University of Western Ontario

Renewal agreement: Effective Sept. 1, 2020 to Aug. 31, 2023. Ratified in March 2021. Signed on March 11, 2021.

Wage adjustments:

Effective Sept. 1, 2020: 1%

Effective Sept. 1, 2021: 1%

Effective Sept. 1, 2022: 1%

Paid holidays: 10 days.

Overtime: Time and one-half for all hours worked beyond duties specification agreement (10 hours per week; 140 per term; 280 per year. Maximum of 8 hours per day, except for field trips if necessary).

Medical benefits: Employer pays union $190 (previously $160) for each employee who is a graduate teaching assistant as of Nov. 1, and any additional unique GTA appointed  following March 1 and Aug. 1 to contribute towards cost of health-care plan arranged and administered by union.

Paramedical: Each Nov. 1, employer pays union $51,000 (previously $50,000) into health-care plan to be disbursed to employees in bargaining unit for sole purpose of mental health support.

Sick leave: 14 paid hours per 140 hours of appointment, pro-rated based on number of hours in appointment. Only applies to regularly scheduled classroom or laboratory contact hours.

LTD: Employer will grant leave of absence without pay for long-term sick leave provided medical evidence of such need, is submitted to employer. Time spent on leave will not count as employment.

Pension: University of Western Ontario pension plan for members of administrative staff.

Bereavement leave: 10 paid hours to arrange or attend funeral of parent, stepparent, foster-parent, sibling, spouse, child, spouse’s child, stepchild, ward, spouse’s parent, grandparent, grandchild. Where extensive travel is required, 15 paid hours. On request, employer may provide paid leave for greater period if circumstances call for it.

Probationary period: 1 academic term of employment. May be extended to second term if employee is not able to meet performance expectations during first term appointment.

Discipline: Sunset clause is 12 months or 2 terms of employment.

Safety shoes: $120 for initial pair of employer-required safety shoes.

Sample rates of hourly pay (current, after 2% increase):

Graduate teaching assistantship: $46.29 rising in 2 steps to $47.22

Editor’s notes: Religious holidays: With at least 1 month’s notice, employee will be entitled to reschedule assigned hours of work without loss in pay to observe holidays of employee’s religion other than specified 11 days, provided religion is listed in multifaith calendar distributed by Equity and Human Rights Services. Academic freedom: Employees have right to teach and speculate without deference to prescribed doctrine as long as said teaching and speculation has academic substance and is fully pertinent to each work assignment. GTA fund: Employer will pay to union $175,000 by Jan. 31 for fund intended to address financial challenges faced by employees. Increases to $178,000 on Jan. 31, 2022 and $180,000 on Jan. 31, 2023.