Dear Colleagues,

In this Update:

• 2026 Bargaining Update

• Departmental Visits

• UPP Divestment Motion Update

• UTFA’s Organizational and Operational Review - “Help Shape UTFA’s Future” Survey

• UTFA’s AGM is approaching! Save the Date and time of April 23rd from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, followed by an UTFA Social!

• Upcoming Spring Workshops

2026 Bargaining Update

• On November 28, 2025, UTFA presented the senior Administration with our notice to bargain salary, benefits, and workload for the period July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. 

• UTFA is insisting that the Admin adhere to an expedited process outlined in Article 6 of the Memorandum of Agreement.

• UTFA’s goal is either a bilateral agreement or a final and binding decision by an arbitrator on all bargaining items by no later than June 30, 2026, so members will receive timely ATB and PTR adjustments.

• In developing our bargaining mandate, UTFA’s Negotiating Team heard directly from members about their priorities through individual discussions, the January Bargaining Town Hall, and the bargaining survey. 

• UTFA’s Negotiating Team has had five bilateral (direct, “face-to-face”) bargaining sessions with the Administration this academic year alone. Our last scheduled bargaining session will be March 30, 2026.

• It appears that the parties will not be able to reach an agreement on their own and will be proceeding to Mediation and perhaps Interest Arbitration; they are now discussing who should serve as the Interest Arbitrator.

 

Departmental Visits

Your Co-chief Negotiators, President Terezia Zorić and Vice-President (and President-elect) Jun Nogami, would like to meet with you to address any questions you have about bargaining or other UTFA initiatives. Contact us if your department has an upcoming meeting or if you would like help arranging a meeting with your constituency.

 

UPP Divestment Motion Update

• As we have previously communicated, on December 9th, UTFA Leadership met with that of the UPP, and the message from the UPP leaders was clear: they saw UTFA’s motion as informational rather than directive, and were confused as to why “the members [thought] the motion would have an impact”. 

• UTFA leadership then met with campus unions that share similar concerns and updated them on our discussions with the UPP. 

• UTFA held a follow-up meeting with senior UPP leadership, where pre-submitted topics and a framework for future engagement were discussed. UPP representatives also apologized for their earlier comment about the motion's impact and acknowledged that it was inappropriate. Highlights of the meeting included:

  • The UPP team focused on ways to engage equitably with UTFA and other stakeholders, whereas  UTFA’s leadership pressed for engagement with the substance of UTFA’s motion. 

  • It became clear that UPP leadership does not see a direct line between a member motion and changes to their fiduciary obligations. 

  • However, in a positive step, UPP has shifted more of its investments from pooled funds to segregated funds, making it easier to avoid certain areas of investment.

  • The meeting emphasized the need for greater transparency and the UTFA team pushed UPP Leadership for meaningful joint governance and responsiveness to the need for ethical investing. 

• UTFA’s work is not done; motion organizers and UTFA Leadership met earlier this month and further updates will come as this work, including engagement with other stakeholders, continues.

 

UTFA’s Organizational and Operational Review - “Help Shape UTFA’s Future” Survey 

• Thank you to all our members who completed the CAUT survey.

• The response rate was approximately 30%.

• A progress report on our efforts to review and strengthen UTFA’s governance will be provided at the AGM.

 

Important upcoming dates: UTFA’s AGM & Post-AGM Social and Spring Workshops

• UTFA’s AGM is approaching! Save the Date of April 23rd from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm! This event will be hybrid, with virtual details to come and the in-person meeting occurring at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) Auditorium. The AGM will be followed by a member social at the Faculty Club Patio, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. More details to follow!

• Upcoming Spring Workshops 

  • Tenure Stream Promotion Workshop, May 4, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. - Register Now!

  • Promotion/Continuing Status Review Workshop for Teaching Stream Faculty, May 28, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. - Register Now!

  • Information Session for Faculty with Part-Time & CLTA Appointments, June 5, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. - Register Now!