Responsibilities in the non-teaching period

From Stems & Pieces

Vol 6 No. 2 - April, 1989

Article 11.08 in your Collective Agreement clearly spells out your rights to freedom of activity in the so-called "non-teaching period."

The Article says:

"In keeping with the professional responsibility of the teacher, non-teaching periods are used for activities initiated by the teacher and by the College as part of the parties' mutual commitment to professionalism, the quality of education and professional development.

Such activities will be undertaken by mutual consent and agreement will not be unreasonably withheld. Such activities will neither be recorded nor scheduled except as in accordance with Article 11.01 G 1."

It is the last paragraph of this Article which is so very important to the correct understanding of the non-teaching period. It must be read in conjunction with the SWF form and a related letter of understanding.

The SWF form - page 94 - requires the colleges to use the SWF to assign all teacher workloads. It is the only method available to your supervisor to assign you work.

Since Article 11.08 specifically forbids recording the work mutually agreed to for the non-teaching period, it is therefore not permitted that the work of the non-teaching period be put on an SWF, and therefore it is impossible to assign any work in that period. The work done in the non-teaching period is work which you and college have agreed will be done; it is not work assigned to you by the college. You have every right to decide what work is necessary and therefore what work you will do during this period. Read in conjunction with 11.01 G 1, which gives you the right to schedule any complementary functions related to teaching, Article 11.08 clearly establishes your right to do the preparation work for your teaching assignments for next year during the non-teaching period. This is, of course, the major reason for the existence of a non-teaching period!

If you do agree to do work during the non-teaching period, do it for reasons of professionalism, not out of fear!

The letter of understanding is on page 109. This letter is somewhat garbled. It was written by a member of the management negotiating team who was worried that the Article prevented any record whatsoever of non-teaching period activity. It is supposed to clarify that it is permitted to make notes of work agreed to under Article 11.08 in normal administrative correspondence; in other words, managers are free to write memos to other managers setting out their understanding of the work their faculty is doing during the non-teaching period. It is NOT the intention that such memos could be directed to faculty members as a way of avoiding the assignment prohibition!

{Ed note: see also the article on Pat Dockrill's arbitration award "The Right to Self-determination of Non-Teaching Period Activities."}

Remember too, that the use of the non-teaching period is by mutual

agreement. If you want to have your plans recognized by your manager,

you have the right to initiate the planned use and your manager may

not refuse your intentions without reasonable grounds.

When you and your manager are at logger-heads over how the non-teaching

period will be used, and when your manager insists that you will do

what s/he thinks is appropriate, call your steward! You have a legitimate

complaint under Article 11. The Workload Monitoring Group can help

you.