Steel Workers
Do I have to cross the Picket Lines?
The Association has received a number of questions from Members regarding their responsibilities (and the possible impact on Members' work) should either the University or the support staff represented by the United Steel Workers initiate job action through strike or lockout. The following brief message is intended to provide basic information on your roles and responsibilities should such a situation arise.
-All UGFA Members are expected to cross picket lines and report for regularly scheduled duties (teaching classes, departmental/unit meetings etc.)
-Should you have real concerns about crossing a picket line (e.g. for personal safety reasons), you are entitled to request that a Member of the University Administration (Dean, Chief Librarian, Director of AHL/VTH or designate) provide safe escort across the picket line
-No UGFA Members can be compelled to perform the duties of a striking worker; your duties remain the same as those described within your Distribution of Effort (DOE)/teaching assignments and/or position description
-Should you wish to join a picket line in solidarity with striking staff, you are free to do so provided that such activity does not conflict with any regularly assigned duties or hours of work
-Members have the right and obligation to ensure that any lab facilities under their supervision remains a safe workplace; should the loss of support staff create a situation deemed to be unsafe, UGFA Members are required to report such situations to the appropriate Dean, Chief Librarian, or in the case of Veterinarians, Director as per Article 41.8 of the UGFA Collective Agreement
Should you have any further questions about the potential impact of work stoppage arising from the ongoing USW negotiations, please feel free to contact the Association at: <
[email protected]>
