Advocating for Responsible Investment Practices
June 25, 2024
Advocating for Responsible Investment Practices
Advocating for Responsible Investment Practices
UWOFA continues to support the Canadian Association of University Teachers in expressing concern about the forcible removal and heavy-handed arrests of peaceful pro-Palestinian student protesters across Canadian University campuses. Such actions, when there is no demonstrable threat to campus safety, conflict with the mission of post-secondary institutions – to foster dialogue, debate, and support academic freedom and free expression. Further, in response to recent and ongoing events on our campus and on campuses across Canada, UWOFA encourages ongoing dialogue and calls on the Western administration to reaffirm its commitment to transparency and adhere to the UNPRI Six Principles for Responsible Investment, to which it is a signatory.
UWOFA Supports Academic Freedom and Free Expression on Campus
The University of Western Ontario Faculty Association (UWOFA) joins the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) in condemning any attempt to stifle academic freedom and free expression at Western University. UWOFA supports the right to peaceful assembly and emphasizes the importance of upholding democratic rights expressed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Please see CAUT’s statement below, which includes a denunciation of police actions against peaceful protests on campus.
CAUT Statement on Police Actions Against Peaceful Protestors on Campus
(Ottawa, ON — May 10, 2024) The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) defends the right to free expression and assembly on university and college campuses and condemns those institutions that have or are threatening to have police forcibly remove and arrest peaceful protestors. Universities and colleges must be places that foster debate, dialogue, and free expression. The forcible removal and heavy-handed arrests of peaceful student protestors who pose no demonstrable threat to campus safety are inimical to the mission of post-secondary institutions and contrary to the democratic rights expressed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. CAUT policy emphasizes that police and campus security services must never be used to constrain academic freedom, free expression, or peaceful assembly. The police should be permitted to intervene on campus only where there is a clear and imminent threat of violence, violation of criminal law by an assembly, or a serious violation of the rights of others. Simply asserting that peaceful assemblies are “trespassing” on university or college property is not justification enough for abrogating fundamental democratic rights. University and college leaders have a positive obligation to defend expressive freedoms and the autonomy of their institutions. They fail in that duty when they capitulate to political and donor pressure to silence debate. Academic institutions must be places that encourage dialogue in the pursuit of understanding and knowledge. There is no justification for police crackdowns on peaceful assemblies on campus.
Resources for UWOFA Members During the PSAC Local 610 Strike
Updated April 19, 2024
The Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) who are members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, Local 610 (PSAC 610) are now on strike.
It is our responsibility to report to work, do our job, and maintain academic integrity in our courses. You are not required to do the work or normal duties of the striking Graduate Teaching Assistants. UWOFA will defend members subjected to discipline for exercising their collective agreement rights.
We will continue to update the membership as the situation unfolds. Please refer to the FAQ which we are continually updating.
What's New
Help Avert a Strike At Western: Supporting our PSAC Local 610 Colleagues
Updated April 10, 2024
The Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) who are members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, Local 610 (PSAC 610) will be in a legal strike position as of 12:01 a.m. on April 11, 2024.
We profoundly condemn the recent actions taken by Western University’s senior administration. The failure to address the legitimate concerns of GTAs in a meaningful manner and the resorting to tactics aimed at undermining their right to strike are not only disheartening but a direct attempt to erode the foundation of solidarity among academic workers at the institution.
We support our Members in objecting to work assigned to GTAs in the event of a strike, emphasizing the importance of collective action and unity in upholding the rights of workers. In solidarity with our fellow academic workers, we offer our full support to PSAC 610 and encourage all members to join GTAs on the line for solidarity pickets. You can also support our GTAs by signing on to the support letter below or distributing the slide below in your OWL course announcements.
An FAQ is available to all members who have questions about the potential strike and how it will affect their work. We continue to monitor this situation and will update our members as new information becomes available.