Dear colleagues,

Earlier this morning, Arbitrator Gedalof issued his award, resolving all outstanding disputes between UTFA and the University of Toronto Administration (“the Administration”) with respect to salary, benefits, and workload for the period July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026 (with the exception of Across-the-Board (ATB) salary adjustments for the period July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026 which will be negotiated this fall).

According to Vice-President, Salary, Benefits, Pension and Workload and Co-Lead Negotiator, Jun Nogami, “We are pleased that the salary award is at least in the range of current trends in the sector. However, the substance of the award falls well short of ensuring that our current salary, benefits, and workload reflect the unparalleled value that UTFA members bring to our University. The total lack of advancement on workload matters and childcare benefits is particularly disappointing. Also, this award did not provide any benefit improvements for our retired members. Our work continues!” 

Arbitrator Gedalof’s award is in addition to the major breakthroughs UTFA achieved in bargaining earlier without the need for arbitration.

Below is a high level summary of the contents of the award. UTFA will provide a further critical analysis of the award in the coming weeks.

SALARY

Arbitrator Gedalof awarded salary adjustments as follows:

• Effective July 1, 2023: 3.5%

• Effective July 1, 2024: 2.5%

The Arbitrator confirmed that ATB increases would apply to base salaries, salary floors, overload stipends, PTR increments and breakpoints.

The retroactive pay increases noted above are expected to appear in your September pay run.

The Arbitrator acknowledged that UTFA members are entitled to full inflationary wage catch-up but declined to fully close the remaining gap. 

In UTFA’s view, Arbitrator Gedalof’s assurances regarding catch-up are at odds with his awarded outcomes and UTFA will continue to fight to have the inflationary wage gap closed. UTFA is currently in negotiations with the Administration for wage increases for the period of July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

UTFA will provide a further update on the status of these negotiations by the end of October 2025.

BENEFITS

The Arbitrator made two modest improvements to existing benefits: LTD coverage and PERA.

Long-Term Disability Coverage

As a result of the award, maximum earnings covered under the LTD plan have been increased to $200,000 (effective September 1, 2025).

PERA

Effective July 1, 2025, the following increases to PERA are in effect:

Pre-tenure faculty, pre-promotion teaching stream, full-time continuing pre-permanent status librarians

• Full-Time - $2,000 $2,350

• Part-Time (>=50%) - $1,600 $1,885

• Part-Time (20% to 49%) - $1,000 $1,175

Tenured faculty, continuing teaching stream, all other librarians, contract-limited term assignment (CLTAs), limited-term lecturers

• Full-Time -  $1,700 $2,000

• Part-Time (>=50%) -  $1,360 $1,600

• Part-Time (20% to 49%) - $850 $1,000

WORKLOAD

The Arbitrator dismissed UTFA’s workload proposals.

The award demonstrates that a disconnect persists between the views of labour arbitrators and the needs and expectations of UTFA members. The current system continues to fail our members in terms of workload, and the pace of change is unnecessarily slow.

Terezia Zorić
UTFA President & Co-Lead Negotiator

Jun Nogami
UTFA Vice-President, Salary, Benefits, Pensions & Workload & Co-Lead Negotiator