Taking into account the delays with hiring due to McGill's transfer to the Workday Human Resources system from Minerva and to allow for departments to prepare for a mostly remote Winter 2021 semester, AGSEM has reached an agreement with McGill to help facilitate TA hiring for Winter 2021. This will give departments 15 more days to post their TA positions, but reduces the application and hiring periods by a few days. The application period will be from November 2–20. TAs should still receive their notifications of appointment by December 15.
Any violations of this agreement should be brought to the union's attention by emailing grievance.1@agsem-aeedem.ca.
The full text of the agreement is below.
One thing to note is that this agreement essentially enforces the delays in the newly-ratified TA Collective Agreement that would otherwise not come into effect until around mid-November, when both parties are able to sign the final text.
Letter of Agreement
WHEREAS the worldwide COVID-19 virus pandemic has impacted the University’s day to day operations;
WHEREAS the Employer is still transitioning to the new Human Resources Information System called Workday;
WHEREAS in accordance with article 12.01.01, Teaching Assistant positions for the Winter 2021 term must be posted by October 15, 2020 for a period of thirty (30) days;
WHEREAS in accordance with article 12.01.01, the application period for Winter 2021 Teaching Assistant positions is for a period of thirty (30) days, until November 15, 2020;
WHEREAS in accordance with article 13.03.03, the tentative list of appointments is provided to the Union within thirty (30) days of the application deadline;
WHEREAS in accordance with article 13.04.01, applicants must be notified of the outcome of their application within thirty-five (35) days from the application deadline;
WHEREAS the current situation is exceptional and unprecedented and that exceptional measures must be taken.
The Parties agree to the following:
1. The Parties agree that the posting period for Winter 2021 Teaching Assistant positions will be for a period of fifteen (15) working days only, starting on November 2, 2020 until November 20, 2020;
2. The Parties agree that the application period for Winter 2021 Teaching Assistant positions will be from November 2, 2020 to November 20, 2020;
3. The Parties agree that the tentative list of appointments to be provided to the Union will sent to the Union by no later than December 11, 2020;
4. The Parties agree that applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by no later than December 15, 2020;
5. The Union hereby acknowledges that, before having signed the present Agreement, it has had sufficient time to revise the terms and conditions contained therein;
6. The Parties acknowledge that this Agreement shall not constitute or be invoked as a precedent of any kind;
7. The Parties have expressly required that the present Agreement be drafted in the English language. Les parties ont expressément exigé que la présente Entente soit rédigée en anglais.