USW1998 sends workload study and hybrid work study reports to U of T leadership
Thank you to all Local Union members who provided contact information for the University’s leadership staff in their areas. Yesterday we sent with the information that you supplied, the Union sent informational packages to over 600 University of Toronto Deans, Directors, Professional Managers, and other administration leaders. These packages include:
- An open letter to University staff in leadership roles
- The results of a Union-commissioned research study on the impact of heavy workload on Local members, entitled Doing More with Less: A Study of USW1998 University Staff Working Conditions
- The results of a Union-commissioned research study on the impacts of diminishing hybrid work options on Local members, entitled Hybrid Works! The Case for Undiminished Hybrid Work at the University of Toronto
The open letter and the workload study report were previously presented to the offices of University of Toronto President Melanie Woodin, University of Toronto Mississauga Principal Alexandra Gillespie, and University of Toronto Scarborough Principal Linda Johnston.
About the Studies
The workload study report and the hybrid work study report were researched and written by Dr. Adam Zendel, a labour scholar who studies workloads and psychosocial hazards at Canadian universities. The reports provide analysis relevant to ongoing discussions and negotiations between the Union and the University about our members’ workloads and hybrid work options, including:
- Increasing workloads
- The prevalence of unpaid work
- The expansion of job duties beyond original role expectations
- The diminishing of hybrid work arrangements, which has led to the deterioration of employee well-being and productivity
- Concerns surrounding the University’s leadership and communication
- The impacts on employees’ trust in the University’s leadership
- The workplace challenges disproportionately faced by equity-deserving groups
We appreciate your assistance in helping to ensure that this important information reaches the appropriate decision-makers.