St. Catharines, Ont. (2,100 graduate student instructors and teaching assistants) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 4207, Unit 1
Renewal agreement: Effective Sept. 7, 2019 to Sept. 6, 2022. Ratified in November 2020. Signed on Oct. 2, 2020.
Wage adjustments:
Effective Sept. 1, 2019: 0.4%
Effective Sept. 1, 2020: 1%
Effective Sept. 1, 2021: 1%
Paid holidays: 10 days.
Sick leave: 5 working days per term.
Pension: Employees with 2 consecutive years who have earned at least 35% of YMPE or worked at least 700 hours in 2 preceding calendar years can participate in Brock University Pension Plan.
Bereavement leave: 5 consecutive paid days for death of parent, stepparent, spouse, same-sex partner, sibling, child, ward, stepchild, grandparent, grandchild, sibling-in-law, parent-in-law, child-in-law, any blood relative residing in employee’s home. Extension without pay may be given on compassionate grounds.
Seniority – recall rights: 1 academic year without appointment. Upon request, employee who has held appointment within previous 24 months will be reinstated without loss of seniority.
Probationary period: 2 academic terms with appointment for third-term without break in service.
Discipline: Sunset clause is 2 years of discipline, discharges or suspensions.
Mileage: Current university rate for travel to and from university for employees assigned to undertake university business away from campus.
Sample rates of pay (current, after 1% increase):
Instructors: $6,439.67 half-course/$12,879.35 full-course rising 1 step to $6,504.07/$13,008.14
Teaching assistants, course coordinators, lab demonstrators: $1,194.60 half-course/$2,389.20 full-course rising 1 step to $1,897.80/$3,795.60
Graduate student teaching assistantship (full-course only): $3,758.40 rising 1 step to $3,795.60
Marker-graders (Masters’ complete): $30.75 per hour rising 1 step to $31.06
Marker-graders (undergraduate complete): $26.50 rising 1 step to $26.77
Marker-graders (third-year complete): $19.57 rising 1 step to $19.77
Marker-graders (second-year complete): $17.21 rising 1 step to $17.38
Marker-graders (first-year complete): $16.24 rising 1 step to $16.40
Editor’s notes: Preference in hiring: Full-time student enrolled in doctoral program at university, followed by full-time student enrolled in master’s program at university. Academic conference leave: Employee who has been invited to deliver paper, present research findings, act as discussant, or chairs session at academic conference, or who simply wishes to attend academic conference related to employee’s discipline, may be given up to 3 consecutive working days twice per academic year. Graduate student supplement: $253.51 per 120 hours of work (rising to $256.05 on Sept. 1, 2021 to assist graduate students who are completing their program of studies with additional financial support. Benefits fund: Employer will contribute lump sum amount of $176,000 within 30 days of ratification; $177,760 in May 2021; $179,538 in May 2022 to union for benefits fund that will be administered by union. Graduate student wage supplement: $256.05 for 120 hours of work (prorated in cases where members work more or less than 120 hours).
