Since our last Information Bulletin, MUNFA staff and volunteers have continued to work hard to respond to the concerns of Academic Staff Members (ASMs) raised at the COVID-19 Town Hall on May 7th. We write with an update on our recent progress.
In a key development, the MUNFA Executive is pleased to advise that we have signed an agreement with the University that neither party will initiate collective bargaining in the current calendar year; the earliest bargaining could now begin is next May. Even as MUNFA continues to prepare for eventual entry into bargaining, our hope is that this agreement will provide ASMs with a critical measure of certainty during these challenging times.
Also, MUNFA volunteers and staff have added a COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page to our website. This page provides answers to many of the questions we received at the town hall and through other means in recent weeks. While some answers are unavoidably preliminary, the FAQ is a living document that we will update as more information becomes available. We ask that you contact munfa@mun.ca if you have a question that is not addressed on the FAQ page.
Finally, as noted in our previous bulletin, the MUNFA Executive recently presented to the University administration a series of proposals aimed at addressing key concerns of ASMs arising from the response to COVID-19. We still await the University’s response. We will update members on the administration’s response as soon as possible.
If you have questions/concerns about employment-related issues we strongly encourage ASMs to contact the MUNFA office, munfa@mun.ca, as soon as possible to ensure the preservation of important timelines.
