Fair Employment Week 2023

Faculty are called to take action to champion Contract Faculty across Canada and at MRU!

October 16 – 20, 2023. #MakeItFair #MRFAchampions

Fair Employment Week (FEW) is taking place from October 16 – 20, 2023. FEW originated as a CAUT event designed to raise awareness about precarious employment on campuses across Canada and the MRFA has been active every year in organizing efforts during this week to improve the working conditions of contract academic staff.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR FAIR WORK

Champion Fair Employment!

Having discovered that most students are not aware of the prominent use of contract faculty in teaching and the inequities they face, the Advocacy and Communications Committee has developed sets of slides to introduce students to this information. Faculty are invited to explore these slides to determine which set they are most comfortable using as well as how they wish to use it.There is a single high level slide available here that could be displayed as students enter class and from which they can access more information. Alternatively, you can speak to students in more detail about the conditions of employment of contract academic staff using content from the following sources which all faculty are encouraged to explore:

• Single slide deck with high level overview of Contract Faculty at MRU
• Six slides that may be posted on D2L or serve as a basis of discussion with students.
• Slide deck of two slides  for faculty wishing to discuss or name the neoliberal economic system conditioning reliance on contract academic staff. “
• Out of the Shadows – a comprehensive report on the exploitation of contract faculty at post-secondary institutions across Canada (2018)
• A comparative analysis of Out of the Shadows with respect to employment practices at MRU

Amplify #MakeItFair Posts and Stories on Social Media

As part of FEW activities, CAUT is organizing a social media day of action on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. On this day, to amplify the voices of contract academic staff, we ask members to share our posts on Social Media.  #MRFAchampions MRFA on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter)

Working Conditions Survey Results

Over the past year Contract faculty members and Department Chairs were asked about various practices within Academic Units with the aim to glean from current practices a set of best practices which could be used to make improvements in the day to day working conditions of contract faculty. A Summary of the findings is available here.

The Association is taking the lead at the outset by responding to one of the needs expressed by contract Members in the survey; that is, we are are going to pilot the facilitation of online meetings for contract faculty to meet with contract colleagues within their Academic Unit to discuss items of common concern and/or interest. At these meetings, contract colleagues can share what they’re working on, any obstacles they’re encountering, and any information they’ve recently come across that might be valuable to others.

Stay Tuned for More Information During Fair Employment Week!  

• Be on the lookout for a video and written summary of the survey results to be shared during Fair Employment Week.
• The dates and times of Contract faculty meetings will be emailed to contract members during Fair Employment Week.