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Hi friends,

Here are some upcoming events and meetings that may be of interest to CUPE 4600 members

1. CUPE 4600 trivia Night – Wednesday, January 31st, 6pm
2. External Affairs Committee meeting –Wednesday, January 31st, 4pm
3. Gender Affirmation Fund Applications – Deadline: January 31st
4. Labour For Palestine – Ottawa contingent – Sunday, January 28th, 1:45pm
5. Webinar – Hassan Diab: Justice Denied – Sunday, January 28th, 3pm
6. OPIRG-Carleton Bursaries and Grants – Deadline: Friday, January 26th
7. Support PSAC workers on strike
8. Seminar: Depoliticizing The Housing Question In Canada – Friday, January 26th, 1pm

For more information and details about these events, click here

Hello Teaching Assistants,

As some of you may be aware, Carleton does not issue the first pay check to Teaching Assistants until the end of the first month of each term.

Teaching Assistants holding a TA position of 130 hours can apply for the TA Advance, and receive short-term funding to help them bridge the gap in income.

Via the TA Advance, you can receive up to $750 in the middle of the first month of the term. Any amount received via the Advance is repaid to Carleton through automatic deductions on your first three pay check (250$ per pay check).

PLEASE NOTE the application deadline for the winter 2024 advance is Friday, January 5th, at 5pm

You can download the TA Advance application form here. Applications should be submitted to the Office of the Deputy Provost by email at: Banaaltahir@cunet.carleton.ca

Hello Teaching Assistants,

As some of you may be aware, Carleton does not issue the first pay check to Teaching Assistants until the end of the first month of each term.

Teaching Assistants holding a TA position of 130 hours can apply for the TA Advance, and receive short-term funding to help them bridge the gap in income.

Via the TA Advance, you can receive up to $750 in the middle of the first month of the term. Any amount received via the Advance is repaid to Carleton through automatic deductions on your first three pay check (250$ per pay check).

PLEASE NOTE the application deadline for the September 2023 advance is Friday, September 15th, at noon.

You can download the TA Advance application form here. Applications should be submitted to the Office of the Deputy Provost by email at: Banaaltahir@cunet.carleton.ca

Hello CUPE 4600 members, both new and returning!

Orientation week is coming up fast, and we’ve got some great activities coming up, which are open to new and returning members of both units. Everyone is welcome!

Here are some of the events we have in the works. More details about all of these will be sent.

Monday, September 4th: March with us in the Ottawa Labour Day Parade. We will meet up at the Human Rights monument (220 Elgin st) at 11:45, and then join the parade at noon.

Tuesday, September 5th: Come visit us at the FGPA TA orientation. We will have a table there with info and cool swag for members. 1-3pm in front of Southam Hall

Wednesday, September 6th: Drop by the GSA lounge (6th floor Nideyinàn/Unicentre) on Wednesday afternoon (1-4pm) to get help signing up for your benefits! We’ll have board members present who can explain how our benefit plan works, and how to access your health benefits.

Thursday, September 7th: Join us for the most important meal of the day! Free pancakes from 9am until 10am. Location will be announced once the booking is confirmed.

Then, come visit our table at the GSA info fair, which will take place from 10am until 4pm in the Tory quad.

After that, join us for a radical walking tour of Ottawa. We will meet at the “Mama” sculpture (the giant spider) in front of the National Art Gallery, downtown Ottawa (380 Sussex Dr), at 2pm. The tour, Protest, strike and rebellion in Canada’s Capital, will take you to the locations of some key events in Ottawa’s radical history.

Friday, September 8th: We’ll end the week with a social at Mike’s Place, located in the Nideyinàn building (University Centre). We’ll be there from 5pm until 7pm

Thursday, September 21st: Contract Instructors info event and social. More info TBA

Annual General Meeting 2023

Our Annual General Meeting will take place on April 26th, at 6pm.

The AGM is when we elect our new executive board and executive council.  All members in good standing will be able to vote for their new executives, and are welcome to run for board and council positions. A separate email containing detailed instructions on the nominations process will be sent to you.

The AGM is also where the current executive board will submit their final board reports, where we will be presented with the budget for the upcoming year, and where we present the recipients of the Stuart Ryan Solidarity Award.  This year we will also be announcing the results of the ratification vote at the AGM.

This year the AGM will once again take place online, via zoom. You will receive more information in the coming days, including board reports, a meeting agenda, executive board nominations, and copies of motions that may be presented at the meeting. Stay tuned!

The elected bargaining teams of both units have reached a tentative deal with the University after seven months of bargaining. A ratification vote will take place for both units by April 30th.  More information about these tentative deals and the ratification vote coming soon.

The strike deadline for both units is coming up soon (Monday, March 27th, 2023).

In order to ensure everyone is signed up for strike pay and picketing shifts, we would encourage you to sign up for both now, so that no one is left scrambling at the strike deadline.

Here is our FAQ about strike pay, and how it works.

There are two forms to fill out for strike pay and picketing shifts

1) The first form goes to CUPE National. It is your Strike Pay registration form.

2) The second form goes to CUPE 4600. It contains the registration for online picket pay payments, as well as picketing shifts signups.

Both of these forms have been emailed to the membership. You can find them in your inbox, and in the latest CUPE 4600 Digest. If you are having difficulties finding the forms, please email info@cupe4600.ca

Members who are unable to participate in the pickets but are still planning on taking part in the strike can fill out our accommodations forms to request alternative strike duties. Reasons for not participating in picket lines can be related to accessibility/disability, as well as for a number of other reasons (such as our numerous members who do not live in Ottawa). The accommodations forms was emailed to all members, and can be found in the latest CUPE 4600 digest. If you are having difficulties finding the form, please email info@cupe4600.ca

Votes have been counted, then re-counted, and then counted again. Both Units of CUPE 4600 have given strong strike mandates to their bargaining teams. Unit 1 (Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants) have voted 93% in favour of giving their bargaining team a strike mandate. Unit 2 (Contract Instructors) have voted 95% in favour of giving their bargaining team a strike mandate. These are strong mandates, and important leverage for the ongoing bargaining round.

What does this mean for the union? Are we going on strike now? Will negotiations with the employer continue? 

We are not currently on strike, but we are now one step closer to having a strike as a legal option. Our negotiations at the bargaining table are continuing for now. Both teams have now met with their appointed conciliator. 

We see your hard work!

We appreciate all of our volunteers, everyone who worked a shift at the voting booths, everyone who put up posters, encouraged their coworkers to vote, and helped make this strike vote as successful as it was.

Below are some resources that we have made available for download. Please feel free to print and distribute these, hang them up in your office, or share them with your coworkers.

New resources will continue to be added here as they become available.

The bargaining process, and glossary of terms

CUPE 4600 newsletter  (First issue)

Strike FAQ

Contract Instructor auto-response template

Context about why we are headed for job action

Strike pay FAQ