The Syndicat des chargés de cours de l’UQTR (lecturers’ union) has moved on to the second phase of its large-scale public awareness campaign but has taken a more strident tone this time. After the first positive phase that was rolled out on October 11 with the message that lecturers are “Chargés de réussite” (responsible for success), this new phase reveals the other side of the coin with the addition of “… mais laissés pour compte” (…but overlooked) to their slogan.
Though lecturers have given 56% of undergraduate courses in 2021 and play a fundamental role in the mission of UQTR, the management of the institution has always had difficulty giving them their rightful recognition and space. For example:
- For the past 10 years, UQTR has refused to establish annual departmental forums, which are covered in the collective agreement and give attendees the opportunity to exchanges views and ideas on programs and academic freedom;
- This year, UQTR created four new teaching chairs, but lecturers were entirely shut out, even as co-holders;
- In 2017, UQTR created six new honourary distinctions known as the “Prix de la direction” (Management Award). They were not open to the lecturers until their union stepped in.
“This chronic lack of recognition has also found its way into the negotiations of our working conditions. Our collective agreement expired in May 2020. We began negotiations in December 2020, and now almost one year later, management has allowed this to drag on. The first step toward recognition would be to work out an agreement without further delay,” explained Carole Neill, president of the union which has 920 members.
Phase 2 has given extensive exposure to lecturers in Mauricie–Centre-du-Québec, particularly through social and digital media, conventional advertising in bus shelters, buses and on road signs, along with TV and print advertising.
The campaign website is at https://www.çapassepas.ca/
* Please note that the links in this article are avaible in French only.