We have a new Collective Agreement! What’s in it?

We’re ecstatic to share Camosun College Faculty Association’s new 2022-2025 Collective Agreement. Let’s dive in!

Jump ahead by clicking the issue important to you! Questions? Email ac.ytlucafnusomac@gniniagrab.

Major gains and changes:

• Wages
• Extended Health Benefits Improvements
• Lifestyle and Wellness Spending Account ($275)
• Alternative Transportation Fund (Free bus pass!)
• Regularization Improvements
• Preparation time for new employees

Minor changes and clarifications:

• Discipline letters
• Department Chair complements and evaluations
• Streamlining excessive workload compensation
• Selection of New Faculty and Administrators
• Scheduled Development clarity
• Sick Leave Bank for Long-Term Disability
• Co-op and Internship Supervision clarity and limits

Concessions:

• Layoffs and Revising and Rescinding Term Contracts

Wages

We bargained for an improved wage structure that includes an immediate raise, another raise scheduled for April 1, 2024, and a retroactive lump sum pay calculated to the backdated start of the contract, April 1, 2022:

• Effective April 1, 2022, all CCFA members received a $455 flat-rate increase to their annual salary. This new salary amount was increased by a further 3.24%
• Effective April 1, 2023, all CCFA members received a further 6.75% increase to their annual salary
• Effective April 1, 2024, all CCFA members will receive a further 2% increase to their annual salary. If the average annual Consumer Price Index in B.C. exceeds 2% in April 2024, this raise will be increased to a maximum of 3%. As of July 2023, the average annual CPI was 5.6%, far exceeding that threshold, so we expect the April 1, 2024 raise will reach 3%.

These raises affect all CCFA members, including substitutes and term faculty. These raises also affect your pension, even if you retired after the backdated start date of the contract. It will take a few weeks for the raise to appear on your paycheque, but the Employer has assured us they are updating the pay structure as quickly as possible.

CCFA members who currently work at the College will receive their retroactive pay through the regular pay method (i.e. direct deposit) once Payroll processes it. Make sure, as always that you Check Your Cheque to make sure you get every dime to which you are entitled. Check the website for the next Check Your Check infosession!

If you no longer work at the College but worked at some point between April 1, 2022, and September 20, 2023, you are still entitled to retroactive pay. You have until November 2, 2023 to apply to the College to receive your backpay. The College has provided this application form.

• Click here to apply for Retroactive Pay
• Please note the application deadline is November 2, 2023

Your best course of action is to ensure that the CCFA has your contact information. Fill out the CCFA Member Details Form on our website as soon as you can and we will make sure you are compensated fairly for the work you did.

While these raises still do not reflect the skyrocketing cost of living and inflation rates, we hope they take some steps to make life in the Capital Region more affordable. We will continue to push for fair raises that match our colleagues in other provinces and keep up with the cost of living in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

New Extended Health Benefits

All members registered for the CCFA’s Extended Health Plan (i.e. Continuing Faculty and any Term Faculty who qualify) received a number of new benefits. These new benefits are effective September 1, 2023, meaning you are eligible for reimbursement for services you received in September 2023. You can find more details in our Collective Agreement FAQ, but here is a quick summary:

• Professional Services (e.g. massage therapy, chiropractic, naturopathy, physiotherapy): no more $20 per-visit maximum caps on reimbursement for your first five visits. Previously, we were only covered for up to $20 for our first five visits in a calendar year before the rest of our coverage would kick in.
• New Drug Card: All members will receive a pay-direct Drug Card with voluntary generic substitution. There is no longer a need to save receipts or wait for the reimbursement to arrive. Your drug card is accepted by virtually every pharmacy in Canada.
• Psychological Services (e.g. psychologists and clinical counsellors): Our coverage is increased from $1500 to $3000 per year per family and the employer now pays the full premiums (previously, members bore 50% of these costs)
• Gender Affirmation Coverage: up to $ 30,000 lifetime coverage for gender-affirming services (surgical procedures such as Adam’s apple reductions, cheek augmentation, or breast augmentation; as well as non-surgical treatments such as voice training for transgender care) not covered by the provincial health care plan. The union believes that this covers dependents, but we are awaiting confirmation from Manulife.
• Health Spending Account (HSA): All members receive a new Health Spending Account (not to be confused with the Lifestyle and Wellness Spending Account described below): a $400 per member fund that can be used to “top-up” standard benefits to pay for outstanding amounts, deductibles or dispensing fees. For example, if you purchase prescription eyewear in excess of the $650 allotted, you can use our HSA to pay the difference.
  
  The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) maintains a guide and a list of medical expenses (PDF) on the Canada Revenue Agency website. Medical expenses that meet CRA’s definition are typically reimbursable (in whole or in part) from a plan member’s HCSA.
• Dental Care for Term Faculty: any term faculty member with employment of at least 50% full-time equivalent for at least 16 weeks now qualifies for dental coverage.

Because these benefits have an effective start date of Sept 1, 2023, if you made use of the above services, but your claim was underpaid because it was evaluated under the old plan, you can call Manulife’s general support line at 1-800-268-6195 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Mon. to Fri.) to have your claim adjusted. If you used services but did not make a claim because you thought your funds were already used up, you can make a claim as usual through its website.

Lifestyle and Wellness Spending Account (LWSA)

You can now apply for this fund! Find instructions here.

All members, including term faculty, receive a Lifestyle and Wellness Spending Account (not to be confused with the Health Spending Account described above): a one-time, non-renewable fund of $250 (this has been adjusted down from $375 to allow most members to access) to encourage habits of wellness and increase physical and mental health. This fund will be managed by Manulife. Here are some examples of what kind of expenses are eligible for reimbursement:

• Membership and/or admission to fitness facilities;
• Textbooks and/or related media on health and/or wellness-related topics;
• Smoking cessation, weight loss, or addictions programs;
• Classes/courses for health/wellness enhancement or for personal or professional development;
• Fitness Instruction/ Personal Trainers;
• Admission fees for races and fitness activities;
• Fitness trackers and app subscriptions, such as Fitbit or MyFitnessPal, and other technology;
• Consultation session(s) with a Registered Dietitian or Nutritionist; Meditation/Mindfulness classes or programs;
• Active wear and sports equipment;
• Artistic and Cultural activities, courses, and supplies; and
• For other lifestyle or wellness purposes, as agreed by the Employer and Union.

The total amount of this fund is $152,119. The $250 per member amount (adjusted down from the originally communicated amount of $375) was calculated in the hopes that as many members as possible can access the fund. However, the fund is finite. Once the total amount is exhausted, any subsequent applications will be denied. We expect few members, if any, will be denied access as a result of the depletion of the fund.

Expect information on how to access this fund soon!

Alternative Transportation Fund

The current dividend program has been eliminated and replaced with a recurring $80,000 annual fund meant to encourage and support climate-friendly transportation from faculty members. Continuing faculty members who fully opt out of their annual parking pass before September 30 are eligible for a free annual bus pass or Pro Pass with Victoria Regional Transit System. Members who opt for a “flex pass” that allows for parking on campus up to 10 times per month will receive a 50% subsidy for a monthly bus pass.

Follow these instructions to access this exciting new benefit: The New Alternative Transportation Program is Live!

Once you opt out of the parking pass and the Sept. 30 deadline passes, you cannot opt back in. (There will be an exception in the September 2023 Fall term due to the delay of ratification.)

The Alternative Transportation Fund will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Any leftover funds will return to the CCFA and we will negotiate in the next round of bargaining how best to put them towards addressing the climate crisis.

We were unable to secure this benefit for term instructors during this round of bargaining. If you are term faculty and would love access to this benefit, email ac.ytlucafnusomac@afcc and let us know so we can bring it to the bargaining table next round.

Regularization

Your CCFA Contract Negotiating Committee secured new, fairer, and more straightforward regularization language. We hope this change will help members who have been working regular patterns for years, but who have been denied continuing status due to outdated language, achieve job security and scheduled development benefits earlier and easier.

Clause 1.04(d) in the Collective Agreement addresses regularization rights. Here is the new language:

The Faculty Member must have completed term appointment(s) of at least eight (8) weeks of full-time equivalent employment in each of two (2) semesters in each of two (2) consecutive years. The resulting full-time equivalent employment over the two consecutive year periods (i.e. two consecutive and complete twelve-month (12-month periods must be at least thirty-two (32) weeks for an average workload of at least fifty percent (50%) in each year.

For instructional term faculty, this means an instructor who taught 50% in the Fall and 100% in a compressed term (for example, a course running only in May and June) for two years in a row now qualifies for 50% regularization, provided there is prospective work available over the next year. Previously, contracts that ran fewer than 12 weeks, despite how common they are, did not count towards regularization.

Because the threshold is now 50% over 16 weeks instead of 40% over 12 weeks, in some rare cases, term faculty members who would have qualified under the old equation might not qualify under the new one. In these rare cases, we negotiated a legacy provision that states if a term faculty member’s first qualifying semester began before the ratification of this agreement, they are eligible to apply for regularization using either the new or old language.

We know that this new language does not cover many term faculty members who have been working regular patterns for years, particularly those who work courses compressed to fewer than eight weeks, and those whose average workloads amount to slightly less than 50%. We will keep fighting for you to secure the security you deserve.

If you think you might be eligible for regularization but aren’t sure, email ac.ytlucafnusomac@afcc to find out!

Selection of New Faculty and Administrators

We negotiated new rules outlining the hiring of new faculty (Clause 1.06) that increase faculty participation. Our previous language only required “consultation” with faculty; the new language improves the composition and faculty participation of selection committees when possible:

• The committee, when possible, must include three faculty members (including the department chair, where applicable)
• The Dean or designate chairs the selection committee, with a maximum size of six members
• All members will participate in shortlisting, preparing interview questions, interviewing, and recommending the preferred candidate. 
• The Dean will still make the final decision

We also negotiated a brand new clause, Clause 35, that slightly improves faculty participation in the hiring of College administrators (e.g. Vice Presidents, Executive Directors, Deans, but excluding the president):

35 (NEW). When hiring College Administrators, the College shall invite the Union to appoint at least one (1) Faculty Member to the relevant Selection Committee.

While this may appear to be a small change, as a new clause, we think it is quite significant. We know our members merit a greater voice in how our institution is run and we will continue to fight to bring Camosun up to the standard of shared collegial governance we deserve.

Preparation Time for New Employees

Previously in clause 7.06 (Preparation Time for New Employees), only faculty with zero teaching experience received any preparation time before a term started. This applied to almost no one, ever. Now, a “new employee” no longer refers to someone with “no previous teaching experience,” but someone who “has not previously taught at the College.”

Now, any 100% FTE faculty member with a contract of four months’ length or longer (unfortunately, the College considers a single semester to be less than four months’ work) starting work at Camosun for the first time is entitled to two weeks’ paid preparation time. See this blog post for more.

Discipline

We have new language in clause 2.03 that allows members to request the removal of any letters of discipline or adverse reports (excluding letters of expectation, which are non-disciplinary), after two years without incident.

Layoffs

We conceded some minor changes to the Layoff language (Clause 3.01):

• The College President is no longer formally required to issue layoff notices. Layoffs will come from “the College” instead
• The requirement to inform the employee 14 days before issuing a layoff notice (the “pre-notice notice”) has been deleted.
• Previously, the entire Board of Governors had to be informed of any layoff notice; now only the Chair will be notified.

Clause 3.03 has been altered to provide paid leave for retraining only for an available faculty position (i.e. within the CCFA), rather than the College as a whole.

We also conceded to a major ask from the employer in order to secure the gains for regularizing term faculty above. This new Letter of Agreement provides rules for revising and rescinding contracts for term faculty. Previously, term faculty were covered under Clause 3.01 above. The employer can now revise or rescind term contracts that have already been accepted for the same reasons listed in clause 3.01 (changes of enrollment, the deletion of a program, technological changes or insufficient operating funds). The new LoA covers how much compensation a candidate will receive depending on when their contract is cancelled or altered:

• More than two weeks before its start date: no compensation
• Two weeks or less before its start date: a “cancellation fee” of two weeks’ pay at the appropriate step on the salary scale
• Two weeks or less after its start date: two months’ notice or compensation until the end of the appointment, whichever is less

While the Union views any change in the Collective Agreement that makes it easier for members or potential members to lose their jobs as a concession, what made this proposal palatable was the fact that as part of a bargaining package, we were able to secure stronger regularization language and dental coverage for term employees. Additionally, we were assured by the Employer that this new language will make it easier for the College to issue term contracts earlier—a change that will benefit our members as well as administrators.

Department Chairs

Chairs are now only required for departments with three full-time equivalent (FTE) faculty members, instead of three faculty with less than FTE workloads (Clause 6.04)

We also negotiated a clearer evaluation schedule for how Chairs are evaluated (Clause 6.06): once in the first two years, then once every term thereafter. All faculty members in the department shall be able to participate in the evaluation.

Workload

Continuing and probationary faculty members with excessive workloads now get to choose whether they receive time off or salary in compensation (Clause 7.01). All other employees receive salary.

Clause 7.06, which affords new employees two weeks’ preparation time, was clarified to indicate that it applies to members who had not worked previously at the College.

Scheduled Development (SD)

Apart from several organizational changes that improve readability, we clarified several rules and procedures:

• Firm and clear deadlines for SD intents, proposals, and reports
• New language to allow possible extensions of deadlines for proposals and reports (At the Dean or Diirector’s discretion)
• New requirement that Deans discuss with the faculty member any problems they have with the SD proposal
• Removal of language that ties approval of a faculty member’s next project to the report on their last project

Sick Leave Bank

Currently, members who have been denied Short Term Disability (STD) and have appealed can get up to six months of benefit coverage while they await Manulife’s decision (Clause 15.04). Our new language extends this provision to members who have been denied Long Term Disability (LTD) and have appealed.

Co-op and Internship Supervision

We significantly re-organized this Letter of Agreement (LoA 4) for clarity and made a few improvements:

• Co-op and internship supervision will not be assigned as overloads except in exceptional circumstances.
• In those exceptional circumstances, there is a new limit on overloads to encourage bundling into 25% contracts: a five-student limit in the fall or winter terms; 10-student in the summer.
• Everyone will receive appropriate salary for this work—no more “release credits.” Employees who have unused “release credits” will see those credits converted to salary

There are also a pile of what are called Housekeeping changes which are considered minor error corrections, cleaning up any remaining gendered language, fixing so many punctuation errors, and formatting.

(Brought to you by your Contract Negotiations Committee)