The Renison Association of Academic Staff (RAAS) is delighted to announce that it received certification as a trade union on March 23, 2020. RAAS was first established as a non-certified association on February 12, 2018. Now under the Ontario Labour Relations Act, RAAS is the official bargaining agent for all academic staff employed by Renison University College “holding tenure or tenure-track positions, continuing lecturer positions, professional librarians, and those having a limited duration contract, save and except academic staff employed on a sessional or a per-course basis, library assistants, non-credit academic staff, and administrators at the rank of Academic Dean, Vice-President or higher.” RAAS currently represents forty-nine academic staff members.
Its mandate is to negotiate a Collective Agreement between the employer and Members, represent Members in matters arising from the application of the Agreement, promote the welfare of its Members through sound policies and practices, protect academic freedom, promote collegial governance, and facilitate the exchange of ideas among academic staff, the broader University College community, and the general public.
A service agreement between RAAS and the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) came into effect on January 1, 2019. Under this agreement, RAAS members remain concurrently FAUW members and enjoy the support of both organizations. RAAS is profoundly grateful to FAUW and to the St Jerome’s University Academic Staff Association for their ongoing inspiration and support, including their generous financial support.
RAAS would also like to thank the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), the nationwide association of our academic peers, and the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), the province-wide association of our academic peers, for their ongoing support, including generous donations of time and expertise. RAAS members now stand stronger, as a certified union, in the mission for the betterment of post-secondary education.
President and Negotiation Committee Member, Dr. Kristina R. Llewellyn
Vice-President and Lead Negotiator, Dr. Robert Case
Secretary/Treasurer (outgoing), Dr. Susan Cadell
Grievance Officer and Negotiation Committee Member (Alternate), Dr. Jason Blokhuis
Negotiation Committee Member, Dr. Daniel Bratton
Negotiation Committee Member and Secretary/Treasurer (incoming), Dr. Trish Van Katwyk