PSAC Local 610 Bulletin for January 15, 2013 Happy New Year! In this issue:
Bill 115 January 26 Rally in Toronto Rally against Bill 115! Defend your rights! On Saturday, January 26, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is organizing a rally against the Bill 115 - which has stripped educational workers of their right to collective bargain - in Toronto. PSAC 610 will be sending invites to join thousands of workers while the Liberal Party hosts its Ontario Convention. Let's show the provincial government that Union rights are here to stay! Let's demonstrate our solidarity towards our Sisters and Brothers! The 2013 PSAC National Health and Safety Conference will be held April 12 to 14, 2013 at the Sheraton Hotel in Montréal, Québec under the theme “MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK – WE ARE ALL AFFECTED.” Please find attached the call-out in both French and English as well as the link to complete the registration form on-line: HTTP://PSAC.COM/CONFERENCES/2013/HEALTHSAFETY/HOME-E.SHTML#FORM The deadline for applications and resolutions is JANUARY 31. 2013. Conferences Working Group – Call for Members PSAC Local 610 needs to do an assessment of our involvement at conferences related to the issues of labour. This is a call out for members interested in participating in a working group to help better our understanding of the costs and frequency of the conferences to which we want to be sending delegate. An initial lunch-time meeting will be held at the grad club before the end of the month. If you want to be involved RSVP here: psac610@psac610.ca PSAC Ontario Council: DCL Academic Worker Representative Local 610 would like to wish a hearty congratulation to Marie Polgar-Matthews, our sister from Local 555 (UOIT, Oshawa) who has been seated as our democratic voice on the Ontario council. This role is our direct representative within the Ontario PSAC organizational structure. We are sure you'll do a fantastic job! Help Western Draft Its New Game Plan Western University's Strategic Plan is an in-depth articulation of the University's mandate that focuses on several aspects of the University's operation and identifies key areas for development – including research priorities, enrollment, and funding models. This document is currently being revised and will be finalized by the beginning of the next Fall term. Going into this process, the Senate Committee on University Planning has been tasked with facilitating as meaningful a consultative process as can be achieved. It is currently collecting feedback through a variety of means (there is more information about that on the current Strategic Planning website.)This process is continuing until the deadline of February 29. No new feedback to the University Administration about Western's next Strategic Plan can be accepted after this date. Departmental submissions must be received by February 19th. As the Graduate Student Representative to SCUP, I am trying to make contact with as many graduate student departmental associations as possible in order to get as comprehensive of a picture of our experiences and suggestions back to the Committee as possible. Please contact Mary Eileen Wennekers, the university senator representing graduate students on SCUP, at wennekerseileen@gmail.com if you have any questions about the process, suggestions for the best ways to get feedback, or (this would be the best!) if you want to help. Also, watch for an announcement about an information session about the process that will take place the evening of January 28h, 2012. Call out for members recommendations for the 2013-2014 budget The Finance Committee is preparing the budget for 2013-2014 and is seeking new ideas and project proposals from the membership. Please email your recommendations to treasurer@psac610.ca. Foodbank The TA/PD foodbank offers assistance to all members who self-identify as in need. Come by the office to pick up a form or fill it out here. Members are eligible for $50, $75, or $100, depending on whether or not you have dependents or a partner. Don't hesitate! Your union is here for you. We are here for you if you need support while we strive for a better future for our members. In solidarity Jonathan Giles Community Alliance Chair TA Needs Bursary (TANB) Please be reminded members that the deadline for the Winter TANB is January 31st. Applications are printable from the PSAC Local 610 website and in the Union Office. The Scholarships and TANB Committee is always looking for new members! If you are interested, please contact the Secretary, Kevin Godbout, at secretary@psac610.ca. Collective Agreement Update We are waiting on the Board of Governors to ratify the Collective Agreement. Steward Solidarity Events The new year is a great opportunity to have a Steward Solidarity Event! It’s simple! Just ask your steward to host a Steward Solidarity Event for your department. If you are a steward it’s also simple: all you have to do is pick a date that works for your group and book at the Grad Club by contacting Marc LaLonde (mlalond2@uwo.ca). Don’t have a steward for your department? Volunteer or contact your Chief Steward! Not sure if your department has a steward – check here! Chief Steward Arts and Humanities: Amy Wuest (artschief@psac610.ca) Chief Steward Bio Sciences: Chris Austin (bioscichief@psac610.ca) Chief Steward Physical Sciences: Ahmed Elatar (physicalscichief@psac610.ca) Chief Steward Social Sciences: Brian Venne (socialscichief@psac610.ca) Steward Solidarity Events are a great opportunity to connect with your local! Click here for more information. PSAC Local 610 Bulletin for November 6, 2012 In this issue:
Last month PSAC local 610 conducted a research project on student poverty issues. Two working groups were sharing their stories and discussing how their earning power at Western has affected the quality of their research and their standard of living. A broad demoraphic, composed of domestic and international students, parents, members of all divisions, racialized members, and members of both genders participated. A detailed report about the findings of this project was submitted to the executive committee on Monday Nov 5th. A communication from the local to inform the membership about the findings of this report will be released on Friday Nov 9th. Also a hard copy of the full report is available at the union office in case you want to read it. This report was prepared by Eileen Wennekers Upcoming Events PSAC DCL Academic Conference – November 22 to November 25 Registration is still available for the DCL Academic Conference. The Conference will be here in London, ON. Please note that our local can send 5 delegates to the conference. Expenses will be covered! This is the first year PSAC will be hosting a DCL Academic Conference about academic issues. Queens University (PSAC 901), University of Ontario Institute of Technology (PSAC 555), and our local (610/611), will be meeting together to discuss relevant issues with fellow academic leaders. This is a great opportunity for interested future union officers to learn more about the functioning of Unions in academic institutions. If interested please email us at psac610@psac610.ca. If you have any questions, please contact us. Nomination for PSAC Ontario Council Representative for DCL Academic Workers A vacancy has occurred for the position of the Alternate to the DCL (Directly Charted Locals) Academic Worker Ontario Representative on the PSAC Ontario Regional Council. All PSAC members from the DCL Academic sector, Ontario Region are eligible to run for this vacant position. Nominations must be received no later than November 30, 2012. Nominations for the position should be submitted to: The office of the REVP, Ontario c/o PSAC Regional Office, 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 608, Toronto, ON, M4P 2Y3; by fax to 416-485- 8607 Or by e-mail to reidc@psac.com. Please submit a one page (maximum) bio to be included in the balloting package. If you have any questions regarding this process please contact Cleo Reid at 416-485-3558, ext 232 or by email at reidc@psac.com. The application is available at the union office in Somerville House, room 1313. If you have any questions regarding this position please contact us. Registration is now open OFL Women’s Leadership Summit The Ontario Federation of Labour’s Women’s Committee will be hosting a Women’s Leadership Summit from December 10-12, 2012 at the Kempenfelt Centre in Barrie, Ontario. This is a unique opportunity for women to come together with like-minded trade union and community Sisters to share information about skill building, strategy, and the incredible opportunities for women in the labour movement. Women are now the majority of union members. Study after study show the future growth of the labour movement will primarily be women workers, partially women workers who are from equity seeking groups. The Summit will explore strategies to build women’s involvement in unions and strengthen the labour movement today and in the future. What: OFL Women’s Leadership Summit Where: Kempenfelt Conference Centre, 3722 Fairway Road, Innisfil, Ontario, L9S 1A5 When: December 10-12, 2012 Registration Fee: $100 (members are responsible for cost and room bookings) Accommodations: To book your accommodations, please contact Christina Dawson christina@wetravel.net or Nora Mackie nora@wetravel.net, toll free at (888) 676-7747 or direct (613) 232-9908 Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost per person including meals is $166 per night single occupancy, or $139 per night double occupancy, plus applicable taxes. Please have the attached form completed to register and email or send the form back to Sue Fratric sfratric@ofl.ca 416-443-7664. If you have any questions or require further details, please contact Sister Carrol Anne Sceviour at csceviour@ofl.ca, office 416-443-7670, mobile 416-606-5046. The application is available at the union office in Somerville House, room 1313. If you have any questions regarding this position please contact us. Other Issues Join us on Facebook and Twitter! Join our group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/10150128669460570/ Also follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSAC610 PSAC Local 610 Bulletin for October 24, 2012
‘Lumpsum/Letter of Offer’ Confusion Our union has been investigating problems with the application of “one-time payments” within the calculation of student funding support. More information about the particulars of this complicated situation are available HERE, on our website. If you think you have been affected, speak with a representative at the union office, SH 1313. Recognition of GSAs as GTAs Progress has been made in relationship to the employer’s willingness to recognize GSAs as GTAs. It is the position of the union, that this recognition issue is a pay equity issue: GSAs do the same work we do, but do not receive lumpsum, hence they do it for less. If you, or anyone you know is hired as a GSA and yet works with undergrads in the capacity of a GTA, speak to a representative at the union office, SH 1313. We can help. Overwork Protection Marking season is upon us. Don’t forget to track your hours. If you believe that you will exceed the amount of hours you have been assigned to (140 hrs/term for a 10 hrs/week TAship or 70 hrs/term for 5 hrs/week TAship) we strongly advise you to notify the department that your hours is about to expire and in order for you to continue working they have to pay you overtime hours. If you need further assistance with this issue, speak with a representative at the union office, SH 1313. Past Events: Super Awesome Non-Boring Demo On October 16th 2012, members of PSAC 610 staged a marking demonstration on Concrete Beach at Western University. Teaching Assistants raised awareness about working conditions and the constraints under which we are to provide quality feedback when grading assignments. Undergraduate passers-by were given the chance to mark essays strict time constraints, and afterwards they were asked for their reactions. The event was well-received by passers-by and well-staffed in terms of member participation. It was a wonderful example of well-executed direct action that was effective in bringing our message home to those who took the time to listen or participate. Check out the video below from the event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep32NWLfWhk Working Group on Student Poverty Sessions PSAC Local 610 Student Poverty Research Project is off to a fantastic start! The Student Poverty Research Project is now in full swing, collecting both qualitative and quantitative information about the economic status of graduate students at Western. The University committed to a guaranteed funding of $12,000 in 2005. Since then, however, our income has only increased 0.97% annually - far less than inflation - and this is only if you have a full TAship (140 hours a month) and qualify for the full lump sum. International students and students with part-time TA contracts are even more vulnerable, and each year, the purchasing power of our incomes continues to decline. Last week, several members participated in two working groups, sharing their stories and discussing how their earning power at Western have affected the quality of their research and their standard of living. A broad demographic, composed of both domestic and international students, parents, members of all divisions, racialized members, and members of both genders participated. This was invaluable in terms of collecting concrete and verifiable data for analysis, which will be part of a paper scheduled to be drafted by month's end. Thank you very much to everyone who participated! And, if you are interested in participating in the project and would consent to being interviewed, please contact psac610@psac610.ca for more information. Eileen Wennekers Upcoming Events: PSAC DCL Academic Conference – November 22 to November 25 This is the first year PSAC will be hosting a DCL Academic Conference about academic issues. Queens University (PSAC 901), University of Ontario Institute of Technology (PSAC 555), and our local (610/611), will be meeting together to discuss relevant issues with fellow academic leaders. This is a great opportunity for interested future union officers to learn more about the functioning of Unions in academic institutions. The PSAC DCL Academic Conference will be here in London. Our local can send 5 delegates to the conference. Expenses will be covered! Interested? Register by November 1st by emailing us at psac610@psac610.ca. First come first serve so don’t hesitate. If you have any questions, please contact us. Grievance Committee Call-out – Deadline October 29: The Grievance Committee assists in the co-ordination of potential Grievances. The committee will be comprised of the President and Chief Stewards. Membership is open to all members in good standing providing they sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement). A chair will be chosen from the members of the committee by the committee. Member in good standing is defined in section 2.7.C of the Bylaws. Interested members must send an email to the interim chair of the Committee at president@psac610.ca (please cc psac610@psac610.ca) with a brief statement of their interest to be on the Committee before October 29, 2012. Survey on Teaching Assistant Evaluations Please be reminded we have an online survey about TA evaluations. Have you ever had one? Should they be mandatory? How would you design an evaluation form? We want to know how these processes can be improved to better provide training and professionalization opportunities for our members. The survey can be found on the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8WFRQLN Survey designed by Siobhan Watters. TANB Application Results, Fall 2012 Applicants to the TA Needs Bursary have been informed of the results. The TANB committee regrets that it cannot fund all the applications and decisions made by the committee are final. Don't forget to apply for the second round of bursaries; the deadline is January 31, 2013! The new application is available on the PSAC 610 website. The Scholarships and TANB Committee is still looking for new members, if you are interested, please communicate with the Secretary, Kevin Godbout, at secretary@psac610.ca, thank you! PSAC Local 610 Bulletin for October 9, 2012 In this issue:
The situation:We recognize there is confusion as to lumpsum payments and letters of offer. We are trying to get clarity; but we need members to come forward with their documentation. We have also had discussion with SGPS on this concern. At this time we have made a commitment to resolve these matters through informal discussion on a case by case basis. What to do: Members are encouraged to come into the office 12-2 on Fridays to speak with officers. Alternatively, you can click here to find more detailed information. GTA Recognition The situation: There are graduate students working for departments in the capacity of TAs, insofar as they grade and/or do other duties as defined in the CA. However, they are not recognized as Union members. This means they are not entitled to their lumpsum, as well as other benefits such as food bank, EHP, and UHIP. Effectively they do the same work as we do, but get less for it. We don’t think this is fair. And as a union we are prepared to recognize and represent the individual cases of people who come forward. However, as they are not on the email list the employer supplies to us on October 1st, we have little to no way of contacting them. What to do: You can help by talking to people in your department and let them know that they can get help in the union office, room 1313 Sommerville House. Overwork Protection The situation: Marking season is upon us. Members have come forward seeking advice in terms of their hours of work. What to do: If you think you have been given too much to do, within the hours you are being paid for, use the following calculation: Number of students in class = X How long it takes to grade an individual assignment = Y Total Number of assignments to grade by ______ Marking Deadline = Z (it would be useful to know the student assignment submission deadline too) X x Y x Z = Total Marking Time. If you believe your workload doesn’t reflect the terms of your duties specification agreement, find someone in the union office and talk to us. We can help. An Important detail If you believe that you are being affected by a violation of the collective agreement, do not file a grievance before talking to someone—in person—who understands the principles of the “duty and right to fair representation”. If you are unsure, ask them; they have to tell you. At the same time be advised, departmental staff such as professors and administrators are not stewards. They don’t have that same obligation and as such may not have all the information that you are entitled to. · Union information is available on here: www.psac610.ca. · Union representation is available in the office SH 1313. · The President holds office hours on Tuesday from 12pm to 2pm, and Friday from 12pm to 2pm. Additional hours are available upon request. Email psac610@psac610.ca for Gabe’s availability. Upcoming Events Bargaining Mobilization Assembly Workshop TOMORROW at 6pm in rm HSB 9 The Bargaining Mobilization Assembly will be hosting a bargaining mobilization workshop. This 3-hour workshop will teach you how to mobilize your colleagues in your department to become interested and involved in the bargaining process. You will learn how to talk to your colleagues and co-workers, including: · how to talk about bargaining and its importance · how to set-up one-on-one conversations · how to keep a relationship going · inoculation · fact-finding in your department · avoiding burn-out By mobilizing our membership, we will have a strong union that can fight for our demands! Union officers will be there to discuss members’ issues. Stewards, this is a great opportunity to learn about the importance of being a Steward! Refreshments will be provided. Organize a Steward Hospitality Event The Steward Hospitality Event is an opportunity for stewards to host an informal social event at the Grad Club to engage the members of their department. Just like last year, stewards can organize hospitality events on behalf of our union members in their own departments. If your department doesn’t have a steward, you can become one by nominating yourself. Click here to see which departments have steward. Click here for the nomination form. Organizing an event like this is a great way to get involved and have a say in the activities of the union. What to do: If you are a steward, click here to learn how to organize an event. Ask your steward to organize one for your department. Working Group on Student Poverty Sessions For many of us, the funding package that we receive, including our TA wages, leaves us well below the poverty line, calculated at 2012 at $22,000 a year for a single person living in a community of 500,000 (http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/?p=2322 [1]). PSAC Local 610 is researching the economic status of our members in order to draft a position paper on student poverty. In addition to compiling and analyzing numerical data from various sources, the paper will incorporate qualitative data - real stories from real TAs about what it's like to live on $12,000 a year. In order to get a comprehensive picture we are convening two sessions of a working group on graduate student poverty: MONDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 5 - 7 PM room TBA TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH, 12 - 2PM room TBA As at all PSAC Local 610 events, children are welcome, and a meal will be provided for those who contribute to the project by participating in these working groups. If you wish to share your story and are not able to attend at either of these times, individual interviews can also be scheduled through our amazing office manager, Super Conan, at psac610@psac610.com. How can I get involved Be curious. Talk to people in your department. Inform yourself. There are many information resources available on our website, including the Collective Agreement, Bylaws, Steward nomination forms, as well as other documents. (www.psac610.ca) Come out to one of our events. Join a committee – click here for a list of committees, and email the committee chair. Sign up and become a steward. (http://www.psac610.ca/stewards) Organize a steward hospitality event at the Grad Club. click here PSAC Local 610 Bulletin for the week of Sept 24th 2012 In this issue: • Special Meeting – Wednesday, October 3rd 4:30-6:30 BGS rm. 0165 • Committees Call out! Application Deadline - Friday, September 28th, 2 pm • Problems concerning *revised* letters of offer and/or duties specification agreements? • Reminder: Steward Nomination Deadline – Friday, September 28th, 2 pm • Reminder: Family BBQ - Sunday, September 23rd, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, Grad Club • Survey on Teaching Assistant Evaluations • Tea with a TA! Save the Date! Special Meeting on October 3rd in BGS rm. 0165 There’s a lot of business on the formal agenda of the Union this year. And we’re kicking things off with a special meeting for both stewards and the general membership on Wednesday, October 3rd, 4:30-6:30 pm in B&GS 0165 (Biological & Geological Sciences). On the docket, we’ll be discussing Steward Hospitality Events 2012-2013, our ongoing negotiations, and the general “State of the Union”. For more information, or to suggest other agenda items, email Gabe Elias (president@psac610.ca). Following the meeting, there will be followed by a reception at the Grad Club. Committees Call out! Join a Committee! This is our union, and becoming a committee member is a great way to be involved. Committee members play a crucial role as direct point of access for our union members who need information about University and Local policies, procedures, and benefits. Apply by emailing the chair of that committee (CC psac610@psac610.ca). Deadline for applying is Friday Sept 28th at 2:00pm. The following committees are seeking members: Bylaws Committee The Bylaws Committee reviews the Local’s Bylaws, proposes amendments to the Bylaws, and vets members’ amendments to the Bylaws. If interested email: Gabe Elias (president@psac610.ca) Communications Committee Members will assist in preparing and coordinating training sessions for the Local’s Stewards; preparing and facilitating biannual information sessions; evaluating existing communications strategies and assist in improving these strategies. If interested email: Nedal Mohamed (infochair@psac610.ca) Finance Committee The finance committee is a standing structural committee that collects data related to the financial goals and actual spending of the local and assist the treasurer in the performance of his duties including preparation of budgets. If interested email: Jubayer Chowdhury (treasurer@psac610.ca) Women’s Committee The Women’s Committee seeks to foster a greater sense of community among women graduate teaching assistants and advocates for improved accessibility, resources, and working conditions for women graduate teaching assistants. If interested email: Conan Masterson (psac610@psac610.ca) CC: Gabe Elias (president@psac610.ca) Scholarship & Bursaries Committee Committee members shall meet several times and coordinate efforts to choose the scholarship and bursary awardees. If interested email: Kevin Godbout (secretary@psac610.ca) Political Action/Social Justice Committee The work of the Political Action/Social Justice Committee addresses concerns in three contexts: the University of Western Ontario, Canada, and internationally and may also work with other progressive groups and coalitions to promote alternative policies which benefit workers, their families and communities. If interested email: Conan Masterson (psac610@psac610.ca) CC: Gabe Elias (president@psac610.ca) Terms of Reference for these committees can be found online on the following link: http://www.psac610.ca/committees Problems concerning your letters of offer and/or duties specification agreement? Unfortunately, we’ve been hearing about a number of problems regarding duties specification agreements and/or minimum funding agreements as specified by a letter of offer. To clarify a few things: a) Lumpsum: This is payment mechanism designed to protect TA wages from potential clawbacks by the minimum funding agreement. In other words, the lump sum – or ‘one time payment’ as it is sometime referred to by various departments – cannot be included as part of your minimum funding offer. As specified by the colletive, it must be an additional payment made over and above any offer made to you prior to admission. b) Revised letters of agreement: we have heard of a number of situations where TAs have been provided ‘revised letters’ that recondition the terms of their enrolment (in terms of funding and/or tuition) or their TA assignment. This is highly problematic, as it creates challenges for our members who have pursued a course of action based upon one set of information, only to have the material conditionsof their life, here, at UWO changed arbitrarily. It is the opinion of the union that, once accepted, a letter of offer – be it enrolment with a funding guarantee or a specific TA assignment – constitutes a binding contract that cannot be changed without your consultation. If you find yourself in a position where a revised letter has been forced upon you, speak up, you are not alone, and your union is here to help. We can, and will protect your workplace rights. If you need assistance in this regard email your chief steward and/or Gabe Elias (president@psac610.ca) Reminder: Steward Self-nomination Deadline - Friday, September 28th, 2 pm Don’t forget, you have one more week to sign-up to become a steward. More information regarding stewardship, as well as nomination forms, can found on our website: http://www.psac610.ca/stewards After the deadline has passed, we use an acclamation process for those interested in filling vacant steward positions. Refer to our by-laws for more information or email, our CRO (cro@psac610.ca) Reminder: Family BBQ - Sunday, September 23rd, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, Grad Club The local is hosting a family friendly event that is open to the families of our members. Child friendly food and drink will be served (this will be a dry event). Survey on Teaching Assistant Evaluations PSAC Local 610 wants to know what you think about TA evaluations. Have you ever had one? Should they be mandatory? How would you design an evaluation form? We want to know how these processes can be improved to better provide training and professionalization opportunities for our members. The survey can be found on the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8WFRQLN Survey designed by Siobhan Watters. Tea with a TA! Many thanks to those who participated in this wonderful event. It was a great opportunity for our union to communicate with undergraduate students and USC outside the class room. Thanks go to: Siobhan Watters, Atle Kjosen, Jennifer McDonald, Melanie Wright, Leif Schenstead-Harris, Ahmed Elatar, Anna Pope, Nedal Mohamed and John Giles and from USC: Alysha Li and Adam Fearnall PSAC Local 610 Bulletin – Special Issue Thursday, September 6th What's Going On? If you've come by the union office lately, you'll notice that there is a lot of activity going on. September is always a busy month, and between negotiations, orientations, and some upcoming libations this month will be no exception. And as September ramps up into high gear, we wanted to bring to your attention some up and coming events -- Save the dates, come on out and get involved!! In this issue: • Bargaining Colloquium - Wednesday September 12th 4 pm - 7 pm at the Grad Club • Annual Social Event - Thursday Oct. 4th, 6:30 pm, Grad Club • Family BBQ - Sunday, September 23rd, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, Grad Club • Steward Nomination Call Out Stay Tuned!: Next Issue, September 13th,features Committee Call Outs. Bargaining Colloquium - Wednesday September 12th 4 pm - 7 pm at the Grad Club As some of you may or may not know, our collective agreement is up for renegotiation. To date, the negotiation team has already sat down with the employer to table our non-monetary demands and the negotiations are ongoing. In an effort to maintain communication lines, we are hosting a bargaining colloquium -- it's a drop in session at the Grad Club where the brothers and sisters of PSAC Local 610 can meet with members of the Negotiating Team, the Bargaining Mobilization Committee, and the Executive Committee to learn about the collective bargaining process; the issues of the day; and what they can do if they want to be more involved. It's also an excellent opportunity for members to voice their concerns and be heard. Food and Beverage will be provided. And, as always, questions regarding negotiations can be directed to president@psac610.ca Annual Social Event - Thursday Oct. 4th, 6:30 pm, Grad Club Our annual fall term party is Thursday Oct. 4th, 6:30 pm at the Grad Club. All members are welcome! Food and beverage will be served. Family BBQ - Sunday, September 23rd, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, Grad Club The local is hosting a family friendly event that is open to the families of our members. Child friendly food and drink will be served (this will be a dry event). Steward Nomination Call Out Become a steward! This is our union, and becoming a steward is a great way to be involved. Stewards play a crucial role as direct point of access for members who need information about University and Local policies, procedures, and benefits. Nomination forms are available from our website, and are due by September 28th at 2 pm. http://www.psac610.ca/stewards https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzGCvv37iZssTlc3Ym5jOF9FMms PSAC Local 610 Bulletin for the week of Aug 27th 2012 In this issue: • Katy Fulfer's End-of-The-Term Report • Tea with a TA! • Steward Recruitment Event - Wednesday September 5th, 5:30 pm @ the Grad Club • Donation Drive for Rwandan Genocide Survivors Katy Fulfer's End-of-The-Term Report View outgoing-president Katy Fulfer's End-of-the-Term Video Report at the link below: http://www.psac610.ca/news-and-events. If visual media not accessible to you, please contact our office at psac610@psac610.ca. Gabriel Elias will assume the role of President on September 1. Tea with a TA! We are still looking for more TA’s to participate in “Tea with a TA” event. This event will be held on Friday Sept. 7th between 10:00am and 2:00pm at the Concrete Beach. If you are interested in participating in this event or if you want to know more information about it email the information chair Nedal Mohamed (infochair@psac610.ca) and the community alliance chair Jonathan Gils (communityalliance@psac610.ca). Refreshments will be served. Steward Recruitment Event - Wednesday September 5th, 5:30 pm @ the Grad Club Become a steward! This is our union, and becoming a steward is a great way to be involved. That's why we're hosting an event to satiate the curiosity of every and any member who ever flirted with the idea of taking on a stewardship role. Did you know that every department is entitled to steward representation? Stewards play a crucial role as direct point of access for members who need information about University and Local policies, procedures, and benefits. Importantly, steward involvement is also vital to maintain principles of democratic participation and transparency. So come on down to this event to learn more about how you can be involved. Being a steward is not necessarily a major time commitment, and there are certain perks that go along with the responsibility. Last year, for example, we started the amazingly popular and successful Steward Solidarity/Hospitality Program. Essentially, departmental stewards could host an event for their colleagues within their department, to help keep their brothers and sisters in the loop of what's going on, but also to improve a sense of collegiality and camaraderie within our working lives. If this appeals to you, come on down to the Grad Club and learn how you too can take part. • Donation Drive for Rwandan Genocide Survivors PSAC Local 610 is participating in a drive to collect items to support survivors of the Rwandan genocide. Prof. Amanda Grzyb, Faculty of Information& Media Studies is collecting items that will greatly improve the living conditions for genocide survivors who live in remote rural areas. She is looking for (a) old iPhones and Blackberries, and/or (b) Water bottles. A) Unlocked used smart phones are extremely useful for the caretakers of genocide memorial sites. Currently, many of them must travel 2-4 hours round-trip on a taxi-moto to get on-line and check email at an internet. Donated phones would allow them to get onlne using the cell phone network in their own villages. (Any donated phone should have all personal information wiped.) B) Water bottles -- metal or plastic -- are extremely valuable for children who have no way to take water to school with them. Any of the above items can be donated through the Union office. We're also taking school notebooks and pencils. PSAC Local 610 Bulletin for the week of Aug 20th 2012 In this issue: • End of Katy Fulfer's term as president • Tea with a TA! • Upcoming Bursary Deadline • Coffee with President Chakma- We want to hear from you! • New website • Office Hours- closed on Labour day End of Katy Fulfer's term as president Katy Fulfer's term as president ends on August 31st. Gabriel Elias will take over on September 1st. Katy will be conducting her end of end-of-the-year report by video on August 31st. If you would like to send Katy a question for her to address please email it to president@psac610.ca or send it via Facebook or Twitter (@katyfulfer) by August 27th. Tea with a TA! The union will be holding a joint event with the University Student Council during undergraduate students' orientation week between 10:00am and 2:00pm on Friday Sept. 7th. At this event undergrads will have an opportunity to meet TAs from various departments outside the class room and learn more about their TA's and their role on campus. If you are interested in participating in this event or if you want to know more information about it email the information chair Nedal Mohamed (infochair@psac610.ca) and the community alliance chair Jonathan Gils (communityalliance@psac610.ca) by August 31st. Refreshments will be served. The place for this event will be announced later. Upcoming Bursary Deadline Please note members that the deadline for first term TANB bursaries is August 31st. Please find more details and the application form at the PSAC 610 site under Benefits: http://www.psac610.ca/benefits/ta-needs-and-bursary. Some members have inquired concerning the terms of reference sent out for the Scholarship and TANB Bursaries Committee, which it inadvertently obfuscated the deadlines and disbursement of bursaries and scholarships. To clarify, there are two TANB bursaries application deadlines for the first and second terms on August 31 and January 1st respectively. The scholarship application deadline is March 15. The TOR is included again with this bulletin and includes the correction. Coffee with President Chakma- We want to hear from you! The local is participating in President Chakma's mid-term review. If you have comments to share please come to our drop in coffee-hour Monday August 27th from 1-2 pm in the local office. New website We have moved to a new website www.psac610.ca. Check it out! Please note that all of our emails now end with @psac610.ca and the general email is psac610@psac610.ca Office Hours- closed on Labour day Starting Sept 1st we will switch back to regular office hours Monday- Friday 10:00am to 2:00pm. Please note that the office will be closed on labour day Monday Sept 3rd. . |
Bulletins |