CAAT Tales December 2023

DECEMBER 2023

The Good News Newsletter by and for SLC Faculty Local 417

Member Spotlight: A Lesson in Gratitude Kathleen Thompson (Mikhailsen)

Holiday Photo Contest !

INTRODUCING YOUR 2024 CAAT-A BARGAINING TEAM

Your LEC at work

Decarie's Diatribe: Sweeping out the old, sweeping in the new

by Christina Decarie, President, SLC Faculty Local 417 After my grandmother died, our household inherited most of her belongings and knickknacks, including a rather Christmas-y decorative broom that my mother never failed to hang on our front door during the festive season. I never saw anyone else with a Christmas broom, but I also didn’t put much thought into it either. When my mother died, the broom came to me, and I dutifully hung the broom on my door every year.

By the time it occurred to me to perhaps ask the obvious question—Why do we have a Christmas broom?—I estimated that tchotchke was at least 50, maybe 60, years old.

I finally asked someone in the family what the broom was all about. I can’t remember who it was, but I remember knowing that I needed to seek out someone as old as possible. Surely, the secret of the Christmas broom was an ancient one.

The answer is that the broom isn’t about Christmas at all—it’s a Yule broom. After the initial shock of learning that my very Anglican nana practiced a pagan tradition, I learned more. My grandmother believed in “sweeping out the old, sweeping in the new”. The Yuletide season, the solstice and the return of the sun, and the new year all conspire to be the perfect time to do just so.

Recently, I have been feeling a wee bit bogged down. How about you? It’s been a hard semester. Across all programs, across all campuses, I am hearing from faculty who have never faced such low attendance and engagement, poor English skills, and high incidences of academic dishonesty. Everything seems like a mess. I look around my home and office, and everything is a bit of mess there too. Oh, things are tidy on the surface, but don’t open any drawers or closets!

The compromises I have made in course delivery feel sloppy, jumbled, even dirty.

My semester feels the same way. My Blackboard is in order. My lesson plans are precise. The marking is done on time. But look a little closer and you’ll see my semester, in fact, has been a great big mess. The compromises I have made in course delivery feel sloppy, jumbled, even dirty.

The other night I dreamt that the union office on Kingston campus was at least double the size it seemed to be. (Please note, this office is literally a former closet.) However, the office was jammed up with boxes and junk. If only I cleaned it out, I would have air to breath, space to move. I would have clarity.

I cleaned out that junk in my dream. I woke up feeling free. I went to work and arrived at the still-tiny union office and realized that while the office seemed tidy and organized, the filing cabinet and desk were jammed with old files, broken electronics, and dried out markers and rusty staplers.

I have resolved that I will spend the break sweeping out the old at home so there is room to sweep in the new. I am going to empty out closets and drawers, give things a good clean, and put back only what serves me. The rest will be swept out. This physical sweeping out, I hope, will give me room for a mental or metaphysical sweeping out as well. The physical sweeping out will make way for a mental sweeping in of something new.

I urge all of us to do whatever it is we need to do to recover from what has been a very difficult semester. Will you travel, spend time with family, go skiing or a few long runs, read tons of good books? Whatever you do, leave your work behind. The college is shutting down.

The doors will be locked. Leave your work behind those locked doors.

I hope your winter break is joyful and restorative. I shall be sweeping out the old and sweeping in the new. I look forward to discovering what the “new” is. I guess I’ll find out in the new year. See you then.

In solidarity, Christina Decarie President, OPSEU Local 417 christina.decarie@slcfaculty.ca

Your LEC at Work Local 417 Chief Steward joins provincial bargaining team as alternate Local 417’s very own Chief Steward, Gillian Axten, has been elected to the College Bargaining Team as an alternate for our next round of collective bargaining slated to begin in 2024. For those who don’t know Gillian, she is a professor on Cornwall campus and has been an unwavering support and champion for worker rights to Local 417 union members for over a decade.

Congratulations, Gillian!

Local Executive Members Currently Represent YOU on the following Local, Regional, and Provincial Committees Local & Regional Committees: Union College Committee (UCC) Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC-B,C,K) Workload Monitoring Group(WMG) College Employment Stability Committee (CESC) CAAT-A Division (Region 4) Provincial OPSEU Committees & Caucuses Nursing Caucus (New Caucus) Grievance Scheduling Committee Disability Rights InSolidarity College Bargaining Team

CAAT-A Bargaining Team Elected (From the CAAT-A Bargaining Team) We’re excited to share the results of the bargaining team election that took place October 29th at the CAAT-A PreBargaining Conference. This marks the very early stages of bargaining, which will begin in 2024. You will soon hear outreach for local demand set meetings.

Along with the election, the weekend included informative workshops on staffing grievances and organizing for bargaining. Joining our comrades from CAAT-S, College Support Staff, the group was given an exciting keynote address by none other than organizer, negotiator, author, and scholar Jane McAlevey. The Organizing for Power workshop was legendary!

A Message from the CAAT-A Bargaining Team Chair At the end of October, delegates for the CAAT-A Pre-Bargaining Conference elected a new bargaining team for the upcoming round of negotiations with the College Employer Council (CEC) that will take place beginning in July, 2024 (see below for the new team and bargaining timeline).

We are currently seeing a resurgence of the labour movement. The pandemic raised the awareness of workers' rights everywhere. Workers are demanding more, including better wages and benefits, and better and more equitable working conditions. Workers are exercising their power and making historic gains in a wide range of sectors!

As college faculty, we are no different. We have made significant gains recently, despite being hampered by the Doug Ford government’s unconstitutional Bill 124, which prevented fair and free collective bargaining. In our most recent round, we achieved notable gains in job security for partial-load members (who comprise over 40% of our bargaining unit), improvements in the areas of equity and Indigeneity, and the establishment of a Workload Task Force to address our workload formula that has gone mostly unchanged since 1985.

Further, after Bill 124 was ruled unconstitutional in November, 2022, we negotiated with the help of a mediator - the largest wage increases we have seen since 2006 along with substantial benefit improvements.

We united to overcome obstacles! However, many challenges still exist including unsustainable workloads. We also need to achieve further gains in wages as they have not kept up with inflation. We are no longer (and have not been for some time) at the midpoint salary between university professors and high school teachers (our established comparators). This is contributing to the escalating problem of recruiting and retaining college faculty.

The colleges – which made a collective profit of over $668 million this past year – remain far too dependent on precarious contract faculty, who comprise over two-thirds of all faculty and do the majority of the teaching (from the College Employer Council's own numbers). They have also become far too dependent on other non-unionized post secondary systems (OntarioLearn and Public-Private Partnerships [P3s]) with limited quality assurance mechanisms. Increasing the numbers of counsellors and librarians is also crucial to ensure that our students have the necessary supports.

Your input in early 2024 will shape priorities for bargaining. We look forward to your engagement!

You will see frequent communications from your bargaining team over the coming months and we look forward to hearing from YOU as we proceed through this process.

By standing strong together – professors, instructors, counsellors, and librarians - we have the opportunity to make necessary improvements to the college system to create the workplace that we need and the learning environment that our students deserve.

In solidarity, Ravi Ramkissoonsingh, Chair College Faculty Bargaining Team

Meet your bargaining team: Ravi Ramkissoonsingh (he/him) – L242, Chair Ravi has taught Psychology in the Ontario public college system for 20 years, with the past 17 in a full-time capacity at Niagara College. He has been very active in his Union Local since 2014, having served as Local President for three years and, currently, as Vice-President. At the provincial level, he has been on the Joint Grievance Scheduling Committee for the past three years, providing him with further insight regarding the many challenges that faculty are facing. He has also served on the past two CAAT-A bargaining teams, including in the roles of Co-Chair and Chair during the most recent round. Ravi is committed to working towards a college system where all faculty members’ contributions are both valued and respected; he believes that through a culture of value and respect faculty members can best serve students and provide the education and resources that students deserve.

In his spare time, Ravi is an avid Toronto Argonauts football fan and a proud parent of multiple cats. He is grateful for being elected to the 2024 CAAT-A bargaining team and looks forward to the upcoming negotiations.

Michelle Arbour (she/her) – L125, Vice-Chair Michelle is a lawyer and a member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.

She was a member of the 2021 CAAT-A bargaining team. Michelle has worked in the Ontario college system since 2012 as a contract and full-time professor, as well as a coordinator of various programs in the School of Business and International Education.

Michelle was in private practice as well as in house counsel positions prior to 2012. She is in her third term as president of Local 125. She has served as Chair/Co-Chair on the College Workload Monitoring Group, Union/College Committee, and the College Employment Stability Committee. Michelle brings valuable expertise to the bargaining team in the areas of legal analysis, mediation and arbitration and conflict management. Michelle is excited to be a member of the CAAT-A bargaining team and looks forward to the upcoming round of contract negotiations.

Chad Croteau (he/him) – L110 Chad has taught full-time at Fanshawe College since 2013, and worked at St. Clair College briefly prior to that. Chad carries an extensive history of union membership and activism and believes strongly that everyone deserves fair working conditions, job stability and respect. Chad sits on the Union College Committee and the Joint Health and Safety Committee at Fanshawe, and is a member of the Constitution Committee with OPSEU/SEFPO. When not teaching and being a union activist, Chad likes to make homemade candy and desserts, host parties and get out in nature.

Bob Delaney (he/him) – L237 Bob (he/him) is a passionate advocate for Partial-load participation in CAAT-A, and is the first Partial-load Faculty Member to be on the CAAT-A Bargaining Team. He has extensive experience in establishing relationships in the education sector, having worked as a faculty member (starting in 1998), vendor and consultant.

Bob has a unique combination of experience in Education, Human Resource (HR) Management and Union Activism (VP Local 237). Through his publishing (Canadian HR Press) and consulting work (Earning Through Learning), he has had the privilege to influence an entire generation of HR practitioners in Canada. He has worked with thought leaders in the area of HR and Industrial Relations (IR), including work with U of T’s Centre for IR/ HR (cofounder of the Weekly Labour Review (PWR)), and Cornell University’s eCornell series of management/ leadership development programs.

Bob is the proud father of an awesome daughter.

Martin Lee (he/him) – L415 Martin is an immigrant from New Zealand where he was politically active with the Labour Party while studying his Ph.D. in Chemistry/Biochemistry before coming to Canada for his post-doctoral work. He has been proudly teaching in Algonquin College’s Biotechnology program since 2012, becoming Full-Time in 2017. He is active in his local, serving as secretary, on the WMG, among other roles, and has brought a datadriven lens to all the work of the local.

Provincially, he works on the Joint Grievance Scheduling Committee, the CBIS committee, and has led workshops on data-weaving for the CAAT-A meetings. Most recently, he was selected to work with the College Employer Council (CEC) for the Provincial Workload Taskforce, whose work will inform this round of bargaining. From his teaching roles, through to his labour activism, he brings a lens of equity as a primary focusing tool for all that he does, believing strongly that any collective action must work for all members, equity deserving members included. Where possible he believes that his role should be one of amplifying voices that need to be heard, or using his position to create a space for those who are not at the table. In the community, he has worked with Max Ottawa and the AIDS Committee of Ottawa.

Sean Lougheed (he/him) – L657 Sean teaches Mental Health and Addiction Worker at Canadore in North Bay. In 2016, he completed his Ph.D. in Rural and Northern Health Policy at Laurentian in Sudbury.

Since 2017, he's been increasingly active in political and union work, and currently serves as OPSEU/SEFPO Local 657 President. Sean's professional background includes psychotherapy, addiction counselling, and child and youth care. In addition to labour organizing and activism, his passions include paddling with family, and fishing.

Rebecca Ward (she/her) – L732 Rebecca is president of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 732. She is a current member of the CAAT-A Divisional Executive, a current member of the CAAT-A Provincial Workload Taskforce, and a past CAAT-A bargaining team member. She brings strong skills in fostering collective action. As a labour activist, Rebecca has been fighting for employment stability, equity in the workplace and anti racism/anti-oppression. She has experience negotiating agreements in the midst of challenging political landscapes, having negotiated during COVID and under the Ford regime. Rebecca has been president since 2017, but has advocated for the rights of the most-targeted young people in the province for 20 years. She is known to be a fearless leader with grit, integrity and passion.

Alternates Anna Ainsworth (she/her) – L560 Anna Ainsworth is the President and former Vice-President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 560 at Seneca College where she has taught in the School of English and Liberal Studies since 2007. Prior to that she was an active member of CUPE 3903. She has also served as an Executive Board Member for Region 5 between 2019 and 2020. She then served as a Divisional Executive Member for CAAT-A. While doing graduate studies at York University, she made a choice to pursue a path to employment at Seneca College, preferring to serve in the College system over the University system because it was designed to serve working-class students. She has not regretted that decision once.

Gillian Axten (she/her/elle) – L417 Gillian is a Professor of Psychology at St. Lawrence College Cornwall campus. She trains seeing eye dogs for the Mira foundation. She is Chief Steward of Local 417, CoChair of the Joint Grievance Scheduling Committee and a member of the Disability Rights Caucus. Gillian has been a Union steward since 2009, the Secretary of her Local from 2010-2012 and has been Chief Steward since 2012. She is actively involved with the health coalition to fight against privatization of our healthcare system. She is a strong advocate for all members to ensure that the rights in the Collective Agreement (CA) are upheld. Gillian believes that good full-time jobs are key to providing good education and continues to fight using Article 2 of the CA to secure full-time faculty positions at St. Lawrence College.

Holiday Photo Contest

What are you doing over the break? We’d like to know!

Members of Local 417 are invited to share photographs of how you spent your time off. Were you enjoying some ‘bitchin’ powder on the slopes? Reading a good book by the fire? Maybe you jetted off someplace warm?

Share your images to be entered into a prize draw and have your images included in the next edition of CAAT Tales.

Click the link provided.

Upload your images.

Wait with unbridled anticipation for the next issue of CAAT Tales.

Member Spotlight: Kathleen Thompson (Mikhailsen)

As we approach the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I wanted to share with you – that I finally feel ready to share my story. I think it is important to open up and inspire others not to feel like they are living in the shadows or to feel like ‘less than,’ as I have felt in the past. I shared the following with Belonging today: I’m inspired by our brave students and my fellow colleagues, who had the courage to tell their stories. You have been an inspiration. For anyone who knows me well, it will likely come as a surprise that I am sharing this fiercely private story. And for those who see me in the hallway, cafeteria, or in a meeting, you will likely be equally surprised reading this.

On December 7, 2016, my life changed. Permanently. I was in a horrific motor vehicle accident on the 401, one that few walk away from; in fact, the first thing I remember hearing was, ‘She’s alive’ and I remember thinking, “Why wouldn’t I be?” not realizing that my opponent was a Mack truck, and several other vehicles. Before that day, I was a busy, multi-tasking, marathon-running, high-achieving, active and adventurous single mom of two young children, and in that instant, everything changed. I am grateful every day that I survived, and with my survival came a significant change.

Once the dust settled and the initial trauma of the physical and emotional injuries subsided, I learned that I was left with a TBI (traumatic brain injury). This was a huge shift. I was someone who had always identified as a “smart” person with an incredible photographic memory; this was who I was.

As a mom and a professional with big ambitions for my life and my children's, I was determined to regain my life. My journey of recovery was laden with tests, doctor visits, alternative medical treatments, and a deep dive into the fascinating world of Neuroplasticity. At every appointment, I would ask, “When will I be better? When will I get my memory back? When will I feel like myself again?” No one ever really wanted to give me a straight answer because they knew the stark reality, I wouldn’t. It was the words of one of my doctors that really impacted me. She said, “There will be a day, and you will choose the day, that you will not compare your current self to your old self, and that will be the day that your true healing begins.” That was incredibly hard to hear. I was being told that I would never be ‘normal’ again. This realization was a turning point. I decided that day would be the day that I would get ‘better.’

The following weeks and months, and continuing into now seven years, were a blend of agonizing therapies, appointments, specialists, and humiliating tests that remind me of what was lost and the seemingly impossibly slow progress. There were some very dark days, and then came glimpses of light, small breakthroughs in how I adapted and learned to manage with a TBI. I can now say that I am ‘better.’ I will never be the same, and I will always have a traumatic brain injury.

Still, I have learned with the help of my family and friends and through the incredible support of John, Pam, Patrick, and Gillian at SLC. With their support and necessary accommodations, I can confidently lead a class and program, share knowledge, and inspire young minds; I can be nominated and earn the Academic Excellence Award. I can be present for everyone in my life. I’ve embraced this journey and become a student myself, first learning to be a beekeeper, then energy healing, and now working on a Master’s degree. Learning is different for me now, but it is more rewarding than I can possibly describe.

I know now that I must be kind and gentle with myself. I have had to adapt and relearn how to prepare for classes. I’ve had to be taught and understand how to cope with my injury and make the necessary changes to my life that allow me to have a full life. I have learned that everything takes me longer, and there are some things that I have had to say goodbye to, like my passion for horseback riding, which I have been told is far too dangerous for me. My saddle now sits as artwork in my office. I have had to accept that some days are not great, that bright lights and busy rooms are still hard for me, that some days I have trouble finding words and recalling information can take extra time, and some days I am just tired, and my head hurts. There is never a day that I am not acutely aware of my brain injury.

I must give myself grace; I must breathe; I must rest; I must exercise; I must focus on nutrition; I must pace my work; and I must sleep. I have learned strategies to thrive and be ‘better.’ I realize people don’t always understand, and I have stopped judging myself for any of my “inabilities.” I have learned to not care about the judgment or assumptions of others and what people may say when I need to leave the room or I don’t take part (it is never because I don’t want to. It is simply that I am protecting my brain as best I can.)

Brain injuries are complex and challenging for people to understand because the person before you looks “normal” but, under the surface, may be experiencing their life in a way that is not obvious or visible or even understandable. Think of me like your four-year-old cell phone; it works perfectly for a while but then struggles with accessing information and sometimes shuts down. That’s the everyday reality of living with a brain injury.

Many of us are out there living with invisible disabilities. We live in a place of vulnerability.

My injury taught me that time and energy are the most vital things in my world. I choose very carefully how I spend those precious resources. I am more patient and empathic and hold a much deeper kindness for others. I walk more lightly on this planet and have grace with myself and everyone I encounter. For those who wish to support us, I ask that you follow that lead. Be patient, kind, empathetic and compassionate with everyone you meet. They may not have a band-aid on their forehead, but that doesn’t mean that they are not suffering or coping with an invisible disability. Your grace, for their unseen struggle, matters.

Looking back, I see that life-changing day as a tremendous gift, and I wouldn’t change a thing. My disability has become my greatest ability. It has reshaped my perspective, deepened my empathy, and taught me the power of resilience.

With gratitude, Kathleen Kathleen Thompson (Mikhailsen), CM (she/her) Tri-Campus Program Coordinator & Professor, Marketing Faculty St. Lawrence College - Kingston Campus

Celebrated on December 3rd around the world, IDPD mobilizes support for critical issues relating to the inclusion of persons with disabilities, promotes awareness-raising about disability issues and draws attention to the benefits of an inclusive and accessible society for all.

LISTEN UP!

What are you listening to? Do you have a podcast of your own?

Share your favourites by sending them to christina.chrysler@slcfaculty.ca to be included in our Spring issue!

Vinyl Cafe Host: Stuart McLean

Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Cafe series of short stories is pure Canadiana. If you haven’t read the books or listened to his recordings, Dave Cooks the Turkey is a great place to start.

The Vinyl Cafe aired weekly on CBC Radio, on select public radio stations in the United States, and via podcast. The radio show was written and hosted by the late Stuart McLean and featured stories, essays and music, often recorded at live concerts from across Canada and the US. It was on the air from 1994-2016.

Listen Now

The Vinyl Cafe stories are about Dave, owner of a secondhand record store called "The Vinyl Cafe". The stories also feature Dave's wife, Morley, their two children, Sam and Stephanie, and assorted friends and neighbours. The motto of Dave's store – and of the radio show – is "We May Not Be Big, But We're Small."

(Holiday)

SLCFaculty

Good Reads

Small Things Like These

by Claire Keegan In the weeks leading up to Christmas in 1985 in a small Irish town, Bill, a coal merchant, is dealing with his busiest season. While delivering coal to the local convent, however, he makes a discovery that forces him to confront his past and the complicity of his town.

In their review NPR wrote that the novel reads as a "feminist revision of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol."Poignantly, the book is dedicated to "the women and children who suffered time in Ireland's Magdalen laundries."

The Bittlemores

By Jann Arden Written with Jann’s trademark outrageous humour and full of her downto-earth wisdom, The Bittlemores is a rural fairytale, a coming-of-age story and a prairie mystery all-in-one, saturated with her observations of the world she grew up in and her deep connection to the animals we exploit.

This marvel of a first novel digs into how people come to be so cruel, but it also glories in the miracle of human kindness.

The Matzah Ball

By Jean Meltzer Oy! to the world- Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas.

For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. But when her diversityconscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry.

Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.

The Matzah Ball had me laughing out loud...an all-around terrific read."—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

SLCFaculty Good Reads is a way of sharing non-academic reading recommendations. Do you have a favourite book to share? Send it to christina.chrysler@slcfaculty.ca to be included in our next issue!

YOU are the Union: Member Opportunities CALL OUT: OPSEU/SEFPO Region 4 Equity Conference 2024

All members are invited to express interest in attending the Region 4 Equity Conference, February 24-25 in Kingston ON. Expenses are covered by the union.

If you would like more information about this, or other OPSEU/SEFPO events, reach out to a union steward.

Local 417 calls for interest Local 417 is currently seeking members for the following: finance committee tri-campus social committee comms committee contributions various support roles upcoming: Bargaining advisory committee

“When You’re Down and Feeling Worse, Keep a Cookie in Your Purse.”

-Anonymous

SLC Faculty Good Eats Rugelach Submitted by Karen Weisbaum

I’ve been feeling sad about the world. It’s a small thing, but creating something homemade to share with friends and neighbours seems to help ease that sadness. And as Hannukah starts at sundown on December 7, I’m going to start making Rugelach. For sharing.

“Rugelach” roughly translates from Yiddish as “little twists”. For more answers to the question “What is ‘Rugelach?’, check out Wikipedia. It’s not just for Hannukah, but it is traditionally made around that time, at least that’s the case for my family. What it’s NOT is low fat. While there are variations on the dough recipe for this sweet, using, for example “low fat cream cheese” is definitely not recommended. If you try this recipe, please go all-out and splurge on the fat. And unsalted butter is best, but salted will work too, in which case you can omit the additional salt. The cream cheese in the dough makes for a very tender pastry. It also makes for a very forgiving mixture that is less likely to get tough with additional kneading (so it’s a great dough for kids to try.)

When it comes to fillings, feel free to experiment! Some suggestions are included in the recipe (including my all-time favourite, Smucker’s Apricot Jam.) Nutella could be good.

There’s no sugar in the dough, so you could even try a savoury filling…or not. (I hear Boursin cream cheese is good, although I’ve never tried it.)

As you’re making and/or eating these, consider renting the film “Oma and Bella” (available on Amazon Prime) in which the filmmaker documents her grandmother (“Oma”) and her grandmother’s lifelong friend (“Bella”) as they cook and talk their way through recipes while reminiscing about their lives in Europe through WWII to present day.

Watching a clip from the film on YouTube of the two of them making Rugelach (different recipe, but just as good!) might make you think of your own nana, or great-nana. It makes me think of mine (“Sara”, and she would never have agreed to using Boursin! Or maybe she would; she was kind of a pioneer in her own way and for her time…but that’s another story.)

Here’s to the holidays. And to sharing with friends. And to peace.

Rugelach Makes 64 cookies small cookies, but you can make any size you like; larger ones might need a bit more baking time.

Ingredients 2 cups flour (I use light spelt flour, because it’s a low protein flour and makes a more tender crust, but you can also use all-purpose flour, or pastry flour, because it’s also low protein.)

1/4 teaspoon salt 1 package (8 ounces) cold cream cheese, cubed (NOT low fat!)

2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 egg yolk 1 batch filling (see ideas below) 1 whole beaten egg for glazing Instructions Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to mix. (If you don’t have a food processor, mix well with wooden spoon) Scatter cubes of cream cheese and butter over the flour. Pulse 10 to 12 times until coarse crumbs form.

Whisk together the vanilla and yolk in a bowl, and the pour them over the butterflour mixture. Run the processor until the dough starts to clump together and form large curd-like pieces. Don’t over mix. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry blender (you know, that tool you hardly ever use with multiple horseshoe shaped wires attached to the ends of a handle) or just “rub” the butter and cream cheese into the flour with your fingers (see video link at the end of this article) Turn the dough out onto the counter and gather the pieces into a ball. Divide into four equal pieces. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate the dough at least 2 hours or up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (thaw in the refrigerator before using).

When ready to bake the rugelach, preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare your fillings.

Roll out the dough. Take one disk of dough from the refrigerator and let it warm on the counter for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle the surface of the dough and the rolling pin with a small amount of flour (or you can use powdered sugar.) Roll the dough from the center out into a circle about 1/8-inch thick. (I roll between two pieces of parchment, but you can also use a bit of flour to stop the dough from sticking to the rolling pin.) Don't worry if a few cracks form near the edges, or if the edges are uneven. You’ll have a circle of dough that is about the size of a small-ish side plate, or a large-ish tea saucer. (I pull the same small plate out of the cupboard each time I make these to get uniform sized cookies.)

If using a jam filling, spread a generous tablespoon full of the filling evenly over the surface. Then slice the dough into 16 wedges, like a pizza, using a pizza cutter or sharp knife.

If making a brown sugar/pecan filling, sprinkle a generous tablespoon of brown sugar (with a little bit of cinnamon, if you like) evenly over the surface. Then slice the dough into 16 wedges, like a pizza, using a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Put a whole pecan at the wide end of each wedge of dough.

If making a chocolate filling, slice the dough into 16 wedges, like a pizza, using a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Then slice the dough into 16 wedges, like a pizza, using a pizza cutter or sharp knife. (Or sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate chips over the surface before slicing. A mix of semi-sweet, milk and white chocolate might be good! Experiment!) Put a small (e.g., 1/3 of a Lindt square) piece of chocolate towards the wide end of each wedge of dough.

Roll up each wedge, beginning at the wide outer edge and moving inward.

Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure the tip is tucked underneath. Brush the entire surface of each cookie with beaten egg. Put on a baking sheet on top of a piece of parchment paper.

Chill the cookies. Refrigerate cookies on the baking sheet, 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare remaining batches.

Bake the cookies. Bake the first tray of cookies until golden-brown, 18-22 minutes at 350F. Cool on the sheet, 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack. Bake the remaining cookies.

Store the cookies: Cookies will keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for about a week (if they last that long. Which is doubtful.)

Links & Resources Oma & Bella how-to video (YouTube) Rub butter tutorial Oma & Bella (available on Amazon Prime) Oma and Bella is an intimate glimpse into the life of two dynamic elderly Jewish women in Berlin. The film follows them as make elaborate dishes recalled from their childhoods, before the Holocaust. Through the cooking of the sumptuous meals, they retain a part of their past past while remaining very much engaged in the present.

"People who love to eat are always the best people." - Julia Child

Program Coordinators: Track assigned tasks and responsibilities Since implementation of the most recent Collective Agreement (CA), program coordinators tasks are supposed to be reduced to writing each term. Anyone who has been a Program Coordinator (PC) knows that it is nearly impossible to list, and therefore attribute time, to every task and responsibility that crosses your desk. Most would agree, however, that reducing tasks to writing is an important first step in more clearly defining PC duties and accurately attributing time on standard workload forms (SWF). As a result of this budding practice, some PCs have noticed their workloads lighten considerably (or at least enough that they have time to do what they are assigned). This reduction in responsibility does present a potential issue that we all must be aware of—who is doing the work?

PC duties are considered faculty work. That is to say that those duties must be completed by faculty, not management or support staff. It is therefore important that we are all diligent in observing who, exactly, is taking on any tasks you are no longer assigned as PC. Please avoid the temptation to continue doing tasks that you have not been provided time for. These tasks equal hours, which equal jobs and may mean the difference between a part-time and partial-load contract.

If you have not received your PC responsibilities in writing with your SWF, request this document from your Associate Dean. As always, if you have questions or concerns, reach out to a steward.

Update on Letter of Understanding re: Indigenous Knowledge Definition (Provided by CAAT-A Bargaining Team) One important addition to our Collective Agreement (CA) awarded by Arbitrator Kaplan, was a letter of understanding (LoU) regarding the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge as a factor impacting starting salary step, alongside formal education and work experience.

Our new CA dictates that the “College may grant up to 10 points [in salary calculations] in recognition for Indigenous Knowledge on hiring of an applicant who is Indigenous and whose teaching and/or other assigned duties are partially or entirely related to Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Being, and Doing”.

Arbitrator Kaplan also directed that the work of arriving at an appropriate definition of Indigenous Knowledge, “requires respectful consultation with Indigenous Elders.”

Consequently, the union sought the guidance and direction of an Indigenous Elder and three Indigenous and Metis faculty members, to collaborate with the CEC’s representatives on an appropriate definition of Indigenous Knowledges. Unfortunately, our vision for this Indigenous-led working group was not supported by the CEC. Subsequently, both parties felt that the support of Arbitrator Kaplan was needed to provide a path forward.

On Oct 30th, 2023, both parties finally met with arbitrator Kaplan, resulting in an agreement to invite the support of a facilitator, as contemplated in the LoU.

Arbitrator Michelle Flaherty (the neutral Chair of the workload task force) was chosen to facilitate this process with the support of co-facilitator Claudette Commanda.

Commanda, who is from the community of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, is an Elder, Traditional Teacher and Alumnus of the Faculty of Common Law and Arts in the University of Ottawa, which reports that she has dedicated “35 years promoting First Nations people, history, culture and rights in various capacities as a University of Ottawa student, professor, member and chair of the Aboriginal education council, and via public speaking events”.

Your CAAT-A Divisional Executive is optimistic that this facilitation will further the work of reconciliation by enabling the parties to achieve a definition of Indigenous Knowledge, through respectful consultation. We remain committed to ongoing consultation and dialogue with Indigenous faculty members, to ensure that their unique contributions are recognized in our Collective Agreement and respected by the colleges.

Last day for Laz November 14 marked the day that honorary Local 417 member, Laz, attended his final class at SLC. Laz began his studies at SLC as a puppy preparing for a career as a service dog with Chief Steward Gillian Axten. Laz became the centre of controversy when SLC suddenly disallowed his presence on campus noting that current policy only allowed fully trained/working service dogs.

As his training time with Gillian drew to a close, Laz was granted special permission to attend the Cornwall campus beginning October 31. Laz promptly began his next level of training with Foundation Mira, a program that enables people who live with a physical disability to master the use of a service dog in their daily lives, in their home as well as outside. It is expected that Laz will train with Mira for six months before being placed with his partner person. “I'm excited and sad to see him go.” stated Gillian of his departure. Laz began his training with Gillian as a young pup and became a fixture at OPSEU/SEFPO events.

As of the time of this edition of CAAT Tales, SLC had not yet updated or approved their service dog policy.

Halloween Contest Submissions We asked members to 1) select their favourite Halloween candy 2) share their favourite Halloween costume memory. Participants were entered into a draw for a gift card.

Your favourite Halloween costume memories...

“It was a costume we made for our son when he was in Junior Kindergarten. He was a combine (large farming machine used for harvesting crops). It even had working lights!”

“A few years ago we went as a Toy Story family. My son was obsessed with Woody, so we got him a cow boy hat, and a little yellow striped shirt. I made the little cow print vest by cutting up an old white shirt and using fabric paint to add the spots. My husband and I each sported white sweaters that I painted (again with fabric paints) to have the designs of Jessie and Buzz Lightyear's outfits. Our son loved the costume and loved that we participated in it with him.”

“A recent memory of when I made a Poppy costume for my daughter (Trolls) sooooo cute!”

“Rosie the Riveter while teaching Grade 10 History!

The students rolled their eyes and simultaneously loved that I connected our learning to Halloween.”

“All the times my mom invested hours and dollars into a thoughtful costume that were eventually covered by a winter coat and snow pants.”

Your favourite Halloween candy (most votes): Mini chocolate bars.

The winner of our Halloween draw is...Adam McGregor!

Congratulations Adam!

In case you missed it...

KN95 masks are still available!

Stewards on each campus have KN95 masks. These masks were purchased by Local 417 for members during the pandemic for personal use. If you would like masks, please reach out to a steward.

Sick days There appears to be a lack of consistency across schools and departments in how sick days are applied for medical appointments. If you are attending a medical appointment, having a medical procedure, or are ill, you may use your sick days. If you are absent for more than 3 days, you will be required to produce a doctor’s note. You do not have to use lieu time or ‘personal’ days.

WMG If you have referred your SWF to WMG, please contact steward Meg Bailey at Megan.Bailey@slcfaculty.ca

Steward Contacts

Stewards Sara Craig (B), sara.craig@slcfaculty.ca Megan Bailey (K), megan.bailey@slcfaculty.ca Curtis Runions (K),

President Christina Decarie, christina.decarie@slcfaculty.ca Chief Steward Gillian Axten, gillian.axten@slcfaculty.ca

curtis.runions@slcfaculty.ca Dan Somers (B), dan.somers@slcfaculty.ca David White (C), david.white@slcfaculty.ca

Treasurer Karen Weisbaum, karen.weisbaum@slcfaculty.ca

Carla Kingston (C), carla.kingston@slcfaculty.ca

Secretary Deanna Cole-Benjamin, deanna.cole-benjamin@slcfaculty.ca

Jay Krawchuk (K),

Communications Officer Christina Chrysler, christina.chrysler@slcfaculty.ca

Natalie Clark (C),

jay.krawchuk@slcfaculty.ca

natalie.clark@slcfaculty.ca

CAAT Tales is a newsletter for our local, by our local, intended to inform as well as positively build solidarity through common interests.

So many of you do amazing things outside of the college, from arts and photography, to community involvement and hobbies, and we want to hear from you!

Don’t have time to write an article? That’s okay! Let us do the work.

Contact your Comms team to set up a virtual meeting. Maybe there is a co-worker who has some interesting hobbies? Let us know who and we can reach out to them.

There are lots of other ways to get involved. Share favourite books or podcasts, recipes, jokes, or articles of interest. Are you looking to connect with peers related to a specific topic? We can include that as well.

This is YOUR newsletter. What will you share with us?

Your Communications Team: Christina Chrysler Curtis Runions

! s y a d i l o H y p p Ha