Defence Fund Chairperson's Report to CAUT Council
Spring 2001

In my last written report to Council, written in October 2000, I reported on the "pending" strike at MUNFA. As we all know, a two-week faculty strike did take place at Memorial University and Noel Roy, MUNFA's president, updated Council members of its results in November. As Defence Fund chair, I went to St.John's the first day of the strike and hand-delivered to Noel a giant one-million-dollar cheque (representing the credit line approved by Trustees), as part of a media event. A flying-picket solidarity visit from across Canada was also organized a few days later. A second visit was being prepared but later cancelled when MUNFA and its employer reached a tentative agreement on November 12 (which was later ratified).

In my last report, I also mentioned the fact that the executive of the University of Regina Faculty Association had unanimously approved joining the Fund. This was later approved by the general membership by a vote of 168 to 110. Of URFA's six bargaining units (representing a total of about 1,100 members, some of whom part-timers), four approved of joining the Defence Fund, two did not. URFA has not yet finished dealing with the internal implications of this vote but it is expected that the president, Paul Gingrich, will soon send a formal application for membership.

Membership in the Fund has also been increased by the addition of many part-time faculty who recently joined their full-time counterparts on several campuses (Bishop's, Wilfrid Laurier, and very recently, Acadia). A new trend to bring part-time academic staff within already unionized faculty associations seems to be emerging across the country, following the route earlier taken by Queen's and Western Ontario (and a few other associations who are not members of the Defence Fund). The Defence Fund's Policy and Planning Committee is currently looking at a way to deal with this situation, with regard to monthly dues and strike benefits.

Another item which is currently in the hands of the Policy and Planning Committee was brought to light during the recent CUPE 3903 three-month strike at York University. Few faculty members across Canada remained unmoved by the situation at York, and that included feelings for our YUFA colleagues who were caught in the middle of the strike. Many Defence Fund Trustees felt terribly helpless and wanted the Fund to do something. A letter-writing campaign to York's president and other York administrators was initiated a few weeks into the strike, financial donations to CUPE 3903 were sent individually by most associations, but that still did not seem sufficient in several trustees' minds. An extraordinary meeting of Trustees by conference call was called in early January to discuss our options, but it was cancelled as CUPE 3903 and the university finally reached a tentative agreement. The P&P Committee will report on this in October.

This strike, as well as MUNFA's and all other faculty strikes, which are undoubtedly occurring more and more frequently, each one lasting longer than the previous one, clearly demonstrate to all parties involved that academic staff will do what it takes to remain firm at the bargaining table, fight for satisfactory salaries and decent working conditions, defend themselves against ruthless employers, and remain strong on the picket lines.

As reported in October, there are still a few faculty associations eligible to join the Fund who are not members yet. It is hoped that these associations will see the numerous benefits of belonging to a strong, reliable, powerful defence fund. The Membership Committee is actively working on recruiting them.

As always, I am very grateful for the assistance and support I receive from the CAUT staff, as well as for their continuing efficient work in the administration of the Defence Fund.

Respectfully submitted,

Denise Nevo
Chair, CAUT Defence Fund
http://defencefund.caut.ca
March 2001