LETTER OF AGREEMENT #20: WORKLOAD EQUITY
Article 10.2.1.2.1 of the collective agreement states that workload for instructional faculty based on contact hours and varies from twenty-four (24) to thirty-two (32) contact hours depending on faculty. Higher contact hours may impact hiring and retention as well as faculty obligations, including scholarly activity, professional development and service within the university community.
In order to collaboratively discuss equitable contact hours, the parties agree to:
Create a Labour Management sub-committee on equity issues relating to instructional contact hours. The sub-committee shall include five (5) VIUFA representatives and five (5) VIU representatives, with priority representation from departments with thirty-two (32) contact-hour workloads. The mandate is to:
a) Survey findings and recommendations of earlier committees working in this area, such as the Labour Relations sub-committee on Workload (October 2017) and the Joint VIUFA-VIU Workload Committee (June 2014).
b) Consult with Faculties and Administrators on current contact-hour disparity and possible solutions.
c) Consider workload design in order to provide upper level release to regular faculty members with between thirty (30) and thirty-two (32) contact hours;
d) Develop a long-term plan to decrease contact hour disparity between Faculties.
e) Document the plan in a written report to be submitted to Labour Management by March 31, 2022. The committee will also provide quarterly updates.
The Committee will make recommendations to Labour Management and will be submitted to the parties’ respective principals for review.