Do I have to inform my students about the strike or will the College?
- While the College must inform its students about our legal strike, the reality is that only you can explain how it will affect your courses. We encourage you to talk about the strike, not only to explain what will happen on the strike days, but also why we are going on strike — our working conditions are their learning conditions.
When does the strike begin?
- At noon on Tuesday, May 11.
What should I do if I am teaching at noon on May 11?
- You should end your class whether you are teaching online or in person.
What should I do if I am teaching a lab at this time?
- Plan ahead – do not start a lab that you will not be able to complete safely in the available period.
What should I do if I am teaching off-campus (clinical/stage/etc.)?
- You must stop teaching at noon, so inform your students and those responsible on-site ASAP.
Can I still meet/communicate with students during the strike?
- A strike is a withdrawal of service to the College, so you should not continue to offer student support during the strike.
When does the strike end?
- At noon on Thursday, May 13.
What should I do if I am teaching at noon on May 13?
- You could begin your class at noon, and end at the regularly scheduled time, whether you are teaching online or in person.
Will the academic calendar be extended?
- Our understanding is that the College does not intend to extend the academic calendar.
Will I have to make up the teaching hours missed due to the strike?
- Our understanding is that no, you will not.
What should I do if I was planning to give a test or assessment during the strike period?
- If possible, we suggest that you reschedule it during another pre-scheduled class time. If that is not possible, you should base the students’ marks on the work completed in the course and/or your professional assessment of the student’s achievement of the course competencies. If in doubt, ask your Program Dean; but remember that you are not required to add hours to your class schedule make up hours missed due to the strike, without additional compensation for your work.
Does this also include ContEd courses?
- Yes, our union accreditation covers teachers of all courses that are given for college credit.
Will I receive strike pay? How much? When?
- Yes. At the JACFA General Assembly on March 11, we voted to set strike pay at $120 per day or $60 per half day of strike. The strike pay cheques will be distributed before the start of the summer vacation period.
Do I have to show up on the picket line to get strike pay?*
- In order to be eligible for the 2 days worth strike pay, you must participate in one 1-hour picketing shift during the entire strike period, unless there are serious circumstances related to COVID-19 preventing you from doing so (see below). We need people on the picket line, so we encourage everyone to come join us. To picket, you must sign up for a time slot of one hour at this link. Please sign up by Friday, May 7.
What if there are serious circumstances that prevent me from picketing?
- Exceptionally, due to the particular circumstances imposed on us by the pandemic, it will be possible to obtain an exemption from picketing duties. If you have a health-related or other significant COVID-19-related reason that prevents you from participating, if interprovincial travel restrictions prevent you from arriving on campus, or if you are a part-time teacher who cannot participate in any of the picket times due to employment elsewhere, you will be exempted from picketing as long as you participate in our online alternative. If this applies to you, please fill out the exemption form found at this link.
What online alternative to picketing will be offered?
- If you cannot participate in person, you will be required to participate in our mobilization by sending an email to the College administration, the Ministry of Education and the Treasury Board (our employer’s representatives at the sectoral negotiation table), with JACFA in cc, in support of our strike’s objectives. A form letter will be produced and distributed for this purpose. More details to come.
Can I bring my child/children to the picket line?
- Yes.
I teach part-time/am on a workload reduction. How will the strike affect me?
- You are only on strike during the availability period that you have agreed to provide to the College. For example, if your availability schedule does not include Wednesdays, you will only be on strike for one day rather than two. Strike pay will be adjusted accordingly.
* If our strike continues for more than three days or we are locked out, in order to be eligible for payments from the CSN’s Professional Defence Fund, you must either have participated on the picket line or in the online alternative.