Category: Uncategorized

Dear MUNACA Members,

We have looked into the UniForum questionnaire. The questions may appear innocuous and even legitimate, but the context reveals that they are not.

At the University’s Town Hall on February 7th, it was announced that the “salary mass” of administrative personnel would be reduced due to financial difficulties. In clear terms, they are threatening to lay off administrative personnel in the near future.

The employer intends to use this survey to justify laying us off, abolishing our jobs, and reorganizing our workplace, all while the compensation for those making these decisions continues to balloon. The employer has the gall to ask for the support of those whose livelihoods are in jeopardy, to help to determine which positions should be cut first! 

We urge our fellow union members to use this template to respond to this so-called “survey.”

Instructions:

• For all multiple-choice or rating questions regarding professional staff and services, select high satisfaction responses.
  
• For any written response sections, use the following statement:

“I am very satisfied with the dedication and hard work of my colleagues at McGill, who consistently strive to provide essential services despite years of hiring freezes. This survey fails to distinguish between the decisions made by senior administration’s policies and processes versus the actual performance of frontline staff.

Our frontline workforce holds irreplaceable institutional knowledge and expertise, essential to the university’s daily operations. We will not allow this data to be weaponized through surveys to rationalize the destruction of our jobs and livelihoods.

We are ready and willing to have a genuine conversation about how this university can be better managed, but this survey is not the forum. It is a tool designed to justify cuts, not a meaningful dialogue. We believe that all McGill staff deserve respect, security, and the resources to do their jobs effectively.”

On February 7th, 2025, the University surprisingly announced, during their Townhall, some disturbing news that MUNACA was surprised to learn, especially considering the magnitude of what was being disclosed. 

Considering the Employer’s failure to contact the Union prior to this announcement, we have requested a meeting with the Employer as soon as possible. The purpose of this meeting is to address all of the current and upcoming reorganizations, restructurings and their consequences, including abolitions and potential layoffs. Our intention is to mitigate the upcoming ‘Project Horizon’.

We will keep you updated as the situation evolves.

We strongly recommend that you:

Verify that your Seniority is Correct 

●     by going into Workday and the November 2024 Seniority list and ensuring these are reflective of your time at McGill. If it is incorrect, contact HR to have it corrected and CC reception@munaca.com. 

●     If you suspect you are on soft/research funds please make sure that you have your letters ofhire/appointments and verify if indeed you belong to some research group (as of what date) as these groups may or may not have job security.If you are unsure please contact us. 

Let us know about any Reorganizations, Restructuring or Shuffling of personnel so we can take a look into it 

Have questions or concerns about seniority, reorganizations or anything else? 

Contact your nearest Steward or the MUNACA office 

(email reception@munaca.com; Tel 514-371-2222)

Dear Members,

Like you, I have been watching the rapid deterioration of human rights, social justice, and workers’ rights in the United States with growing concern. Our two nations have proudly shared the longest undefended border in the world for generations – a steady partnership that is now under attack by the Trump administration.

Donald Trump and his administration are undoing so many of the hard-fought victories our collective labour movement has fought and won. I share the anger and frustration many of you are feeling. His divisive rhetoric and policies are impacting the lives of millions of workers, for the worst, on either side of the border.

As we find ourselves on the brink of a trade war with our closest ally – one that will hurt millions of workers and families in Canada – I want to recognize just how important your work is every day, but especially now in the face of this crisis.

Understandably, this is a very stressful time we are living in. This is only intensified by the affordability crisis affecting millions of us across Canada. I want you to know that we’ll continue to fight for you. We won’t back down when it comes to defending your rights.

We are here for you.

We’re a team.

As we navigate these tense times, remember you have us to rely on.

In solidarity,

Sharon DeSousa
National President, PSAC

Dear Members, 

We write to you today to update you on MUNACA’s new telephone number. In order to protect the integrity of union business we felt it prudent to have a telephone system of  our own.

MUNACA’s new phone number is 514-371-2222. You will be able to select five locals; 

1. Reception
2. Labour Relations
3. Research
4. President
5. Vice-President Labour Relations

We apologise in advance for any inconvenience during this transition period.

Yours in solidarity,

MUNACA Executive Committee

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate this big milestone anniversary with us. It was great to see so many people gathered to celebrate our collective success! Members old and new, and colleagues near and far, are an important part of this accomplishment. Here’s to the next 30 years of working together to achieve our goals… *Cheers*

“Ohhhhh Yeah” “This is where the power lies!”

Join us for our Special General Meeting decide MUNACA’s bargaining priorities on:

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

12:00 – 14:00

Agenda

1. Moment of Silence
2. Land Acknowledgement
3. MUNACA Code of Conduct
4. PSAC Statement on Harassment
5. Introductions:
   1. Administrator
      1. John MacLennan
   2. Negotiations Committee
      1. Mathieu Brulé – PSAC Porte Parole
      2. Thomas Chalmers – President & Chair of Negotiations Committee
      3. Robin Stanford – Vice President Labour Relations
      4. Sherrie Child – Vice President Internal Affairs
      5. Sophie Hough-Martin – Chief Steward
      6. David Roseman – Chief Steward
      7. Khalud Adam – Chief Steward
      8. Dino Dutz – Chief Steward
   3. Negotiations Support Committee Chair
      1. James Newman, Vice President Communications & Mobilisation and Chair of Negotiations Support Committee
6. Presentation & Ratification of Negotiations Priorities
7. Varia
8. Adjournment

To register, please fill out this form, at least twenty-four hours before the meeting begins. Your union membership will be confirmed and the video link will be sent in advance of the meeting.

In Solidarity, 

, The MUNACA Executive Committee and MUNACA Negotiations Committee

*You may ask your supervisor to add an hour to your lunch time, which you will need to make up.

Dear members,

As we are planning our vacations for the upcoming reference year, please keep in mind the following:

As unionised employees, vacation scheduling is not at the whims and discretion of our supervisors. When multiple employees want the same time off and the department cannot accommodate, seniority is to be the deciding factor. It doesn’t go to the supervisor’s favourite, or to the person willing to work unpaid overtime. Seniority is used as an objective criteria to make a fair decision.

In order to have seniority as a consideration in your vacation request, you need to submit your requests for the next reference year (June 1st, 2024 – May 31st, 2025) by April 30th, 2024. They will be approved or denied by May 10th, 2024. This gives us time to address any problems.

Vacation can, of course, be requested after this period, but it will be granted on a first-come, first-serve basis rather than by seniority. It is also subject to operational needs.

In some departments, there may be times when they need everyone present.  This may be due to a special event, a deadline, or another short-term reason. These are called blackout periods. The Collective Agreement specifies that these must be kept to a minimum and must be communicated to the affected employees by March 1st, 2024, so they can be challenged if necessary and taken into consideration when submitting your requests.

If you feel that the blackout periods for your department are unreasonable, if they were not communicated to you by the deadline, or if other restrictions are being applied that are not in the Collective Agreement, contact reception@munaca.com and we can work with you to rectify the problem.

In solidarity,

MUNACA

Dear members, 

In another resounding victory for the labour movement at McGill, the professors of the Faculty of Arts have announced that over 60% of the faculty have signed unionising cards and will be filing for certification this Wednesday as the Association of McGill Professors of the Faculty of Arts (AMPFA)! This makes Arts the third faculty, after Law, and Education, to unionise at our university. We at MUNACA welcome them into our ever-expanding union family and hope that every other faculty at McGill swiftly follows their example. 

Their union intends to cover both tenure-track professors and faculty lecturers at the Faculty of Arts, though the full extent of their certification will be determined by the Labour Tribunal when they file. 

We invite all MUNACA members to attend AMPFA’s press conference and rally announcing their certification on Thursday, April 4th, 2024, at 2:30 PM, on the steps of the Arts Building.  A guest speaker from AGSEM will be present as well, to acknowledge AMPFA’s solidarity with the TA strike. If you are able, please come out and show solidarity with our new union siblings! 

In solidarity,

MUNACA

Dear members,

The Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) has announced that starting Monday, March 25th,at 7:30 AM the teaching assistants are officially on strike! Pickets begin at the Roddick Gates and the Macdonald Stewart Building and last all day. We invite all MUNACA members able to do so to join them on the lines before work and at lunchtime to show solidarity!

Furthermore, if there are AGSEM Teaching Assistants in your faculty who are on strike, remember that Article 18.02 of the MUNACA collective agreement protects your right to refuse to cross a picket line, with no penalty other than non-payment for the working day.  We encourage all MUNACA members in affected faculties to exercise their Article 18.02 rights according to their conscience. Members can also use their lunch hours, breaks, floater and personal days to join the picket lines.

We stand with AGSEM as they fight for a fair contract! For any questions about how this may affect your workplace, please contact reception@munaca.com.

In Solidarity,

MUNACA