The Long Journey: Negotiating the 1978 Policies for Librarians

January 11, 2023
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UTFA is currently engaged in negotiating the 1978 Policies for Librarians to ensure that the University of Toronto academic librarians obtain parity and equal terms of employment, compared to colleagues at other Canadian universities. January 18, 2018 commenced a series of 27 bilateral meetings with the University of Toronto Administration, followed by mediation and facilitation meetings with Administration in 2021 and 2022. We have one confirmed date with Administration in 2023, January 16, and are currently seeking more dates early in the year to end this long journey.

We are writing to share the history of our journey and to thank you for your continued patience and support.

Throughout this process UTFA has been guided by the following principles:  job security, equity, clarity, transparency, consistency, and collegial processes. Three new agreements were achieved:

How can you support us? Please review this PowerPoint presentation for more information and consider reinforcing our efforts as we work toward finalizing the new policy. Language, amplification, and reverberation are keys to ensuring our success:

  • Use "Faculty and LIBRARIANS" to amplify the academic role of librarians at U of T
  • Discuss our parallels and unique differences as academics with librarians, students, faculty, and staff colleagues
  • Ask for time in faculty councils and committee meetings to present these slides or to highlight our guiding principles and pursuits at the table
  • Link these slides to your email signature