August 31, 2007
Frequently Asked Questions
The following pages outline some of the most common questions and concerns that members have about their rights and responsibilities. This is by no means an exhaustive guide, if you have more questions or need greater clarification, please feel free to contact us for more help. All page numbers refer to the May 1 2004 - April 30 2010 collective agreement. Please scroll down for the answers to the following questions:
Teaching Assistants and Tutor Markers are paid in base units, or BU. Each base unit represents $934 salary (Article XXVII Salaries and Scholarships). In addition, Masters students who are Teaching Assistants or Tutor Markers, receive a scholarship of $129 per BU; while PhD students receive $329 per BU. Undergraduate and External Teaching Assistants and Tutor Markers receive no scholarship. All Teaching Assistants and Tutor Markers are expected to work up to but not more than forty-two hours per semester, per base unit they are assigned (Article XIII D 2 a).
Teaching Assistants who teach tutorials generally receive one BU for each hour of tutorial they teach each week, plus 1.17 BU (42 hours) to cover the time required for preparation for the course to which they are assigned. The total workload is then reduced one hour per base unit to compensate for any statutory holidays which may occur during a semester. For example, a TA with four one-hour tutorials each week in CMNS110 would receive a total of 5.17 BU. The maximum number of hours that TA would be required to work in that semester is calculated in the following manner: 5 BU times 42 hours of work is 210 hours, minus 5 hours of stat holiday compensation, gives the TA a total of 205 hours of work for that contract. Note that the additional .17 of a BU included in the prep time is calculated for salary only; no hours of work are associated with that portion of the preparation pay.
A TA who is assigned to two different courses receives one BU for each hour of tutorial each week, plus the 1.17 BU for preparation for each different course that he or she teaches. For example, a TA with three one-hour tutorials in LAS 204 and two one-hour tutorials in LAS 100 would receive a total of 7.34 BU and be required to work no more than 7 BU x 42 hours, minus 7 hours of stat holiday compensation, or 287 hours. There is a table in Appendix B of the Collective Agreement (page 72) which does the math for you.
Although one base unit per weekly one-hour tutorial is the norm, there are notable exceptions. The university has established several equivalents that allow some departments to calculate the assignment of base units differently. These equivalents include:
Some additional exceptions have been made to adjust for differences in teaching methods across the university. See other examples in Article XIII D 4 b. If you have any questions or concerns about the number of base units that a member has been assigned in your department, be sure to bring it to the attention of the Chief Steward as soon as possible.
When a TA has no direct classroom contact, he or she is paid one base unit for each amount of marking or other duties estimated to require 42 hours to perform. There is no additional 1.17 for preparation in these cases.
Tutor Markers receive an initial preparation time of 2.17 base units for preparation, plus 1 BU for the first increment of up to 20 students enrolled in the specific course to which the TM is assigned, plus one-quarter (0.25) of a base unit for each additional increment of up to 5 students enrolled in the course. However, until enrolment in the course is confirmed at the end of Week 3, Tutor Markers receive three-quarters (0.75) of a base unit less than the enrolment figure from the End of Release (the date by which all undergraduates have had a chance to register, approximately three weeks before the semester begins) (Article XV D d). This deduction comes from students over and above the initial twenty, and in any event, no appointment will be less than 3.17 BU. After enrolment is confirmed, the TM's pay is adjusted up to cover the full enrolment, and any back pay owing is paid to the TM on his or her next pay cheque. If enrolment drops, no change is made to the pay.
For example: the TM for EDU 220 has 77 students at the End of Release. Pay is calculated like this:
At the end of Week 3, compensation is re-calculated the same as above, but without subtracting the .75 BU. In this example, if there were no change to the enrolment figures, the 0.75 would simply be added back in increasing the total pay to 6.17 BU. If enrolment increases, compensation increases accordingly. However, if enrolment drops after Week 3, no reduction in pay will be made.
Each base unit represents up to but no more than forty-two hours of work per semester. As with Teaching Assistants, there are no hours of work associated with the 0.17 BU of the initial prep time, and the total hours worked with be reduced by one hour per base unit to reflect statutory holiday compensation. With the example above, the total hours worked would be calculated like so: 5.25 BU x 42 hours = 220.5 - 5.25 (for statutory holidays) = 215.25 as the maximum number of hours worked.
A table which calculates wages according to the number of students enrolled can be found in Article XXVII.
Unlike Teaching Assistants and Tutor Markers, Sessional Instructors are paid in contact hours. For each hour that Sessional Instructors spend in lecture or tutorial each week, Sessional Instructors are paid $1281. An additional 1.25 contact hours ($1601) is paid for preparation for each course. For example, a Sessional Instructor who lectures three hours a week is assigned 4.25 contact hours; a Sessional Instructor who has a two hour lecture and three tutorials is assigned 6.25 contact hours.
No additional preparation time is paid if an SI is teaching both the lecture and tutorials. There is no additional scholarship (as with TAs and TMs) for Sessional Instructors who are also graduate students.
A table which calculates wages according to contact hours can be found in Article XXVII
The Right of First Refusal provides a (limited) measure of job security for Sessional Instructors who frequently teach the same course over an extended period of time. A Sessional Instructor qualifies for a right of first refusal when:
Once a Sessional Instructor has met these conditions, he or she must inform the department chair in writing, with a copy to the union. Sessional Instructors who qualify will be offered the opportunity to accept or decline that Sessional Instructor position before it is posted for general applications. The RFR does not give SIs priority over Faculty members. The RFR lasts for either the next three times that the course is taught by a Sessional Instructor or three years, whichever is shorter. See Article XIV E for the full information.
A TUG, or Time Use Guideline, is a form that is required by departments and that outlines the time allotted for the duties and responsibilities that a TA or TM is expected to perform over the course of his or her appointment. It is the form that tells you how much time should be spent on each aspect of your work as a TA/TM. TUG forms should be filled out in the first week of the semester. Course Supervisors are expected to provide TAs and TMs with a guideline for the approximate length of time necessary for the completion of each activity related to the work. Each major activity must be considered and an approximate length of time estimated. Time at TA Day and other professional development activities (up to six hours) should be included, as should any time that will be spent learning course specific software (up to seven hours). One hour per base unit is counted towards statutory holidays, and the total hours allotted must not exceed the amount stipulated in the contract, i.e. the number of base units multiplied by 42. Teaching Assistants and Tutor Markers may suggest amendments to the allotment of time suggested by their Course Supervisor.
Examples of the Time Use Guidelines Form can be found in Appendix C (for Teaching Assistants) and Appendix F (for Tutor Markers).
Workload reviews are the primary mechanism to ensure that members do not have to work for free. The process for getting a workload review, and the possible outcome of that review differs by job category. In all cases, it is vital that the employee has kept track of their hours. All members should be encouraged to keep track of their hours worked and of the specific type of work done during those hours, for example, by logging their hours in the TSSU logbook.
A TA may request a workload review at any time in the semester if he or she believes the work required by the Course Supervisor will exceed, by semester end, the maximum of forty-two hours per base unit. TAs should be encouraged to log their hours and review their workload with their Course Supervisor regularly. As soon as he or she becomes aware of the fact that the hours assigned may not be enough, the TA must let the Course Supervisor know. It may be possible to resolve the problem at this informal stage, say if the Course Supervisor offers to take on some of the marking. If no resolution is possible, or if the TA still believes that the work required will exceed the maximum hours assigned, he or she should submit a written request for a workload review to the Department Chair. There are four possible outcomes:
Regardless of the outcome of the review, a TA who believes that he or she has been required to exceed their hours and has exceeded their hours must be compensated. See Article XIII E 5.
Teaching Assistants may also be eligible for Automatic Workload Reviews (AWR), which should be conducted by the Course Supervisor prior to the end of Week 5. Not every TA will get an AWR, there are specific "triggers" which are outlined in Article XIII E 3. Where the Course Supervisor determines that the overall required work will exceed the hours assigned, the workload will either have to be reduced or more BU assigned. The union must be advised in writing of the results and reasons of the AWR.
As with TAs, a Tutor Marker may request a workload review at any time in the semester if he or she believes the work required by the Course Supervisor will exceed, by semester end, the maximum of forty-two hours per base unit. When such a request is made, the Director of the Centre for Distance Education, in consultation with the Course Supervisor and the TM shall review the workload.
The Centre for Distance Education must reply with the result and the reason, in writing, with a copy to the union, within 10 days. There are four possible outcomes:
Regardless of the outcome of the review, a TM who believes that he or she has been required to exceed their hours and has exceeded their hours must be compensated. See Article XV E 5.
Unlike Teaching Assistants and Tutor Markers, there is no limit to the number of hours that a Sessional Instructor may work in a given semester. However, there are some cases where a department, in consultation with the Sessional Instructor, may decide that different or additional preparation, instructional techniques, software or texts are necessary. In these cases the Department Chair will meet with the Sessional Instructor to determine the appropriate level of compensation. The Sessional Instructor is entitled to Union representation at such meetings. See Article XIV D 2.
If you have been required by a Course Supervisor to work after the last date of your contract, you must be paid an hourly wage for that work. For Teaching Assistants and Tutor Markers that rate is equivalent to one BU divided by forty-two (i.e. $21.38 for UTA and ETA, $24.33 for GTA1 and $28.86 for GTA2). Sessional Instructors will be compensated only for hours worked after the end of the first week of classes of the following semester; the rate of pay is $29.43 an hour.
Members of the TSSU bargaining unit have a number of benefits for which they are eligible.
The university will pay 100% of the cost of the MSP premiums and 75% of the cost of the Extended Health Benefit premiums and deduct the remaining 25% from the employee's pay cheque. Members who want to apply for this coverage must sign up at Human Resources. See Article XXV A.
Members who will not be re-appointed for a following semester, can continue their coverage on the group plans by pre-paying 100% of the premium. Pre-payment by cash or cheque must be provided to SFU Payroll before the last day of the last month of the semester in which you are employed. Prepayment forms are available in Human Resources or Payroll, in Strand Hall.
For more info, go to http://www.sfu.ca/human-resources/tssu-index.html or phone 778-782-3237.
There is a three month waiting period before MSP can begin for new residents. Members who have paid for private medical coverage during this time can have 50% of that cost reimbursed by the University (up to a maximum specified in the Collective Agreement in Article XXV A) Take your receipts to Human Resources in Strand Hall.
For more info, go to http://www.sfu.ca/human-resources/tssu-index.html or phone 778-782-3237.
An individual dental plan is offered to all TSSU members by Pacific Blue Cross. To apply for the plan you must contact Pacific Blue Cross directly and ask for a stand-alone dental plan. You must sign up for one full year of dental coverage and there is a 3 month waiting period before you can begin to use your dental coverage. At the end of the semester in which you have had a TSSU appointment and have paid premiums into the PBC Stand-alone Dental Plan, upon proof of premium payment the University will reimburse (approximately 35%) the following amounts:
$11.35 per month for single coverage
$22.70 per month for couple coverage
$34.50 per month for family coverage
Application for reimbursement must be received by Human Resources no later than the end of Week 12 of the semester in which you are employed by the University in a TSSU appointment.
For advice or information you may contact Pacific Blue Cross at 604.419.2200 or 1.800.873.2583 or inhealth@pac.bluecross.ca
Human Resources does not provide advice or information regarding the Dental Plan. The application forms for reimbursement by the University, however, are available at the Human Resources office or on their website at http://www.sfu.ca/human-resources/forms-cabinet.html
The university puts $50,000 a year into a bursary fund for TSSU members. Members can apply for a bursary, in semesters in which:
1) they have TSSU appointments
2) are registered as students
3) receive childcare from a licensed childcare provider, license not-required childcare provider, or in-child’s home care provider.
TSSU members apply for this bursary through Financial Assistance. Applications must be received no later than the end of Week 2 of classes. Written notification of the status of application will be sent out in Week 8 and successful applicants will be able to pick up a cheque for the amount awarded from the Cashier's office. See Article XXVIII.
TSSU benefits extend to the member, the member's spouse (including common-law and same sex spouses) and his or her children.
TSSU members do not have to work when they are sick! Members are eligible for sick leave of up to one month with pay and benefit coverage continuing. Absences of three days or less do not usually require a medical certificate. The member must, wherever possible, notify the Course Supervisor or Department Chair in advance of the duties that will be missed. See Article XXV for more information.
Paid leave of up to five business days may be granted in the event of the death or illness of a close family member or friend of an employee (Article XXV C)
There are provisions for unpaid leave for birth mothers, birth fathers and adoptive parents in Article XXV D. See this section for details about notice requirements and possible extensions.
Employees are entitled to one day with pay per appointment for family leave, related to the care, health or education for any member of their immediate family (Article XXV E).
Employees who get called for jury duty or by subpoena to appear in court will be granted paid leave, with some conditions (Article XXV K).
TSSU members have two choices if they are being harassed or discriminated against in the workplace. The Collective Agreement has provisions under Article IX which outlines the process for members to follow if they want to launch a grievance to address the problem. However, TSSU is also named as a constituency organization under the University's Harassment Policy (GP 18), which gives our members the right to pursue harassment complaints by that route as well. Members have a right to union representation throughout, no matter which route they choose to follow. If you decide to take your complaint to the SFU Human Rights Office (HRO) instead of using the grievance process, be sure to identify yourself as a TSSU member to the SFU Director of Human Rights as soon as possible.
If you are being subjected to personal harassment, the university's Harassment policy will only take informal steps to resolve the issue. If this is not successful, formal steps can only be taken through the Union's grievance procedure.
Because so many of our members are also students, it is important to ascertain whether the discrimination or harassment is related to the person's employment or their status as a student. In cases where it is student-related, the Union grievance process does not apply, and the person will have to appeal to the HRO. However, in some cases it may not be so simple, for example, if a member's Course Supervisor is also his or her academic supervisor, the harassment may be simultaneously employment and student related. In these cases creative measures may have to be taken to ensure that all the rights of the person are respected. If you are ever in doubt, consult the Chief Steward for more information.
Members have the right to grieve the university's response to an employment related harassment complaint. See Article IX.
If you have been named as a respondent in a harassment complaint under the university policy, you are entitled to Union representation throughout the process. Be sure to identify yourself as a TSSU member. The SFU Director of Human Rights must also advise Union members who identify themselves as TSSU members of this right.
It may also happen that a member is named in a grievance under TSSU's Collective Agreement or the Collective Agreement of another union on campus. Here, too, the member has the right to Union representation.
Members have the right to grieve the university's response to an employment related harassment complaint. See Article IX.
Article XIX outlines what is allowed to be in an employee's employment file. Nothing that is not mentioned in this article should appear in this file. Members are entitled to know what's in this file, and where all materials that are considered part of this file are located. Members may examine the contents of this file at any time (with reasonable notice) and any written comments on the contents will be added at his or her request. The contents of the employment file may be among the matters considered in appointing positions. Therefore, members should check on the contents of this file regularly to ensure that nothing which does not belong there, and which could have the potential to affect their future employment, at SFU or elsewhere, is contained in the file.
Every employee must be evaluated at least once during the semester. This evaluation may be done either by the students and/or the Course Supervisor, or in the case of Sessional Instructors, the Department Chair. A copy of the student evaluation must be forwarded to the employee by the end of the first week of classes of the following semester.
The evaluative criteria must be made clear to the employee at the beginning of the semester. Evaluations will not be considered a part of the employment file until the employee has had the opportunity to discuss the evaluation results with his or her supervisor and to add any comments he or she thinks are necessary. Instructor evaluations of Teaching Assistants must be in a format consistent with the sample evaluation form in Appendix E. Wherever possible, supervisors must bring serious or ongoing problems to the employee's attention, first verbally, and then, if the problem persists, in writing, before citing them in the final evaluation (Article XVIII I).
