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Unit 1 represents full time faculty, professional librarians, curriculum instructional designers, learner affairs officers, ME (medical education) database administrators, and accessibility advisors working for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University.

Bargaining Unit Members voted to unionize with the Faculty Association in December 2005, and the Ontario Labour Relations Board issued a certificate in January 2006. In December 2006 the first Collective Agreement (2006-08) was ratified.

In June 2008 the initial bargaining unit voted to join the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and negotiated a second Collective Agreement (2008-2011) as OPSEU NOSM University Local 677. As part of the terms of transfer into OPSEU the Local and its Members remain Members of the NUFSA. Collective Agreements negotiated since: 2011-2015; 2015-2018; 2018-2022; 2026-2029.

Members of the Local Executive who are in the Unit form the Unit 1 Committee. It meets regularly and has the Executive responsibility for matters such as Unit specific negotiations and grievances. The Unit 1 Committee has a Grievance Committee and, during bargaining, a Negotiations Committee as well as a Job Action Committee. The Grievance and Negotiations Committees and Job Action Committee report to the Unit 1 Committee. In turn the Unit 1 Committee reports to the Unit 1 Members in Unit Membership Meetings.

Unit 1 Committee ([email protected])
Unit 1 President): Zach Suntres
Unit 1 Secretary: Brian Ross
Full-time faculty rep: Darrel Manitowabi
Curriculum Instructional Designers/ME DA rep: Kelsey Stark
Professional Librarian rep: Jennifer Dummond
Learner Affairs Officers rep: Maryse Gareau
Member at Large Northeastern: Lorrilee McGregor, Marion Maar, Tom Kovala, Kristen Shaw, Christina Laveridere
Member at Large Northwestern: Simon Lees, Christina Graves, Zach Suntres, Brian Ross, Geoffrey Hudson

Other & Ad hoc Committees and Service (Union)

Unit 1 Liaison (to Employer):
Nicole Bessette

Joint Consultative Committee
(JCC: Unit 1 President, Chief Negotiating Officer & an additional member of the Unit Committee)

Joint Benefits Committee Unit 1 Rep:
TBD

NUFSA (Unit 1) Program Evaluation Rep:
TBD

EQUITY REPS:
Christina Laveridere, Nick Alderton, and Geoff Hudson

JCC Academic & Professional Staff Professional Development Subcommittees:
Geoffrey Hudson and Kristen Shaw

OCUFA Board Member & CAUT Delegate:
Brian Ross

Scholarship Committee:
Zach Suntres & Sophie Regalado

Chief Negotiating Officer:
Simon Lees

Unit 1 Trustee:
Donna Newhouse (not on Unit 1 Committee)

Sudbury & District Labour Council rep:
Darrel Manitowabi and Nicole Bessette

Thunder Bay & District Labour Council:
Simon Lees and Christine Graves

Pension Committee:
Zach Suntres

Unit 1 Academic Personnel Committee lead (FPC & LPC): Zach Suntres

Part-time faculty appointment & promotions policy lead for NUFSA:
Unit 1 President or designate

Health and Safety Reps:
Tom Kovala (East Campus); Simon Lees (West Campus) Neelam Khaper (West Campus)

NUFSA rep, UME Program Evaluation Committee:
Geoff Hudson

The Unit 1 Committee meets monthly. If you are a Unit 1 Member who is not on the Committee but you wish as a Member to observe you are of course free to do so, just send an email to [email protected] for information about the next Meeting. To bring an item of concern or a question to the attention of the Unit 1 Committee contact the relevant representative and/or the Unit President at any time. In addition Members are reminded that every Unit Membership and Unit 1 (Executive) Committee meeting includes an ‘any other business’ agenda item. As per our longstanding practice meeting minutes are available on request to Unit Members.