Unit 1 FAQ

Before exploring the FAQ, it should be mentioned that most if not all of the questions here are answered in more detail in our new "Field Manual" for Contract Faculty. You should receive a copy of this in your mailbox. If not, contact us and we'd be happy to send you a copy. You can also view the html version of the manual here.

Wait a Minute! Which Bargaining Unit am I in??

If you are a student at Trent University, you fall under the Collective Agreement for Unit 2, even if you are doing a CUPE Unit One contract. If this is the case, please note that most of the following information will not be relevant to your situation.

Hey now, I am highly educated and would like to read the Collective Agreement for myself please.

Absolutely, just follow this link to all of our publications. However, for anyone else who might not want to wade through the 'legaleeze', here’s a list of Frequently Asked Questions that may help answer your present questions/concerns:

FAQ Categories:

How can I get involved in CUPE 3908?

Grievance Process FAQ

Right of First Refusal (Seniority) FAQ

Benefits FAQ

CUPE’s Professional Development Fund (PDF) FAQ

Other Terms of Employment FAQ

Getting Involved

How can I get involved in the union?

University Committees

Contract faculty have historically been unequally integrated into the life of the University with poor or no representation on key committees where decisions are made. For this reason, it is vital that the membership of CUPE 3908 be represented on as many University committees as possible. This will raise the visibility of our Local and members on campus as well as provide an opportunity for our increased involvement and input into the Trent community. Please contact the CUPE office if you are interested in acting as the CUPE representative on any of the following University Committees:

Grievance Process

I am pretty sure that my department is taking advantage of me (more than I agreed they could in our contract). I may have a grievance. What should I do?

Contact CUPE 3908 immediately. You can email us or call us at 705-775-2873 (775-CUPE). You will be counseled and put in contact with our Grievance Officer. Basically, the process has four phases each more formal than the previous one. The Grievance Officer will work with you through the entire process and ensure that all your concerns are addressed at the level most appropriate.

One of the benefits of CUPE membership is that we have the resources of a very powerful national union behind us, should we need to use it. If we cannot resolve your issue satisfactorily, we can call in support from CUPE National.

Seniority/Right of First Refusal

What is Right of First Refusal (RFR) and how can I get it? Do I have seniority?

Right of First Refusal is the closest thing to "seniority" that CUPE members have. Once you have Right of First Refusal for a given position, you must be offered the appointment each time that position is posted (with one special exception please see the Collective Agreement section 5.08.07 for details).

It is important to understand that Right of First Refusal is not a right that a department can grant you. It is a right that you must claim yourself. Right of First Refusal is available for the positions of Course Instructor, Tutorial Leader, Workshop Leader, Clinical Instructor-Nursing.

In order to claim Right of First Refusal for a given position, you must have:

You must make a written request to your department Chair for a formal evaluation within the first four weeks of the appointment. Making this written request within this time frame is crucial. The department is required to give you a written formal evaluation within 30 days after the appointment is completed (or by Sep 30 for summer courses). Formal evaluations may or may not include classroom visits by the Chair. This is entirely at the Chair’s discretion.

Formal evaluations can be appealed within 10 working days to the Dean’s office.

What happens if I request a formal evaluation and the department doesn’t follow through?

It sometimes happens that the department does not get around to actually evaluating your teaching, or doesn’t get around to giving you the written report within the required timeframe, or indeed at all.

If a request for evaluation is made and the department does not respond appropriately, the evaluation is considered to be positive by default. For this reason it is imperative that you keep copies of your own written requests for evaluation!

What can I do to ensure that I don’t lose my Right of First Refusal?

Right of First Refusal can only be lost in three ways:

  1. if you haven’t held any positions with the department at the same level or higher over a continuous 24 month period;
  2. if the course in question hasn’t been offered for five academic years;
  3. if your performance in the position deteriorates significantly upon subsequent appointments.

>If, at a further evaluation conducted in accordance with the Collective Agreement, your performance is evaluated as less than competent, you will be given written notice and asked to meet with the Chair to discuss ways to improve performance. If on a subsequent appointment you are evaluated as less than fully competent, you will lose your claim to RFR on that position.

Do I have any other job protection at all?

There are a few other provisions regarding hiring practices that are important to note.

Where qualifications are equal between a candidate with previous experience at Trent and one without, the candidate with experience must be appointed.

Where two "internal" candidates are competing for a position, the candidate who has been employed for more academic sessions at the level of position or higher must be appointed. This holds in cases where both candidates have RFR or neither candidate does. "Internal" means that you’ve worked at Trent within the past 24 months.

Positive formal evaluations at a Course Instructor position may be counted toward claiming RFR for Tutorial or Workshop Leader positions.

What about Academic Skills Centre positions?

Members holding Academic Skills Centre positions are exempted from the requirement to request formal evaluations. They may claim RFR if they have held the position twice and are deemed by the Director to be fully competent in the position.

Why did someone else get that appointment, it should have been MINE!

If a CUPE member believes she or he should have been hired for a specific appointment, a hiring query can be requested from the CUPE office. The Dean’s office will be contacted on the member’s behalf and the member’s identity will remain anonymous. CUPE will ask the Dean’s office for information regarding the qualifications of the individual who was offered the appointment identified in the member’s hiring query request. All pertinent information will subsequently be communicated to the member. If there is any indication that the member was more qualified than the individual who was offered the appointment, CUPE will raise the issue with Trent.

Benefits

What is covered by the benefits I get through CUPE?

Basic prescription drugs, basic dental and vision care (not eye exams) are all covered (to the maximum outlined below). For specific details, see the Health Benefits Page

What is the maximum I can claim for health care benefits and what is the time frame for that claim? Why do these benefits run out?

As of 2007, you can claim a maximum of $600 from September 1 to August 31. Currently CUPE's Benefit Fund is capped at $30,000 so we encourage our members to make their claims as soon as possible. With approximately 300 members, this amount is woefully inadequate to serve our member?s needs. However, until we can convince the administration to provide a more realistic amount for our members, this is what we will have to work with.

Is every member of CUPE 3908 eligible for health care benefits?

No, at this time you need to have an appointment that exceeds three months and have no other coverage (through other employment or spouse). Please note, if you are a graduate student at Trent University you fall under the Unit 2 contract and are NOT eligible for benefits through this fund – the TSCA does provide benefit packages for their members, however, so you may be able to access benefits through them.

Where do I get the health claim form?

Here. Or you can call the CUPE office at 705-775-2873 (775-CUPE) and request one to be mailed to you.

CUPE’s Professional Development Fund (PDF)

What is the CUPE Professional Development Fund (PDF)?

Every year CUPE disburses $21,000.00 to its members via the Professional Development Fund. There are three rounds: Round 1 - Summer; Round 2 - Fall; Round 3 - Winter. A call for submissions is sent out via email and regular mail (for those without email accounts on file at the union office). Please note: the PDF is not a competition. If your application meets the criteria you will qualify and the funds will be disbursed accordingly. However, the amount that we are able to distribute to a member is dependent on the number of applicants that we have to a given round.

Does any member of CUPE 3908 qualify for the Professional Development Fund (PDF)?

No, you need to have more than 100 hours of work, or be working for more than three months at Trent. You can’t be replacing someone and if you are a graduate student, you do not qualify. Note that if you are on educational leave you do qualify.

How Do I drop off my Professional Development Fund (PDF) Application?

Drop by our office in Room 203, Stewart House at 292 London Street (just east of Scott House). Or, or mail it to us:
PD Fund Committee
CUPE 3908, Unit 1
Traill College, Trent University
Box 300, 310 London Street
Peterborough, ON
K9H 7P4

Other Terms of Employment

Will I qualify for EI after I am finished my contract? What if I feel I’ve worked more than the amount allotted?

The following is an updated (2007-2008) table of EI hours:

Members claiming that the time necessary to carry out their duties exceeds the above, shall be permitted to appeal those hours on his/her Record of Employment (ROE). Documentation supporting such claims shall be submitted to an approved by the Dean of Arts and Science, or designate.

PLEASE NOTE: The member must submit the documentation no later than 30 days after the last day of class in which the instructor had delivered the course. A written decision will be sent to the appellant with a copy to CUPE and the HR Deptartment(Payroll Dept.).

The number of hours of work recorded on an ROE does not form part of the Collective Agreement thus a grievance cannot be submitted as a result of the University’s decision. Therefore the next step in the appeal process is through HRDC and Revenue Canada. The number of hours reflected on the appellants ROE are to be used for EI eligibility purposes only.

Is there a limit to the number of courses that I can teach at Trent?

Yes, as members of 3908, there is a cap of 1.5 credits on the number of courses that we can teach during the regular academic session (Fall/Winter). Please note, this cap is limited to course instructor positions only and is generally not applied during the Spring or Summer sessions.

What is the CUPE Teaching Award?

Trent University administers both the Symons Teaching Award and the CUPE Teaching Award. CUPE members are eligible for both awards, but you should note that the CUPE Award is for contract faculty only. The award is $600 and recognition at CUPE’s Annual General Meeting. Voting takes place during the winter semester. Keep an eye out for the notices and be sure to bring it to your student’s attention!

What is the Tuition Waiver? How do my dependents qualify for it?

In order for the spouse or child of a CUPE member to qualify for the tuition waiver, the CUPE member must be employed in the respective current session and:

1. CUPE member must be holding Right of First Refusal
or
2. Must have been employed for at least three previous academic sessions, at least two of which were regular academic sessions.

NOTE: The student must be enrolled in courses at Trent University and shall have the equivalent of undergraduate academic fees waived for the duration of the Collective Agreement for either undergraduate or graduate tuition. Ancillary fees are not waived. Admission and progression standards for such students shall be those applicable to other students.

What is the definition of an academic session?

A "regular" academic session is September to April. There are also summer and spring sessions but those would not be considered "regular".

What about parking? I don’t want to pay for a full pass!

There is the Green Permit that is cheaper but limited to certain parking lots. See the Trent site for details about parking, or to buy parking permits online.

Is there a bus pass available for contract faculty?

Yes, and they are available at the Finance Office starting in October of each year.

Does Trent give part-time professors any type of professional expense allowance?

Unfortunately, there are no provisions of this kind for Trent CUPE employees. You may wish to apply to CUPE’s Professional Development Fund for such expenses, if applicable.

How do I claim my travel expenses from the university? What is the deadline?

If you commute more than 50 km from the University, you are entitled to claim travel expenses. Please contact your departmental Chair for further details. This arrangement must be approved by the Dean's Office at the start of your teaching contract.  The deadline for reimbursement is April 30th and forms are available at the Dean of Arts and Science’s office (located in Lady Eaton College, Suite 204).

How can I get remuneration for extra work?

There is a set formula for CUPE contracts based on the number of students taught and number of hours worked. It is in your best interest to keep track of this. If you are being payed less than actually doing you will be able to negotiate with the university but you need to have accurate records.

Office Space (Or Wouldn’t it be great if I didn’t have to teach out of my car!)

Unfortunately, there is no designated space at the university for contract faculty. It is currently up to the discretion of individual departments to provide workspace for their contract faculty members.

How can I contact you fine folks at CUPE directly?

All of our contact information is here.
We’d love to meet you and hear any concerns you may have about working conditions at the University.

Please keep in mind that the CUPE Executive meets monthly and that these meetings are open to all members of CUPE 3908

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