Are you a Chair at Trent, or an instructor/supervisor working with Unit 2 members (GTA’s, TA’s, Marker Graders, etc)? Learn more about what it means to work with a CUPE 3908 member, and what your role and responsibilities may be.

Working with Unit 1 Members

Our Unit 1 members are made up of contract academic faculty at Trent University. They are course instructors, clinical instructors, tutorial leaders, workshop leaders, marker graders and more.

Learn about their rights, including Right of First Refusal, and more by reviewing our Unit 1 Member page, and the collective agreement.

Leaves and Paid Sick Time

Unit 1 members are entitled to the following forms of paid leave: sick leave, bereavement leave, special leave, civic leave, parental leave, pregnancy leave, grievance and arbitration leave, and union leave

Members are also entitled to the following forms of unpaid leave: educational leave, and conference leave.

Details for each leave can be found in the Unit 1 Collective agreement in Article 7.

Working with Unit 2 Members

Our Unit 2 members are made up of student academic workers at Trent University. Most Unit 2 members are Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), but many work as both graduate and undergraduate Student Markers, Academic Assistants, and Computer Lab Advisors. 

Learn about their rights, responsibilities, and more by reviewing our Unit 2 Member page, and the collective agreement.

Teaching Assistant and Graduate Teaching Assistant Hours

GTAs and TAs are paid to work up to 120 hours per term (which is on average 10 hours per week though, weekly hours will vary). Work hours include but are not limited to training, meetings, prep-time, attending lectures, conducting labs/seminars, marking, holding office hours, invigilating exams, and consulting with students via email, phone and/or personal meetings. 

Time Use Guideline

Course supervisors are now required to complete a Time Allocation Guideline with GTAs and TAs at the beginning of the course that includes job descriptions and an estimated breakdown of how work hours will be used. This must be provided within the first two weeks of each term. 

Our Time Use Guideline (download) for TAs (Unit 2) makes tracking and understanding TA hours simple.

Lectures and Course Content

GTAs and TAs may voluntarily choose to lecture in a course or to create course content (exams or exam questions for example). However, lecturing and preparing course content are not required duties. All hours spent preparing course content and/or lecturing are considered work hours.

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty

Trent has clear policies and procedures for dealing with academic dishonesty. Course instructors are required to handle all parts of the process.

A course instructor may request that the TA have an initial discussion with the student and a TA may voluntarily choose to do so. However, it is expected that the course instructor will investigate the case, meet with the student, make a decision, and complete the paperwork.

Find this information at Trent’s Academic Integrity website: http://www.trentu.ca/deanundergraduate/integrity_instructors.php

Leaves and Paid Sick Time

Unit 2 members are entitled to paid leave for: bereavement, pregnancy, jury duty, professional development and for family medical reasons.

They are entitled to paid, short-term medical leave. If a member is sick or injured and can’t fulfil their usual weekly work duties such as tutorial prep, teaching, and/or grading, for example, they are required to inform their course supervisor and/or Department Chair and/or Secretary as soon as possible.

It is the responsibility of the Course Supervisor and/or the department to find a replacement for them and/or to contact their students to inform them a tutorial is cancelled. The member does not have to reschedule or make up the time they were unable to work (Article 21.01).