TUFA Newsletter
Collective Agreement
August 2026
Collective Agreement Pro Tips
by Karleen Pendleton Jiménez
Before posting a Limited Term Appointment position, first consider any current limited term faculty in the department for the position. The departmental personnel committee may recommend current departmental LTA faculty member(s) be appointed for new positions.
If the departmental personnel committee provides a positive recommendation, three possibilities follow:
If there are less (or an equal number of) current LTAs than new positions, then the Dean could accept the recommendation and simply extend the current LTA contracts (no new search, interviews, etc. required);
If there are more current LTAs than positions, then the Dean might authorize an internal competition among these LTAs.
Or, the Dean could ask the department to begin an open search in which all incumbents are eligible to apply.
See (TUFA CA) III.8.21 Renewal of Limited Term Appointees (p. 42)
Committee & Caucus Updates
Call for Committees
TUFA is looking for members interested in becoming more involved in union work and advocacy initiatives. There are opportunities to participate in newly developing initiatives, including the Organizing Committee, as well as other governance and engagement activities planned for the coming year.
If you’re interested in contributing, helping shape TUFA’s priorities, and getting more involved in Union activities, we’d love to hear from you. Contact TUFA to learn more or express your interest in getting involved. An email with more detailed information will be hitting your inboxes shortly.
Grievance Committee
Grievance Officer’s Note
Hello from your chief grievance officer! I’m back in this role now, taking over from George Kovacs as we trade on and off sabbatical leaves. I’m full of pep (and good bread) after a spring in Germany and I’m all the more excited to get back into the trenches of building a better Trent with you.
For those who are new to the union: Welcome! The grievance committee and I are here to help troubleshoot problems, ease tensions, ponder strategy, and enforce our contract rights with you. If ever there’s something that doesn’t feel right between you and an administrator, a colleague, or an employee, we’re available to give you advice. Sometimes this escalates to filing a formal grievance or complaint; sometimes it stays on the level of peer support. Either way, we’re a resource that’s available to you when you need it. Our chats are confidential and we always put TUFA members’ interests first.
For those who have been here a while now: Hope your Fall’s set for a good start. A lot of us are facing new uncertainties and pressures this September, however. The grievance committee is keeping its eyes out for the impacts of the university’s budget cuts and we’re keen to hear from you about how those are being felt in your corner of the institution. If you’re facing dramatic changes in your workload, please do reach out.
Another priority for us this year is to continue to press on service inefficiencies and gaps in TUFA members’ interactions with the research office. This was a big issue in bargaining last year, and there’s still work to be done to ensure that things trend in a better direction. Keep your eyes out for a survey we’ll be conducting shortly to gather more information from members on this front.
Finally, for those who want to learn a little more about your contract + the role of the grievance committee, I’ll be running an online Grievances 101 session on Sept 15th at 10 am. It’ll be a quick overview of how grievances and workplace complaints function at Trent (both the formal steps + frequent informal parts of that process) and some hot spots where we’ve seen a pattern of issues in recent years. It’ll run for an hour, with plenty of time for questions and discussion. You can join by emailing TUFA for a zoom link.
(We won’t record anything, out of deference for privacy, but if you miss it and still want a primer, feel free to reach out to me directly at [email protected]).
In Solidarity,
Anne
Trent
OPSEU/SEFPO Local 365 Ratifies Four-Year Collective Agreement
Trent University and OPSEU/SEFPO Local 365 have ratified a new four-year collective agreement covering approximately 530 support staff. The agreement was approved by OPSEU members on July 14 and by Trent University’s Board of Governors on July 28.
The agreement includes improvements to workplace provisions, enhanced employee benefits and supports, stronger leave provisions, gains for contract staff, and across-the-board wage increases in each of the four years.
OPSEU/SEFPO Local 365 represents support staff including caretakers, administrative staff, maintenance workers, systems analysts, demonstrators, and teaching assistants.
Trent Researchers Receive More Than $7 Million in Federal Research Funding
Trent researchers have been awarded more than $7 million in federal research funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). More than $3.2 million in NSERC funding will support research spanning climate change, freshwater ecosystems, environmental sustainability, cybersecurity, and human health, while more than $3.9 million in SSHRC funding will support projects examining food security, energy and economics, disease prevention, child welfare, and other complex social challenges. Together, the awards support research excellence across disciplines while helping Trent researchers expand their programs, train students and develop innovative solutions to pressing challenges.
Solidarity
Stand in Solidarity with Striking OPSEU Workers
There is some good news in the province-wide strike by OPSEU/SEFPO community and social services workers: Community Living Trent Highlands in Peterborough has reached a multi-year agreement with its workers, including record wage increases. This is an important step forward and a testament to the strength and solidarity of striking workers.
However, the fight is not over. Workers at 21 community agencies across Ontario remain on the picket lines, including members of OPSEU Local 361 at the Murray McKinnon Foundation in Durham. These workers continue to fight for fair wages, sustainable funding, and the future of the vital community services they provide. TUFA has made a solidarity contribution to Local 361, and we encourage members to continue showing their support by walking the picket line, participating in OPSEU’s email campaign, and standing with these workers in their fight for a fair agreement.
Find a picket line or send an email to Doug Ford in support of OPSEU/SEFPO workers.
Community
Labour Day Celebration: Volunteers and Support Needed
Planning is underway for the Peterborough & District Labour Council’s Labour Day Celebration on Monday, September 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Nicholls Oval Park.
The event will feature live music, children’s activities, face painting, storytelling, and a community BBQ.