Dear CUPE 3261 Members,
A research study at the University of Toronto is looking for volunteers to participate in an interview regarding work and the impact of COVID-19.
The interview will be one hour and you will receive a $30 gift card for your participation.
Anybody in cleaning, food services, or security is encouraged to participate!
If interested, please email the study team at campus.servicework@utoronto.ca or call/text 416-317-9882.
Yours,
CUPE 3261 Executive
More information below:
Dear CUPE 3261 Members,
It’s been a challenging year for all of us, and we want all our members to know that our union is working hard for all members, and we are here for you if you have any questions or concerns. Many members continue to have important questions about when things will return to normal.
With the instability caused by the third wave, and the messy rollout of the vaccine, the union nor the university can guarantee a date for when normal operations will resume. As soon as we receive any updated information, we will inform you as soon as we can. Please keep an eye out in your inbox and check our website periodically (3261.cupe.ca)
As far as we know, the university is committed to a safe return for September 2021 and is looking to resuming in-person instruction and other activities, with the possible exception of large-scale gatherings. The university expects to see most administrative and support workers returning in person at this time.
You can keep track of the University’s plans for reopening by visiting the “UTogether” website here.
For specific details on COVID-19 for staff, visit the HR and Equity website here: The University’s Response to COVID-19 – The Division of Human Resources and Equity (utoronto.ca).
In the event you require self-isolation due to symptoms or test positive for COVID, you must inform your supervisor. You should also email U of T’s Occupational Health Nurse at ehs.occhealth@utoronto.ca.
Vaccinations
Everyone is encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as they’re eligible. The University will allow anyone who is getting vaccinated to get time off without loss of pay and will not count toward sick, vacation, or personal days. If you have a vaccination booked during work, please inform your supervisor or manager.
With more vaccines on the way, the provincial government has announced that vaccination efforts during the month of May will be sped up. Here is the expected timeline:
Week of May 3
• Individuals aged 50 and over
• Individuals aged 18 and up in hot spots
• High-risk health conditions
• Cannot work from home Group 1
Week of May 10
• Individuals aged 40 and over
• At-risk health conditions
• Cannot work from home Group 2
Week of May 17:
• Individuals aged 30 and over
Week of May 24
• Individuals aged 18 and over
To see if you’re in a hot spot, visit Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccination plan | COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Ontario
How to get vaccinated?
If you live in Toronto, you will likely book your appointment via the provincial portal. Visit COVID-19: How to Get Vaccinated – City of Toronto
For Peel Region residents, book an appointment here: https://www.peelregion.ca/coronavirus/vaccine/
Durham Region residents: Region of Durham (durhamvaccinebooking.ca)
York Region residents: COVID-19 Vaccinations Clinics | York Region
Everyone above the age of 40 is also eligible to receive the Astro-Zeneca vaccine, which you can receive through a pharmacy. Book your appointment here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations
For those living in hot spots, you cannot book an appointment through the provincial portal unless you are above the age of 45. For those between 18-44 and living in hot spots, we encourage you to visit the vaccine website of your city (listed above) or the website of your closest hospital to see if they are offering vaccinations.
Vaccine Webinar
CUPE National is hosting free informational webinars on the vaccines on May 4th and May 5th from 11am-1pm. The webinar will discuss the current vaccines available and how they exactly work. The aim is to help educate members to be better advocates for themselves and to understand the vaccination process better. There is a lot of misinformation going around right now and it’s important everyone know what is false and what is factual.
If you are interested, please register here:
https://cupe-ca.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlc-yhpzkiGtbOVfEi531yxB0bWjZnUNyt
Other News
New Interim Chief Steward
We are happy to announce that Wilson Franco, currently our Full-time and Part-time Representative will be serving as temporary Chief Steward. Our previous Chief Steward Patty Varvouletos has stepped down. We thank her for her many years of service and the value she brought to our union and wish her continued success in the future. Wilson Franco was initially elected to the executive in the February General Membership Meeting. He is a maintenance technician at UTM and will be an invaluable addition to our team! Moving forward, he will work with stewards to address their concerns and an election for a new Chief Steward will be held this June.
Good news! Full-time and part-time members ratified a 1-year rollover agreement (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021). Now the University has agreed to re-open the agreement to add a 1% wage increase. This wage increase will be retroactively applied beginning July 1, 2020.
CUPE 3261 and our labour and student partner organizations have been working hard over the last year. In addition, the efforts of CUPE 3902 Unit 1 members to build strike-readiness has helped to boost worker power and solidarity on campus, and has also helped us welcome this good news. More information on their bargaining is available here:
We will update you as more details become available. Please read the University’s announcement here:
If you would like to speak to someone at the CUPE 3261 office, please call 416-946-7620, or email your president Allan James at president@cupe3261.ca
Thank you to everyone who attended the last General Membership Meeting.
Here are a couple of updates from the meeting:
Remember, if you feel unsafe at work, including for reasons related to COVID-19, you have a right to refuse. Talk to your union and inform your supervisor.
All the best,
CUPE 3261
Dear CUPE 3261 Members,
Your union is having its next General Membership Meeting on February 27th, 2021. The meeting will be held online via Zoom from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Join the meeting with this link here. More information on how to join the Zoom meeting can be found below.
We encourage all members to join! Even if you’ve never joined a meeting before, it’s a great way to learn more about what your union is doing, our financial position, the issues we’re facing, and opportunities for getting more involved. It’s also an opportunity to ask questions on any general workplace issues and share your thoughts on what the union should do. Remember, this is your union!
Agenda for the Meeting:
Position up for election
There is a vacancy in the executive for a Full-time/Part-time representative. We encourage any member who is passionate about fighting for better workplace conditions to run for the position! Nominations will be held at the meeting. If the nomination is contested, an election will be held at the following Membership Meeting in June. Feel free to consult the bylaws on page 13 under “Unit Representative” to learn more about the position.
Dear CUPE 3261 Members,
As we navigate through this pandemic it is very important to remember and remain hopeful for everything you have. The people you care about, your family and loved ones. When we are faced with adversity in our life, we have a choice to make.
We can choose to give up, or believe in the notion that our life is defined by the action we take.
I believe there is good in everyone, we sometimes let our ego take over in trying to convince ourselves about trivial things, or what society taught us to believe.
As a creation of excellence, let us not ignore our humanity and the true purpose of life. We all want to be loved, we all want to be accepted, we all must live and we all must die at some point, this is called life.
We live in an imperfect society, life isn’t always fair at times. Let’s not be defined by this, but by how we react to the challenges that are put in front of us. We all have the capacity to overcome anything we put our mind to, however, we must also be willing to put in the work to achieve this.
As this year comes to an end, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all members Happy Holidays.
Stay safe. Looking forward to seeing you in 2021.
Respectfully yours,
Allan James
CUPE 3261 Executive
Dear Members,
At our last General Membership Meeting held on October 31st 2020 via Zoom, we regrettably informed you that there will be no holiday parties this December 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions currently in effect. We are disappointed we cannot meet one another, but we are committed to doing our part to limit community transmission by following these restrictions.
Some members have asked if it is possible to hand out gift cards or gifts to all members this year. After reviewing the CUPE National constitution and direction from the CUPE National President’s office, it became clear to the CUPE 3261 Executive Committee that this is not possible.
While CUPE National advises us that we can order food at events to encourage member participation and socializing, we are not allowed to hand out gifts to members using union dues. The main purpose of union dues is to advance our collective union work: to improve our working conditions and lives, and to make sure the employer respects our rights at work.
We work for an institution that has enormous resources at its disposal. But each of us pays dues so that, as workers, we can pool together our resources to fight for fairness at work, enforce our collective agreement language, prepare bargaining campaigns, book off members to build our power in the workplace, campaign against contracting out of our work, and contribute to CUPE National’s staffing costs to get the support of staff such as Leanne, Preethy, CUPE Legal, CUPE Research, CUPE Education, CUPE Health & Safety and more. Unions also often make donations to organizations that are also fighting for workers. These are some of the reasons why CUPE National does not allow the spending of union dues on gifts. Additionally, there could also be risk of tax implications for our members and our local if we violate this rule.
We value the health and well-being of all our members and hope to resume holiday parties next year.
In solidarity and always with you,
CUPE 3261 Executive Committee
Dear members,
Your union will be having its next General Membership Meeting (GMM) soon and we encourage all members to attend. We will be providing an update on the issues facing our members and campus and what the union has been working on. We will also be providing a brief financial update.
The position for Vice-President is also vacant and we will be holding nominations for the position. If you are interested, you will have the opportunity to nominate yourself during the meeting. If the position is contested, an election will be held at the February GMM. As always, we encourage members who are passionate about making change to get involved in the executive.
The meeting will be held online via Zoom this October 31st from 10am-12pm. Click here for the link.
If you have any questions about the GMM, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Yours truly,
CUPE 3261 Executive
Hello CUPE members,
You all may know by now that the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is coming to an end on October 3rd. If you were receiving this benefit, your last payment should have been paid out already, and your transition to Employment Insurance (EI) is the next step. The new, temporary, version of EI that the government will be providing has made the eligibility requirements more lenient, in respect to the reality of the pandemic and its effect on jobs and the economy.
The new criteria is as follows and will be in effect for one year from September 27, 2020
Your transition from CERB to EI will happen in one of two ways depending on what government agency was providing you with your CERB payments. The following information has been taken directly from the Canadian Government website.
In most cases, you do not need to apply for EI benefits. After you receive your last CERB payment, continue completing reports. We (Service Canada) will automatically review your file and your Record Of Employment (ROE), then start a claim for EI regular benefits if you qualify.
Please Note: You can view your file, ROE, and claim through your My Service Canada Account (MSCA).
If you don’t qualify for EI, you’ll be notified by mail.
You will need to apply for EI after your CERB ends if:
• you have a SIN that starts with a 9
• you’re self-employed, or
• you declared that you returned to work full-time on your CERB report
You need to receive all your CERB payments before applying for EI benefits. You can apply after the end of your last CERB eligibility period. Visit EI benefits and leave to determine which benefit is right for your situation and to apply online.
We (Service Canada) recognize that you may experience difficulties applying online as we’re receiving a large volume of applications. If you’re unable to apply online, please try again later.
Once we’ve determined that you’re eligible to receive EI benefits and have completed your first biweekly report, you’ll receive your first payment. This should occur within 28 days of applying. If you apply for regular or sickness benefits, you’ll have to complete reports for as long as you receive benefits to continue getting paid.
Additional Information
If you would like to review any of this information on the Government of Canada website, or inquire about other benefits you may be eligible for, we recommend you visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/notice-covid-19.html#h2.02
If you were receiving your CERB payments from Service Canada, and would like to contact a CERB agent about the transition to EI, please call 1-833-966-2099.
If you would like to speak to someone at the CUPE 3261 office, please call 416-946-7620, or email your president Allan James at president@cupe3261.ca
Hello CUPE 3261 members,
As you know, the University of Toronto has placed calls to both continuing and sessional, Full-Time and Part-Time, members in the Food Services Department; informing them of either their return to work, or the extension of their temporary layoff until December 31, 2020. The Employer has expressed to us that they have every intention to bring those who are temporarily laid off back to work as soon as possible.
In the event that your temporary layoff has been extended, the Employer will have sent you a letter confirming this as well as the subsidies you are eligible for. These subsidies include retaining your health care benefits coverage, to the extent you were enrolled, at no cost to you. It also outlines a weekly supplement of up to $250/week for those who are eligible and receiving either CERB or EI benefits.In the event that you have already been receiving the top-up, please ensure that you inform your Supervisor or Manager that you want to continue receiving the payments from the University of Toronto.
We understand that there has been a rise in anxiety around job security and financial stability with the news of extended temporary layoffs, and that there are concerns about how the Employer is calling members back to work.
We heard your concerns and began having follow-up meetings and correspondence with both Human Resources and Labour Relations; that correspondence continues even now. These meetings are happening in order to clarify the process by which the Employer is calling back members, and if there are any conflicts with the provisions in our Collective Bargaining Agreement.
There are three things we have to consider when reviewing the Employer’s process of calling members back to work:
The Employer’s Management Rights
Article 3:01
The Union acknowledges that it is the exclusive function of the Employer to:
This means that the Employer is in the sole position to decide when and who will be brought back to work, or laid off, in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement provisions that apply to this situation.
The Two(2) Seniority Lists
Article 16:01
This means that there are two separate seniority lists; one for Full-Time and Casual employees, and one for Part-Time employees. The employer can choose to bring back either Part-Time or Full-Time works, or a mixture of both. But they will be brought back according to their individual seniority lists. The seniority list of Full-Time members does not affect the seniority list of Part-Time members, and vice versa.
Job Classification
Out of all three of these factors, the Union has found an issue with two aspects of the call-backs of the Full-Time members: re-assigning the job classification of some of the members getting called back and where their seniority puts them on the list. Members are being brought back and reassigned to a lower classification position with lower wages than their original position. This reassignment also affects those who would normally fill those lower classification positions, but are now on extended temporary layoffs. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Employer should be calling back members under their current/new job classification according to their seniority. For those who are being re-assigned to a lower classification, their seniority date now applies to all those in the same job classification.
The Union has brought this to the attention of Labour Relations, and is currently awaiting a response in order to move forward in correcting this issue.
We thank everyone who has come forward to voice their concerns. If you believe your seniority was not taken into account when the University of Toronto was calling employees back to work, please contact CUPE Local 3261 at:
703 Spadina Avenue
2nd Floor
416-946-7620
president@cupe3261.ca
We will update you as more information becomes available.
In solidarity,
CUPE 3261 Executive