FAQs

Job Action FAQ

ULFA has created a Job Action Policy to help inform our members about what to expect in the unlikely event of a lockout or a strike. Since this is the first time the Faculty Association and its membership have had to consider what job action means for us, we anticipate a lot of questions from our Members. This policy may also be revised as situations warrant. We have put together a list of frequently asked questions on the topic of job action below. If you have other questions, you are welcome to contact the Faculty Association office via admin@ulfa.ca.

ULFA has prepared a student FAQ which will be available here.

Job Action Documents 

Please check your email for a link to Picket Line Duties sign up via SurveyMonkey.

Accomodations/Exemptions/Request Different Shift/Report Illness 
If you require accomodations or alternative duties beyond picket duties, or you are ill, please fill out this form here.

ULFA has indicated to the employer that under 155 of the ALRC all benefit premiums are to continue and be invoiced to ULFA. If you do not want your optional benefit premiums to continue please contact Human Resources and cc ULFA.

Cessation of Employment Duties

Job Action Policy Feb 11 2022.docx (1)ULFA has created a Job Action Policy to help inform our members about what to expect in the unlikely event of a lockout or a strike. Since this is the first time the Faculty Association and its membership have had to consider what job action means for us, we anticipate a lot of questions from our Members. This policy may also be revised as situations warrant. We have put together a list of frequently asked questions on the topic of job action below. If you have other questions, you are welcome to contact the Faculty Association office via admin@ulfa.ca.

ULFA has prepared a student FAQ which will be available here.

Job Action Documents 

Please check your email for a link to Picket Line Duties sign up via SurveyMonkey.

If you require accomodations or alternative duties beyond picket duties please fill out this form here.

ULFA has indicated to the employer that under 155 of the ALRC all benefit premiums are to continue and be invoiced to ULFA. If you do not want your optional benefit premiums to continue please contact Human Resources and cc ULFA.

Cessation of Employment Duties

A:        ‘Job action’ is a term that refers to both a lockout (when the employer locks out employees) and a strike (when the union withdraws labour from the employer). During job action in the form of a strike, we withdraw our labour and participate in job action duties (such as participating in pickets, volunteering in the headquarters, coordinating volunteers and resources, etc.). During job action, we don’t perform employment-related duties, including but not limited to the following:

  • Teaching (both on or off campus), supervising, and advising students;
  • Emailing students to answer questions related to course material;
  • Library work;
  • Updating granting agencies regarding employment related service tasks;
  • Service;
  • Liaising with community partners for university-related work;
  • Directing theatre or musical performances;
  • Performing administrative duties.
  • Not hosting conferences or speaker engagements.

    Peforming these duties are considered ‘strike breaking’ activities. A member found to be engaging in these activities (without an appropriate picket pass) may
    face sanctions up to, and including being no longer eligible to participate in the strike, receive strike pay for the duration of the strike, and censure from ULFA activities for up
    to one calendar year.

A:        All academic staff are required to participate in job action, unless you qualify as an exemption in the Essential Services Agreement or the ULFA Job Action Policy/Protocol. Contact the Job Action Committee for clarification at admin@ulfa.ca. If you do not participate in the job action, you may face consequences, such as the loss of job action pay, or other appropriate penalties.

A:        The majority of Members will be identified as having a job action status. There may be some Members, however, who will be considered exemptions by ULFA and should continue as regular employees of the University, complete with salary and benefits in tact. These individuals will be identified in the Essential Services Agreement and the ULFA Job Action Policy and including the following:

  • Inactive Members as defined in Article 4.05 and 4.06 of the Faculty Handbook (including Senior Academic Administrators and faculty reps to the Board of Governors) and perform managerial decisions and conduct the business affairs for the University;
  • Members who are on sick leave, long-term disability, political leave, maternity/parental leave, compassionate leave, or other non-voluntary leaves as approved by ULFA and the Board of Governors prior to the start of job action;
  • Other cases may be agreed to between ULFA and the Board of Governors as they arise. In the event the Board of Governors does not provide exemption status for these employees ULFA will seek out the appropriate remedy for that group, and provide job action pay as per the ULFA Job Action Policy in the meantime. Those on non-voluntary leaves such as sick leave and maternity/parental leave will receive picket duty exemptions.

The University Administration has indicated that Members on study or other leaves are on lockout and will not receive their usual pay. However, Members on leave are eligible for strike pay from ULFA in returns for performing strike duties. For Members that are unable to picket in-person, please complete the JAC Accommodations Request Form, in order to request alternate duties to receive picket pay.

A:        You are not considered to be on strike while you’re on leave and you should continue to be paid by the University during that time. Once you are scheduled to return to work, however, your status will change to that of a locked-out or striking employee. You will be expected to cease all your duties as an employee and participate in the job action. You will also receive job action pay upon returning from leave. If you are removed from the University payroll prior to the scheduled start of your leave, you will qualify for job action pay, and depending on the nature of the leave may qualify for exemptions from picket duties.

A:        During job action, ULFA Members will withhold teaching, administrative, and service duties. We are not striking against research and Members whose research activities have time constraints or laboratory responsibilities will be provided with passes to cross the picket line in order to maintain the viability of laboratories, care of animals, or carry out other duties necessary to prevent the loss of data and assure the resumption of normal research activities after job action. Access to campus facilities is contingent upon approval from the U of L administration.

A:        ULFA is committed to ensuring life-threatening emergencies are dealt with in a timely and effective manner and without jeopardizing the job action principles. An agreed upon Essential Services Agreement (ESA) between ULFA and the Board of Governors provides for how emergencies that threaten public safety will be performed. Please contact the proper authorities for the nature of the emergency. The ESA provides for this sharing of emergency incidents to ULFA.

A:        If you have external commitments to granting agencies, funders, and partners that are not directly university-related work that’s assigned by the Dean, you may continue this work. Keep in mind, though, that minimizing your external commitments contributes to the success of the job action. For this reason, the Association recommends withdrawing as much of your service contributions as possible.

You are expected to withdraw from all your teaching-related duties, including supervising students in alternate modes of study. This includes teaching duties provided through electronic and in-person platforms. You may communicate with students for the purpose of updating them about job action. ULFA will also have updated information on its website, social media and at our headquarters.

A:        For the duration of the job action, you are expected to withhold your labour entirely from university-related work. If you think there is essential or critical work that you need to perform, then contact the ULFA staff for permission at admin@ulfa.ca. Without permission from the ULFA staff, you may risk being identified as a strike-breaker and facing penalties (such as losing job action pay, or the ability to participate with ULFA). Outdated ULFA posts had other unspecified penalties not contained within any Job Action Policy.

A:        No. While ULFA has taken a stance to not strike against research, the employer has indicated they will lockout ULFA staff during any job action. During a lockout, the employer will not permit you to enter the premises.
Regardless, ULFA Members will require an ULFA picket pass to cross the picket line onto the employer’s premises. You may face consequences as a result of crossing the picket line. You are strongly encouraged to remove any critical items from your office and back up your computer files on an external device prior to the start of any job action.

A:        If you are identified as an exempted Member, you may participate in job action in a number of ways:

  • You can support the picket line by walking in solidarity with picketers prior to and after crossing the picket line for your regular duties;
  • You can resign your position as an exempted Member for the duration of the job action and become a Member on lockout or strike. Contact the Job Action Committee for any assistance.

In Canada, employers are required by law to provide income tax documents to employees no later than the last day of February following the calendar year that the information return applies to. While members may not be able to access these documents on the Bridge, the forms should be available by logging into the Canada Revenue Agency portal (https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/cra-login-services.html).

ULFA has made a clear mandate to not strike against research. Thus, Members are welcome to continue their research activities remotely, including writing and submission of grant applications. Although, as a result of the lockout of ULFA staff, it is not clear whether the University Office of Research and Innovation Services (ORIS) will continue to processes and submit grant applications for ULFA Members. This decision resides solely with the University Board of Governors and ULFA will continue to petition for our Members to access these crucial resources.

The Picket Line & Job Action Duties

A:        Yes. Picket lines are one of the most effective symbols during job action and one of the ways in which all affected employees can work together in an effort to minimize the duration of the job action. The majority of the assigned duties during job action will be to support the picket line, although there may be other required duties that do not include picket line duties as assigned by the Job Action Committee. Accommodations will be provided to Members who need them as per the Job Action Policy

A:        You will receive job action pay for completing assigned duties. If you do not check in for job action duties or if you do not perform the duties and have not arranged prior permission with the Job Action Committee, you will risk losing your job action pay or other appropriate consequences.

A:        While it may be possible to request assigned alternate duties other than picketing, requests for such alternate assignments will be granted on a limited basis to ensure that the primary participation will be in picketing activity. Requests will be granted to you if you have a bona fide duty need under protected grounds (such as mobility and access issues; or family status). Requests for alternate assigned duties will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Job Action Committee and be based on the needs of the applicant. Requests will not be unreasonably denied. Alternate assignment of duties may include: managing phone and email communications with external groups, coordinating headquarters administration duties, coordinating volunteers, coordinating goods and services for volunteers, photocopying material for picket lines, or supporting financial administration.

The form to request accommodations or exemption from picket duties is available here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdbIwRWBhsB_tY-WOdjsZHg21q-NHunIGZjsPKxQyD8LQjN_w/viewform 

A:        Yes. The ULFA Executive will ultimately decide on any disputes over requests for alternate assigned duties.

A:        A picket line shift is normally three hours in duration. There will be three shifts per day, a morning shift (8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.), a Mid-day shift (11:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m) and an afternoon shift (2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Please arrive before your scheduled start time and check in with the picket captain. Dress appropriately for weather conditions.

A:        You are welcome to bring a chair or other support device with you to the picket line. You should also let the Job Action Committee and picket captain know of any supports you may need so they can make arrangements if possible.

A:        Yes, a picket line will take place in a public venue and your photo may be taken. There will be media coverage of job action and ULFA will be providing regular updates on its website and social media accounts.

A:        Your safety and the safety of others is paramount so you should never be in a situation in which you have to engage with aggressive individuals. If you notice an altercation or someone crossing the picket line, you are encouraged to speak to them in a calm and clear voice if it is safe to do so. You may use your cell phone or other recording device to capture the interaction or to provide evidence of the situation. Report to the picket captain as soon as possible.

A:        You may be able to bring children with you to the picket line during your off-duty hours but during assigned work hours, you will be expected to participate fully in the assigned work of any picket line duties. The Job Action Committee may be able to coordinate child-friendly activities for you and your child to engage in during picket line attendance. It is also important for you to consider any safety concerns that may arise on the picket line. While violence is explicitly not condoned, emotions can run high during job action and heated disputes may erupt in unpredictable ways.

A:        Yes. Maps will be available on the ULFA website, at the job action headquarters, and on any material distributed to volunteers. Here are the 5 picket line locations:

A:        615 4th Ave S. in downtown Lethbridge.

We strongly recommend not parking on campus because the employer could void your parking pass. For those picketing at the main campus entrance, limited parking will be available in the back lot of the University Drive Alliance Church (ONLY the northeast corner of the lot), located at the intersection of University Drive and Columbia Boulevard (55 Columbia Blvd. W.). The University Drive Alliance Church wishes to remain neutral on the job action situation and thus have requested that NO signs or messages are set up or visible on any of the church property at any time.

While Members are encouraged to consider using public transit, carpooling, and/or active transportation (such as walking and cycling) instead of taking individual vehicles, arranging transportation to the picket lines is the responsibility of Members. Members are encouraged to coordinate transportation with friends and colleagues.

Those riding the bus are encouraged to get off at the stop before campus in order to limit crossing of the picket lines. Check out the Lethbridge Transit website for details about planning your trip, schedules, and fares: https://www.lethbridge.ca/living-here/getting-around/Transit/Pages/default.aspx

At this time, we are unable to guarantee there will be bicycle parking available at picket line sites.

First aid kits will be located in the picket kits provided at each location. Please reach out to your picket captain if you need assistance.

Our Job Action Materials Committee had planned to erect port-a-potties at the picket line sites, but the University has been unwilling to establish a strike protocol with us and permit these. We are currently making other arrangements and will inform picketers on arrival.

Although the Alberta Government has begun lifting restrictions, we encourage all Members on the picket line to wear masks and practice physical distancing. Stay home if you are feeling unwell and notify your picket captain or fill out an accommodations form to find another picket shift or alternate duty so that you can receive strike pay.

Relating to Job Action Pay

A:        Members who were dues-paying members in good standing prior to the start of the job action and who participate in job action duties as assigned by the Job Action Committee are eligible to receive job action pay. Exempted members are not eligible for job action pay and should continue as regular employees of the University. In the event the University locks out these Members ULFA will seek the appropriate remedy and provide job action pay as per the Job Action Policy.

A:        All Members eligible for job action pay will receive $1050/week inclusive of benefits for job action duties (minimum 3 shifts of 3 hours), strike pay will be pro-rated for duties less than those assigned. Job Action pay rate is the same rate regardless of employment status (i.e. continuing, tenured, term, sessional, or on less than full time equivalencies). Job action pay is non-taxable and will be distributed to those who perform job action duties (such as picket duty or other equivalent work as assigned).

Job action pay will be distributed by cheque every two weeks to those who are eligible.

A:        A shift will be an amount of time determined by the Job Action Committee and may depend on the assigned duties. Shifts will normally not last more than three (3) hours per day and three days per week, though exceptional circumstances may arise. This is a reduction in required hours from the original 5 day/4 hour shifts. Members are encouraged but not required to join a picket line outside of their scheduled hours.

A:        All attempts to accommodate schedule changes will be addressed by the Job Action Committee. Disputes will be addressed by the Executive. If you are unable to make up a missed shift, but you have made every effort to minimize your absence, you may be eligible to receive full job action pay; otherwise, you risk having your job action pay prorated.

A:        The majority of assigned duties will comprise picketing and picket line support. Alternate assignment of duties may be requested and include: managing phone and email communications with external groups, coordinating headquarters administration duties, coordinating volunteers, coordinating goods and services for volunteers, photocopying material for picket lines, supporting financial administration.

A:        Normally, members on study leave are not considered to be on job action. Your status as a Member may change such that you are no longer considered locked out or on strike and you may resume regular employment with the University, complete with pay and benefits. This status would have to be negotiated between the Association and the Board of Governors. If the Board of Governors does not continue your regular employment you will be eligible for job action pay following the provisions of the ULFA Job Action Policy.

A:        In the eyes of the Association, you may continue to receive job action pay as though your contract hadn’t terminated so long as you continue to perform assigned job action duties. Alternatively, you may withdraw from your job action duties upon the termination of your contract. Please communicate your intentions to the Job Action Committee.

Relating to Benefits of Employment

A:        In the event of job action, ULFA encourages all members not to support the University’s resources to maximally impact the withdrawal of your labour. If members absolutely must access the services provided by the university, they are able to do so outside of any work time assigned by the Job Action Committee.

Recreation

ULFA considers recreational services to be services that a Member would engage in during times of leisure, such as the Fitness Centre, University Library, University Theatre productions, University Orchestra and music productions, Pronghorn athletic games, the campus Bookstore, programing provided through CASA, guest talks and lectures sponsored or provided by the University, the Lux Hotel, and the Zoo. ULFA encourages all members to withdraw their presence from these facilities during times of job actions.

Health and Wellbeing

ULFA considers health and wellbeing services to be services that a Member would access in order to maintain their personal health, such as the extended health benefits, dental care benefits, vision care benefits, Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), and Basic Life Insurance. During any job action, these benefits will continue without interruption. ULFA encourages all Members to maintain their use of these programs, and to contact the Association should they experience any difficulties accessing these programs.

Auxiliary Resources

ULFA considers auxiliary benefits to be programs provided by the University that are not related to a Member’s employment benefits, such as printing services, public services for health and wellness (such as physiotherapy, massage, etc.), parking, etc. ULFA encourages Members to withdraw the support for all University provided resources for the duration of the job action.

A:        All Members will continue to receive core health benefits, whether the Association and the Board of Governors negotiate the continuation of these benefits or the Association covers the cost of the employer contributions to health benefits. You must indicate to the employer if you wish to continue optional benefits during job action.

A:        Due to the cost-prohibitive reality of UAPP pension contributions, the Association is unable to cover the employer and employee portions of the pension contribution. Pension contributions will cease during job action. As part of the return-to-work protocol that is negotiated at the conclusion of job action, there may be an option for Members to buy back the foregone contributions or to simply resume contributions from the time the job action ends.

A:        Automatic payroll deductions cease. The Board of Governors and the Association will negotiate some aspects of this in a return-to-work protocol after job action ceases, which may include an option to automatically resume contributions to these services or may have an option to buy back any missed time if the Member so chooses.

A:        These tuition benefit programs are provided by the Collective Agreement and as a result of job action, all rights and benefits will cease for the duration of the job action.

A:        The ULFA Academic Scholarship is a benefit provided exclusively by ULFA to its Members. This benefit will continue during any job action.

A:        Your professional supplement is a benefit provided by the Collective Agreement and as a result of job action, this benefit will cease for the duration of the job action. As part of the return-to-work protocol negotiated between the Board of Governors and ULFA, there may be an ability to submit expense claims for costs incurred during job action once regular work resumes.

A:        All rights and privileges under the Collective Agreement will cease for the duration of the job action.

A:        As part of the return-to-work protocol negotiated between the Board of Governors and ULFA, there may be agreement for waiving library fines incurred during job action.

A:        Parking is a service provided exclusively by the University and outside the Faculty Handbook. Unless parking waitlists are negotiated as part of a return-to-work protocol, the answer to this question is unknown at this time.

Additional FAQs

As per the ULFA Bylaws, adjunct professors are eligible for Associate Member status in the Association. Associate Members are not party to the collective agreement (Faculty Handbook) and do not pay full membership dues. For a $10 fee, Associate Members are entitled to receive Association communications, such as our newsletter, and have their names added to our email and regular mailing lists. As an Associate, you may also take advantage of university parking and recreation services at your own expense. To make application for Associate Membership or for further information, please contact the ULFA office at admin@ulfa.ca.

Currently all full-time and continuing academic staff are members of the Universities Academic Pension Plan (UAPP) as per Schedule B of the Faculty Handbook. Details of this plan are available from Payroll and Benefits. For contracts that are less than 1.0 FTE but more than 0.5 FTE, membership and contributions may be prorated to the contract. In the case of <0.5 FTE contracts or Sessional Lecturer contracts, there is neither membership nor pension payout.

As per the ULFA Bylaws, retired Faculty Members are eligible for Associate Member status in the Association, free of charge. If desired, retirees may be added to ULFA’s mailing list for written communications. For more information please follow this link.

A Faculty Member is eligible for a one-year study leave after six years of continuous service since appointment to the university or since completion of a previous leave. Alternatively, a Faculty Member is eligible for a six-month leave after three years of continuous service. During this study leave, a Faculty Member will receive 100% of his/her salary. Conditions/provisions for study leave do not appear in the Faculty Handbook. Furthermore, policies and procedures are Faculty specific. For example, Arts & Science has specific policies and procedures that may be different from those in the Faculty of Education, which are different again from those in the Dhillon School of Business.

Study leave is not automatic; rather, it is awarded by the Dean upon recommendation of a committee of peers and it is based on the merit of the application. A Member would normally submit an application for study leave in the fall semester (or in May for the Faculty of Arts & Science) at the beginning of one’s 2nd year (for half-year leave) or 5th year (for full-year leave).

Applicants are typically notified of the status of their applications in December of the year in which the application was made. Once approved, Faculty Members are eligible to apply for Study Leave Relocation Funding through the Faculty Association. ULFA automatically sends out information packages and application forms early in January, with a deadline of mid-February. An annual fund total of $35,000 is available to assist Members with the cost of relocating as related to their study leave. Allocations are made based on the recommendation of the Study Leave Relocation Committee.

The Faculty Association as well as tenured Faculty Members and those who have sat on STP Committees are helpful sources of information. All information related to Probation and Tenure can be found in Article 19 of the Faculty Handbook.

Information regarding meetings is contained in Article 6 of the ULFA Bylaws. ULFA meetings will take place on an as-needed basis. ULFA has its own Zoom account.

ULFA Academic Scholarship

The Faculty Association has an annual academic scholarship fund which can be accessed through this link. Contact Scholarships and Student Finance Office for more information.

Member’s Tuition Benefit

Schedule B.06 of the Faculty Handbook contains information about the tuition benefit for academic staff members.

Spouse & Dependant’s Tuition Benefit

Schedule B.07 of the Faculty Handbook contains information about the tuition benefit for spouses and dependents of academic staff members.