Yes. In the event of a TA Strike, Sessional Instructors are required to continue to perform their duties as per the collective agreement. While Sessional Instructors will not be required to perform work normally

performed by members of CUPE Local 3906, Unit 1 (Teaching Assistants), they do have the following responsibilities:

• Ensuring completion of the course they lead and the submission of grades.

• Adhering to the schedules for submission of grades and evaluations by

Departments, Faculties, and the School of Graduate Studies.

No, Sessional Instructors are not permitted to change the location or format of course delivery in response to a TA strike.

Whether an individual TA chooses to support/join a strike is entirely up to them.The university respects the legal right of every member of the bargaining unit to make this choice freely.

Members of the bargaining unit who choose to continue working are exercising their legal right. A process is being developed to enable TAs to declare their intention to continue working, if they so choose.

 Information about their rights relating to a work stoppage will be provided to all TAs.

The choice of whether to participate in a strike is a personal one, and one that may be quite difficult and sensitive for some individuals.

• It is very important that you do not attempt to influence an individual’s decision in any way or be perceived to attempt to influence.

• We recommend that you do not initiate discussion with any TA about a strike or their intentions to participate.

• If a TA raises the topic with you, here is some suggested language to assist you in responding:

• The University respects your rights as a member of a bargaining unit, which includes your right to participate in a legal strike.

• You also have a right to choose to continue working and to not participate in a strike.

• There will be a process for you to follow if you wish to continue working rather than participate in the strike and that information will be shared with you. In order to assist in course planning, it would be helpful for you to complete that process as soon as possible if you wish to continue working.

• I recognize that this is a difficult time. Please know that there are supports and resources available to you, including the following:

• I. in your role as a graduate student, you will continue to have access to all graduate community resources.

• II. in your role as a Teaching Assistant, the university will continue to ensure you have access to the Employee & Family Assistance Program, regardless of whether you choose to participate in a TA Strike. There are also additional resources available online through Employee Health, Safety & Wellbeing

• TAs will be informed of the process to follow if they elect to continue to deliver their services in the event of a TA Strike. Details of that process will be made available soon.

Employees of McMaster University who are members of other bargaining units are not required to perform work normally performed by an individual who is participating in a TA Strike.

• Instructors may make other arrangements to substitute for activities not being performed by TAs who choose to participate in a TA Strike. Such other arrangements are understood to include virtual or remote delivery of tutorial/lab sessions, including pre-recorded activities, and require advance consultation with the appropriate Chair/Director. The quality of the recorded activities must be comparable to the originally planned lab or tutorial.

• Alternatively, Instructors may have to cancel tutorials or labs in consultation with their Chair/Director, if they cannot operate without TA support.

In-person exams will continue to receive support from invigilators hired by the Office of the Registrar who have a separate contract from that of TAs.

• If your course is scheduled to have an in-person exam, you may choose to move a Registrar-controlled exam online – please contact the Registrar’s Office at exams@mcmaster.ca if you are making this change.

Employees of McMaster University who are members of other bargaining units are not required to perform work normally performed by an individual who is participating in a TA strike.

• Sessional Instructors are not required to perform work normally performed by an individual who is participating in a TA strike.

• Notwithstanding the points above, Sessional Instructors have an overarching responsibility to ensure that courses they lead are completed and grades are submitted.

• A Sessional Instructor, in consultation with, and with the approval of, their Chair/Director, may have to adjust the format for end of term assignments and/ or tests if the planned formats cannot operate without TA support, in order to mark and submit grades.

Yes, you can change the format of your assessments including assignments, tests, and exams to ease the burden of grading in the absence of TAs. For example:

• You can make written work, including essays, shorter than originally expected.

• You can change a test or an exam to a multiple-choice assessment instead of short answer.

• In addition, you can change the assessment structure that is present in your course outline. The changes should not be to the detriment of the student and should be made in consultation with the Chair/Director. For example:

• You cannot move deadlines earlier than currently posted.

• You can give students the option of taking a final calculated grade based on completed work to date and choosing not to complete final assessments.

This may reduce the amount of grading required at the end of a term if there is a strike. This cannot be expected of all students.

• If there is no viable alternative, you may have to cancel assignments, tests, or exams and base final grades on completed term work.

• The Undergraduate Course Management Policy requirements for any changes are as follows:

• If it becomes necessary to make changes to some part of the course during the term, reasonable notice and communication between the instructor and students is critical. Students should be provided with an explanation and an opportunity to comment. Instructors are encouraged to use multiple communication methods with students (e.g. class announcements, e-mail message sent to the class through Mosaic, message posted on the course website or Avenue to Learn, etc.).

• Any changes related to evaluation must be made in consultation with the Department Chair.

• The university reserves the right to change dates and/or deadlines etc. for any or all courses in the case of an extreme circumstance, such as an emergency situation or labour disruption.

If the TAs normally assigned to your course choose to participate in the strike, and there is no one available to invigilate tests and exams, you can change the modality of your tests or exam from in-person to online or take-home assignments

Students will be informed of the possibility of a strike by the university.

• After the university’s communication, you may post the following statement on Avenue to Learn: “In the event of a strike, the course assessment structure may be modified. Students will be notified of changes at that time.”

• After the strike is confirmed, you should communicate any changes to assignments, labs, tutorials, tests or exams – format or deadline – to students.

Instructors should continue with their revised assessment structure.

• Any lectures and tutorials moved to an alternative format or location should resume in-person, on campus.

Current due dates for the fall term remain in place. These may be modified depending on future labour developments.