March Newsletter
March 2026
Joint Bargaining Rally on March 4
A reminder that you are all invited to meet your bargaining team tomorrow, Wednesday, March 4, outside the Student Union Building (SUB) from 11:30am – 1pm. The FA will be gathering with the other unions on campus to connect and celebrate solidarity. There will be coffee and baked goods. We look forward to seeing you there!
January Newsletter Technical Error
We apologize for the technical issue last month, with the newsletter ending up in your junk folder. We have worked with IT and hope this issue is now resolved.
Bargaining Update
Dear Members,
I hope that all is well with you. We want to very much thank all of you who were able to sign our bargaining petition. With almost 500 signatures from current FA members you sent a strong message to the administration of your support for your bargaining team and our bargaining mandate. It has had a clear impact at the bargaining table.
As I reported to members who were able to attend our recent town hall, we came to a significant agreement with the administration at the bargaining session on February 5th. At that meeting the administration’s team agreed to withdraw the Collective Agreement requirement to have course reviews as part of our evaluation, and to also withdraw the requirement that peer reviewers undergo training. In return, the FA agreed that members would undertake 20 hours of “continuous learning” per year. Your FA team can assure you that your team bargained to ensure that the components of continuous learning include a broad range of activities, including, among various other options: self-study, updating/revising courses, participation in teaching or equity or community engagement workshops, curriculum work, attendance at conferences related to teaching, and research conferences where the research is integrated into your teaching. We were pleased to see that the administration was amenable to this language.
While course reviews will, at present, continue to be required until a new Collective Agreement is ratified, the admin and the FA are currently exploring the possibility of an interim agreement on this matter that could end the requirement for course reviews now. We will keep you posted on this matter, as we know that you need to know as soon as possible.
Your bargaining team has been working hard over the last few weeks. We have been having productive discussions at various side tables, and conducting detailed preparations for further bargaining. After a break from full bargaining for a few weeks, we will re-start bargaining at the full table this Thursday. We aim to come to further agreements on non-monetary issues over the next few weeks. While the break was intended to provide time for further clarity to emerge on the provincial financial mandate, we unfortunately still don’t have full clarity on monetary matters. Nonetheless, we are heartened to see that more and more of the major public sector unions are achieving the higher level of funding in their agreements that was first gained by BCGEU.
We hope to see you at the joint union “meet your bargaining team” event from 11:30 to 1 pm tomorrow, Wednesday, March 4th, in front of the SUB.Drop by, meet your bargaining team, and those of the other unions on campus, who are also bargaining at this time. This is a chance to ask us questions about bargaining, or just have a chat with your colleagues. You can also grab a muffin and coffee on the FA, and check out our new flags!
All the very best,
Lynne Marks, on behalf of the FA bargaining team
Lead Negotiator, UVicFA
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Tenure and Promotion Celebration Dinner
Thanks to those who attended our annual dinner celebrating members who received tenure and/or promotion in 2025! It was a great evening and a wonderful opportunity to thank Adam Con for his service as acting FA president so Lynne could focus on bargaining. Thanks Adam!
Questions for the Bargaining Team
Will members receive their full salary increases, including performance pay increments, outstanding performance recognitions, and promotion adjustments retroactively to July 1, 2025?
Yes, you will. We recognize that it is frustrating to be 8 months delayed in receiving salary increases. After the new Collective Agreement has been ratified, all salary increases will be retroactively applied to July 1, 2025. Your bargaining team is working hard to get you the best positive Collective Agreement, as soon as possible. Since this will be a four year agreement, it is crucial that the agreement addresses your pressing concerns – including those related to workload, technological change, salary, equity and surveillance.
Do you have a question about bargaining that hasn’t been answered by recent bargaining updates and/or the recent townhalls? Please submit your question anonymously at this link.
Other Updates
Accommodation Matters
We were pleased by the Provost’s announcement at the end of January, following the accommodation petition and associated efforts to protect supports for students with accommodation needs. Prioritized funding has been identified to establish a centralized assessment centre. The FA has been advocating on this matter for over three years. We also recognize the joint advocacy work of student groups and all campus unions including the FA on this matter and acknowledge the work of faculty and student senators as well as the work of Deans, Associate Deans, Chairs, instructors, staff and students in identifying the major need for such a centre. We look forward to seeing this crucial initiative move forward in a good way.
University House 2 Updates
Most of the work to replace the windows and exterior doors of UH2 is completed, and the rest should be completed in the next week or two.Drop by sometime to see our updated offices and modern windows!
The university has also moved forward with its decision to move some members of the campus security team into two vacant offices of UH2. Conversations about the permanence of this move are ongoing.
FA Vacancies
The FA is currently seeking volunteers for two roles. Please reply to this email if you are interested in serving the FA in either of these roles.
Executive Committee: 1 Member-at-large (term ending June 30, 2026)
Deputy Speaker for a term ending June 30, 2027
Bargaining Support Posters
Don’t yet have a poster and would like one (or more!) delivered to your office? Complete this survey to request an FA poster and one will be delivered to you.
We also encourage members to use our zoom background or email signature, which can be found here, under “digital downloads.”
University House 2, 3800 Finnerty Road
Victoria, BC, V8P5C2
Canada
