Employees of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) have been issued a layoff notice for April 30, according to Paige Booth, current SFUO president, as the student union will not be operating past that date.
A recent referendum saw the removal of the SFUO from power and the election of a new student union.
At the U of O, students will be voting in a referendum on which service centres and businesses for which the university will collect money from the students on behalf of the student union. This includes the food bank which students rely on, Booth said.
Booth said there’s no guarantee that the newly-established University of Ottawa Student Union (UOSU)—the incoming group replacing the SFUO—can secure funds to keep employees.
She added that current SFUO employees are entitled to sufficient notice in compliance with the Employment Standards Act.
“But, UOSU is working with CUPE 4943, which is the union for the employees of the SFUO, to establish a recall process,” she said. “Once [UOSU] collect funding, or have the funding secured . . . they will be able to recall these employees to be able to continue their job,” she said.
In a joint statement, the SFUO and UOSU said they are “committed to working together to mitigate impacts that will result from a transition of unions representing undergraduate students at the University of Ottawa as best as possible.
“We share a common goal of preserving the student services, businesses and programs that exist for students, by students,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the only way to guarantee the continuation of these services previously voted upon by students is to vote yes in the upcoming UOSU referendum, which will take place alongside their elections from April 3-5.
However, in the case that UOSU is unable to get students to vote yes for student services and businesses that currently exist, and secure those funds, Booth said some business might have to shut down and there will be cuts.
“It’s very sad,” Booth said. “I know a lot of students depend on the programs and services offered.”
But, she added that the new Student Choice Initiative introduced by the provincial government in conjunction with the student union transition makes the situation more difficult. Starting Fall 2019, students can choose to opt into paying for the student union and other services on campus as mandated by Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
Booth said these events can negatively affect current and future students.
“I just hope to see the student movement come together right now against the Student Choice Initiative and against all these cost-initiative changes to make education even more inaccessible to be able to combat this,” she said. “These services are essential, and I think they should continue on campus, and the funding should continue.”
Image from files
