The VIUFA executive has struck a job action committee in order to prepare for, if and when the time comes, the possibility that our membership will have to consider job action. Our hope is that we will not have to resort to any job action. Nevertheless, Canadian labour law protects our rights to withdraw our labour, or take other forms of job action, precisely because there are times when that is the only effective way to draw an Employer into meaningful negotiations. Depending on how the bargaining process unfolds, we want to be sure that we are prepared to take action.

To this end, we are seeking interested members to join this committee. Ideally, we would like a number of members representing different areas of our collective.

If you are interested in being a member of this committee, please see Terms of Reference (below) and reach out to Kathleen Bortolin (Committee Chair) for more information and to express interest in being part of this committee.

VIUFA JOB ACTION COORDINATION COMMITTEE
TERMS OF REFERENCE

Composition

The Job Action Coordination (JAC) Committee shall be chaired by the VIUFA Vice-President, and consist of the VIUFA Secretary-Treasurer and at least three (3) and up to nine (9) VIUFA Members appointed by the VIUFA Table Officers. The VIUFA Office Manager will act as a non-voting resource person.

Mandate

The JAC Committee shall be responsible for the following:

  1. The development of communication plans for engaging the membership in regards to job action during the 2022-2023 Collective Agreement negotiations;
  2. Consultation with the VIUFA membership on effective ways of influencing the outcome of bargaining;
  3. Identification of the Association’s options available for job action, in consultation with the membership. Consideration should be given to a) what types of job action would be most impactful, b) the demographics of the bargaining unit, and c) the type of of work performed by members in each area of the institution;
  4. Providing the Secretary-Treasurer with the information required to ensure proper costing of each of the options identified by the JAC Committee;
  5. Recommending to the Negotiations Committee the arrangements for conducting a vote on job action;
  6. Developing plans for such matters as organizing picket duty, communication to members during the strike, strike pay, essential services agreements.

Meetings

Meetings of the Job Action Coordination Committee shall be convened by the Chair on a bi-weekly basis during the first two months of operation, and thereafter on an as-needed basis, in order to comply with the direction of the Bargaining Team or VIUFA Executive, as applicable. Meetings may be held in person, by teleconferencing, or through other electronic means, as determined by the Chair.

Quorum

Quorum for meetings shall be a majority of the JAC Committee members.

Governance

Governance decisions and recommendations shall be taken by consensus or, where required, by a majority vote of the members of the Job Action Coordination Committee. The Job Action Coordination Committee shall report to the VIUFA Bargaining Team.

Chair of the Job Action Coordination Committee

The Chair of the Job Action Coordination Committee shall be the Vice-President of the Association. In the event the Vice-President is not available, they shall appoint an alternate member of the Job Action Coordination Committee to act as Chair.

The Chair shall be responsible for the following:

  1. Chairing meetings of the JAC Committee;
  2. Obtaining approval from the Executive for any committee-related financial expenditures;
  3. Reporting in a timely manner on the activities, and where required, advancing recommendations of the JAC Committee to the Bargaining Team, the Executive, and the Table Officers.