elected to be the new board Chair, defeating incumbent Chair Susanne Eden. Elected Vice-Chairs were Rick Gosling, Rajula Atherton, Doug Dutton, and Charles Lebarge. Congratulations to them all.

President: ………….Ted Montgomery
Vice President: ……Frank Skill
V. P. Employment Equity: ………….….Diane Meaghan
Chief Steward: …….Josef Stavroff
Secretary: …………..Patricia Clark
Treasurer: ………….Anna Tilman
Health & Safety: …..Malcolm Archer

Don Mills
Don Frey 491-5050, Ext. 7214 don.frey@senecac.on.ca

Jane
Malcolm Archer 4374 malcolm.archer@senecac.on.ca

King
Howard Doughty 5195
Ruthanna Dyer 5227 ruthanna.dyer@senecac.on.ca
Marino Tuzi 5126

Leslie (now Eglinton)
Marta Hanlon 2849 marta.hanlon@senecac.on.ca
Ted Montgomery 495-1599 (Union Office) opseu560@idirect.com

Newmarket
David Sernick 491-5050, Ext. 5233 david.sernick@senecac.on.ca

Newnham
Orrin Benn 2761 obenn@aol.com
Patricia Clark 2208 patricia.clark@senecac.on.ca
Larry Daisley 2546
Jane Haddad 2649 jane.haddad@senecac.on.ca
Merylie Houston 2188 merylie.houston@senecac.on.ca
Betty Homes 2204 betty.holmes@senecac.on.ca
Dan Janjic 2402 dan.janjic@senecac.on.ca
Kadri Ann Laar 2603 laarka@sprint.ca
Paul Matson 2434 paul.matson@senecac.on.ca
Diane Meaghan 2245 dmeaghan@nh2adm1.senecac.on.ca
Frank Skill 2272
Josef Stavroff 2208 josef.stavroff@senecac.on.ca
Anna Tilman 2146 anna.tilman@senecac.on.ca
Jack Walters 2933 jack.walters@senecac.on.ca
Carol Williams 2266

S.C.A.
Daria Magas-Zamaria 4432 dzamaria@headwaters.com

Yorkdale
Eleanor MacLennan 4525 eleanor.maclennan@senecac.on.ca
John Sudlow 4515

Yorkgate
Richard Duffy 4757 richard.duffy@senecac.on.ca

Seneca V. P. Tony Tilly was again bridesmaid, this time in his quest for the presidency of Centennial College, losing out to Richard Johnson.

Seneca’s Board of Governors rejected the idea of broad employee input on the evaluation of the job the Seneca President is doing.

College presidents’ salaries are going to be tied to the college’s results on the KPI’s, that is, Key Performance Indicators.

The KPI’s are:

Graduate employment

Graduate satisfaction

Employer Satisfaction

Student Satisfaction

Graduate Retention

Two points to note here — These are highly subjective criteria, and employee satisfaction is not included.

Tying presidents’ salaries to KPI’s is sure to enhance three things – 1. Every college will be sure to place its focus on the KPIs, 2. Presidents’ salaries will go up, 3. Marketing and public relations will become more and more important.

Now, if we could tie faculty salaries to KPI’s or even presidential salaries … well, let’s not get carried away.

That the College over-deducted tax contributions in paying the $600 lump sum.

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1878 Rules for Teachers

• Teachers each day will fill lamps, clean chimneys.
• Each teacher will bring a bucket of water and a scuttle of coal for the day’s session.
• Make your pens carefully. You may whittle nibs to the individual taste of the pupils.
• Men teachers may take one evening each week for courting purposes, or two evenings a week if they go to church regularly.
• After ten hours in school, the teachers may spend the remaining time reading the Bible or other good books.
• Women teachers who marry or engage in unseemly conduct will be dismissed.
• Every teacher should lay aside from each day’s pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden on society.
• Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool or public halls, or gets shaved in a barber shop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty.
• The teacher who performs his labor faithfully and without fault for five years will be given an increase of twenty-five cents per week in his pay, providing the Board of Education approves.

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  THE LOCAL is a publication of OPSEU Local 560, the faculty of Seneca College. Please feel free to copy any original material with appropriate credit. We welcome submissions, which should be sent to Patricia Clark or Ted Montgomery at the Newnham Campus, or to 2942 Finch Avenue East, Suite 119, Scarborough, Ontario, M1W 2T4. Tel (416) 495-1599 Fax: (416) 495-7573 email opseu560@idirect.com