Dear faculty and allies,
February 28 is the Social Media Day of Action for Fairness for Contract Faculty in partnership with our university colleagues at the Ontario Coalition University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). The goal is to ensure that the issues of precarious work and fairness for contract faculty are trending on social media platforms in a positive manner as faculty, students, staff, and supporters across Ontario continue to work together as allies. This year’s day of action will be of particular importance as we will be using the momentum generated by Bill 148 and our fall strike to build more support for contract faculty in the lead-up to the provincial election in June.
The political goal of the day will be to get as many people as possible to tweet and post Facebook messages to their provincial election candidates. The messages will highlight priorities for contract faculty at our institutions, the need to implement the equal pay for equal work provisions in Bill 148, how precarity for contract faculty can affect the quality of education, and where we go from here.
To be as effective as possible, you can direct messages, not just to your local candidates/MPPs, but also to your college Board (where possible) and/or your college president, as well as your college’s Twitter or Facebook page. You can also direct tweets to your college’s @SpottedatOurCollege account, which are very popular with students and could help broaden our social media reach and build more support. Feel free to also take selfies sending messages of support to contract faculty.
See the attached graphics as well as a list of possible social media contacts for all colleges. Graphics Contacts
SAMPLE TWEETS
Here are a few sample tweets, but please feel free to mix and match and come up with your own! (Remember to replace anything highlighted in yellow with information specific to your or your institution):
Hey @Candidate, #Bill148 improved minimum wage provisions, unionization, & leave provisions for many workers, but doesn’t address abuse of fixed-term contracts at our colleges. Will you commit to supporting contract faculty? #StandWithFaculty
Hey @President/@BoardChair, will you #DoTheRightThing and implement fairness for contract faculty? #StandWithFaculty
Taught X courses for X years with no job security. @YourCollege should treat its contract faculty with fairness and respect! @BoardChair @Candidate #Fairness4CF #StandWithFaculty
Hey @YourCollege, I work alongside my contract colleagues who are doing the same work. Contract Faculty deserve equity. #Fairness4CF
Hey @President/@BoardChair, you were in favour of an executive compensation framework to bring equity to your senior executives’ pay. How about fairness for Contract Faculty? #Fairness4CF
Ontario college students deserve the best education possible. Full-time faculty hiring should correspond with enrolment growth. @Candidate @BoardChair #Fairness4CF #StandWithFaculty
Poor working conditions for teachers hurt students, institutions, and communities. #Bill148 has not done enough for our contract faculty. @PoliticalCandidate, will you stand up for precariously employed college workers? #Fairness4CF #StandWithFaculty
Hey @SpottedatOurCollege, shout out to all my colleagues working on contract while supporting their students and families! #Fairness4CF #StandWithFaculty
@SpottedatOurCollege Shout out to all the contract professors teaching valuable and necessary programs! #Fairness4CF
Hey @President/@BoardChair, I’ve committed to my college; why won’t you commit to me. #Fairness4CF #DoTheRightThing
And, sample Facebook posts (remember to replace anything highlighted in yellow with information specific to your or your institution):
It’s time for fairness for contract faculty at @YourCollegeFacebookPage! Contract faculty deserve equal pay for work of equal value, job security, and access to benefits.
Our students deserve the full attention of faculty who have equal pay for their work. It is time for fairness at @YourCollegeFacebookPage!
Treating Ontario’s college contract faculty fairly should be an automatic. It’s time to #DoTheRightThing here @YourCollegeFacebookPage!
Graphics will be sent when ready for your use on social media.
All faculty members, students, staff, and members of the community at Ontario universities and colleges are invited to participate. Allies who want to join in should make sure they use the hashtags:
#StandWithFaculty,
#Fairness4CF
#DoTheRightThing
In solidarity,
The CAAT-Academic Divisional Executive
LEC