Defence Fund President's Report
CAUT Fall General Meeting 2011

I would like to thank all the CAUT staff, especially Louise D'Anjou, Nancy Gordon, Gord Piche and Peter Simpson for their excellent work in supporting the activities of the Defence Fund and for assisting me during my first year as the President of the Fund. I also want to thank all of the Trustees who volunteered for 'Flying Picket Duty' in support of our colleagues.

The Trustees welcomed back the Syndicat des professeurs de l'Universte Laval (SPUL) at the AGM of the Defence Fund held in Toronto Oct. 15-16. The annual meeting also gave Trustees the opportunity to remember our fellow Trustee Atef Fahim who passed away this year.

Since my last report two job actions have taken place that required the involvement of the Defence Fund flying and driving pickets.

The Western Ontario Faculty Association's Librarians and Archivists were forced to take job action September 8, 2011. The Defence Fund Trustees visited the very next day; the million dollar cheque was delivered at the noon rally along with encouraging words from our Defence Fund Trustees. On Friday September 16, the Defence Fund Trustees visited again to walk the picket line with our Western colleagues. This visit was greatly appreciated and proved to be quite necessary. I am pleased to report the Librarians and Archivists at Western negotiated a Collective Agreement shortly after the last visit of the Defence Fund.

A few potential hot spots at Windsor (WUFA), Sudbury (NOSMFSA), Oshawa (UOIT) and Halifax (NSCADU) were extinguished and strikes averted.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the situation at Brandon University. To date, the BUFA membership has been on strike for 45 days (since Oct.12). The Flying Pickets have travelled to Brandon four times in support of our striking colleagues. The actions by this employer clearly are intended to break the union; however the BUFA membership stands united and strong. The Defence Fund Trustees will travel to Brandon for as long as it takes for BUFA to reach a fair negotiated settlement.

I will verbally supplement this report at the Council meeting.

Respectfully submitted In Solidarity,

Brian E. Brown
President, Defence Fund
Defence Fund Trustee (WUFA)