AGSEM: Empowering Graduate Students at McGill University

Union of TAs and Invigilators AGSEM, the Teaching Assistant Collective Agreement and Collective Bargaining Orientation Presentation, Fall 2021

What is AGSEM/AEDEM? Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill L Association des tudiant-e- s Dipl m -e-s Employ -e-s de McGill

Who is AGSEM? President: Mario Roy: MSc. Agricultural Economics Secretary Treasurer: Matei Petrescu: PhD Physics Mobilization Officer: Antonia Macris TA Grievance Officer: Jessica Rose: PhD History Invigilator Grievance Officer: Teresa Joseph: PhD Neuroscience Invigilator Bargaining Chair: Radhika Chhibber: MA Dentistry Mac Campus Officer Karan Kumar: MSc. Agricultural Economics Communications Officer Marta Beszterda: PhD Musicology/Gender and Women s Studies Executive Committee

Who is AGSEM? 1-3 delegates per department Usually elected by PGSA but can be appointed by the DC! $125/term honorarium (including summer), set by delegates Tasks: Attend training with Mobilization Officer Hold 1 mobilization event in department Facilitate communication between department and AGSEM Attend monthly Delegate Councils Review TA tentative hiring lists to ensure that CA is respected Chief Delegates ($750/term) Invigilator CD Mobilization CD Delegates Council Chair The Delegates Council If you or someone in your department is interested in becoming a delegate, email: mobilization@agsem aeedem.ca aeedem.ca mobilization@agsem- -

Who is AGSEM? Compensated by the hour or by honorarium Set your own tasks and schedule all skills are needed, all work is enough! Mobilization Committee Audit Committee External Affairs Committee Equity & Diversity Committee Mutual Aid Fund Committee Committees Interested in joining a Committee? Email: mobilization@agsem-aeedem.ca

Pay by the hour Set your own tasks and schedule all skills are needed, all work is enough! Who is AGSEM? Mental Health Working Group International Students Working Group University Affairs Working Group Funding Working Group ...propose your own! Working Groups Interested in joining (or creating) a Working Group? Email: mobilization@agsem-aeedem.ca

Who is AGSEM? SKILLSETS Training: Sept 15 - Sept 30 (online) https://www.mcgill.ca/skillsets/offerin gs/teaching-assistant-training You are. (If you have worked as a TA or an Invigilator within the past 12 months) TA General Assembly: TBD Online (please RSVP 24hrs in advance and arrive early!) Note: Note: You must register ahead of time, and cancellation fees may apply If you are a new TA, you must be paid for up to 3 hours of training time (in addition to your contract!) Next Delegates Councils: TBD Online (please RSVP 24 hrs in advance and arrive early!)

Wage (increased in August 2021): $32.38/hour, 6% vacation pay What is Collective Bargaining and how does it affect you? Workload Form You must be paid for all hours worked You must be paid for all mandatory training (including It Takes All of Us employee training) You must fill out your Workload Form with your course supervisor, and negotiate the estimation of hours Pay attention to things like attending lectures, training, reading, answering emails, and preparation these are all paid tasks! You may review previous Workload Forms for the course You should review and update the Workload Form if your workload increases at any point in the semester. Your supervisor must request additional hours from the department Important Rights and Responsibilities in the TA Collective Agreement

What is Collective Bargaining and how does it affect you? Fair hiring Based on qualifications and priority, not personal characteristics or favoritism Standard application form no supervisor signature or interviews (contact grievance.1@agsem-aeedem.caif you see this!) Protections from harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence Unpaid leave and extension of priority Long-term: Maternity, Parental, Medical, Research (i.e. fieldwork) Short-term: comp exams, thesis defense, academic conferences, bereavement Pay: within one month of starting. Subsequent pays are issued every two weeks. Important Rights and Responsibilities in the TA Collective Agreement

What is Collective Bargaining and how does it affect you? You have the right to refuse unsafe work, without penalty. If you believe you are being pushed to work in an unsafe situation, contact AGSEM s Grievance Officer: grievance.1@agsem-aeedem.ca We made an infographic guide for this: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SsewZ HiGNBLqu3YNu- mPOo8M2eu62fo7/view?usp=sharing Refusing non-AGSEM work? You can always contact CNESST at 1-844-838- 0808 if you have health and safety concerns (ask for an agent on-call) Important Rights and Responsibilities in the TA Collective Agreement

The Priority Pool PhD5 (or above with extension) End of priority for those who started at PhD2 PhD4 End of priority for those who start at PhD1 End of priority for those who TA during a Master s at McGill prior to starting their PhD at McGill PhD3 PhD2 PhD1 Master s 2 (MA2, MSc2, etc.) MA1 What is Collective Bargaining and how does it affect you? Important Rights and Responsibilities in the TA Collective Agreement

Training resources SKILLSETS: Sept 15 - 30, must register in advance Teaching and Learning Services Writing Centre Library AGSEM events (Virtual) grade-a-thons Know Your Rights workshops Departmental orientations and workshops Mutual Aid Fund and CSN-FNEEQ resources Equity and diversity initiatives Legal support Professional support Other needs? Childcare, healthcare, immigration concerns? Let us know! Other teaching and academic staff unions MCLIU: Course Lecturers AMURE: Research Assistants/Associates AMUSE: Casual/temporary staff What is a TA? Developing Teaching Skills, Protecting Rights, and Surviving Grad School

What should I do if I go over the time estimated on the Workload Form? If you and the professor agree that more TA hours are needed, ask the department chair and cc AGSEM. What is my deadline for returning assignments? Do I have all the materials/permissions that I need? MyCourses access, Zoom or video conferencing software access, building access, print card, desk copies of all materials, section enrolment, permission to pick up exams What are your grading standards? TIP: grade the first 10 assignments together and then trade to see if you reach the same conclusion. What should I do if a student is struggling/ has a complaint about a grade/ needs extra help? In most cases, you should send the student to the instructor - it gives them the help they need and protects you. BUT tailoring your teaching skills to different learners is part of becoming a better teacher. Ask your professor for strategies that they use with the material presented in your course. Questions to ask your instructor when you start your TA position

Can you give me a grading rubric? If there is no rubric ready, ask to develop one together How should I structure conferences/ labs/ tutorials? Ask your instructor to attend one of your sections and give you feedback. Attend one of theirs. If they are not available to do so, attend another TA s section. Give each other feedback. Ask them to provide questions or lesson plans for your first conference/lab/section What questions will be on the exam? Ask them to spend 10 minutes helping you develop a review session so you have a better idea of their expectations and learning goals for the course. How can I prepare to help students in office hours? Does the professor want you to review students drafts? Will you be responsible for giving advice on how to write a paper or complete a project? If they have busy office hours before a due date, ask to sit in and observe how the professor guides students. Questions to Ask Your Instructor: Use the Workload Form!

Who is AGSEM? The bargaining process builds on previous Collective Agreements, and uses mandates (from General Assemblies and Delegates Councils) to guide the process. These mandates might be specific priorities, or might be general principles. What is Bargaining? Bargaining principles are determined by AGSEM members in a democratic, secret ballot held at a GA prior to the start of negotiations. Over the course of the negotiation process, AGSEM holds biannual GAs, and members receive bargaining updates, with the opportunity to modify the mandates given to the bargaining committee through the same process. TA Bargaining

Signed in January 2021, in effect retroactively to August 1, 2018, and will expire in 2022. Who is AGSEM? Highlights: Monetary elements: Annual raises and an increase to the vacation indemnity for all TAs New rules governing the inclusion of TA wages in graduate funding packages The new TA Collective Agreement Highlights: Non-monetary elements: New and clearer procedures for ensuring a fair workload and payment for all hours worked Changes to procedures and deadlines for posting TA positions Extended deadlines for filing grievances Expanded protections from harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence, and clearer procedures for disability accommodation TA Bargaining Monetary gains are retroactive (i.e. TAs who were students or employees as of the Winter 2020 semester received back-pay on wages earned from January 2019 onward).

General contact: mail@agsem-aeedem.ca Find out more! For questions about events, finding your delegate, or becoming a delegate: Antonia Macris Mobilization Officer, mobilization@agsem-aeedem.ca For grievances or problems: Jessica Rose, TA Grievance Officer grievance.1@agsem-aeedem.ca Teresa Joseph, Invigilator Grievance Officer grievance.2@agsem-aeedem.ca AGSEM website: www.agsem.ca AGSEM office: 3641 rue University, suite 207 Montr al, Qu bec H3A 2B3 AGSEM phone: 514-398-2582 For questions about AGSEM at Mac Campus: Karan Kumar, Mac Chief Delegate macdonald.officer@agsem-aeedem.ca