McMaster University Faculty Association
Brief on Librarian Remuneratioin
for the Period
June 16, 2006 to June 15, 2008
 

The MUFA Librarians’ remuneration brief is based on the Librarian Policy on Salary and Benefits Negotiations approved by the Board of Governors on October 25, 2001.  The intention of this Policy is to help convert a Joint Committee agreement regarding faculty remunerations to an agreement covering librarian remunerations. We begin by applying the Policy to the Joint Committee Agreement on faculty remunerations as ratified by faculty on April 5, 2006:
 

Remuneration Components Covered by the Policy:

1.  Term
     Two years from June 16, 2006 to June 15, 2008
 

2.  Across the Board Salary Increase
     Effective June 16, 2006 1.5% increase of June 15, 2006 base salary
     Effective December 16, 2007 1.5% (based on December 15, 2006 salary for those employed at McMaster as of June 15, 2006)
     Effective June 16, 2007 1.5% increase of June 15, 2007 base salary
     Effective December 16, 2008 1.5% (based on December 15, 2007 salary for those employed at McMaster as of June 15, 2007)
 

3.  Salary Floors
     Effective June 16, 2006 Increase all floors by 3.5%
     Effective June 16, 2007 Increase all floors by 3.5%
 

4.  Pension Contributions


 ? For librarians who begin at McMaster July 1, 2006 or later, vesting becomes “after 2 years”.

 ? The Rule of 80 stays in place until December 31, 2011.  From January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012, the Rule of 80 would be replaced by the Rule of 81.  From January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013, this would become the Rule of 82.  From January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014, this would become the Rule of 83.  From January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015, this would become the Rule of 84.  From January 1, 2016 onwards, the Rule of 85 would be in place.  For librarians who begin at McMaster July 1, 2006 or later, the Rule of 85 applies immediately.
 

5.  Health and Other Benefits after Retirement
  For librarians who begin at McMaster July 1, 2006 or later, 10 years of service will be required before becoming eligible for medical and dental benefits on retirement.
 

6.  Health Benefits
 ? Effective June 16, 2006, remove the per visit limit on paramedical benefits.  The ceiling per person per practitioner remains in place ($300).

 ? Effective June 16, 2007, modify vision care plan to provide for employees only up to $100 every two years for an eye examination.
 

7.  Market Sector Adjustments

 ? Effective June 16, 2006, a Market Adjustment will be added to the salaries of all librarians. The Market Adjustment will be $500 for any librarian with a June 16, 2006 salary less than or equal to $42,000. For librarians earning in excess of $42,000, the Market Adjustment will be $500 plus the lesser of $975 and 0.0125 multiplied by the June 16, 2006 salary less $42,000.  That is, if the salary is $60,000, this sum will be $500 + 0.0125 x ($60,000-$42,000))= $725.

  ?   Effective July 1, 2007, there will be a further Market Adjustment. For any  librarian with a July 1, 2007 salary of less than or equal to $44,000, the Market Adjustment will be $500. For librarians earning in excess of $44,000, the Market Adjustment will consist of $500 plus the lesser of $975 and 0.0125 multiplied by the July 1, 2007 salary less $44,000.

 ? These Market Adjustments will be built into the base salary for each librarian, in the same manner as the ATB increase.

8.  Value of CP/M Component
 According to the negotiations policy, we must establish the percentage of faculty salaries attributed to the CP/M component.  While the current policy sets that number at 2.43%, we propose that each year this value be updated to its current value.
 

9.  Salary Ceilings
 The librarian salary structure has ceilings as well as floors.  These ceilings should be increased by 4.25% each year, so that a librarian at the ceiling would receive the same effective scale increase awarded to faculty at similar salary ranges (i.e., the 4.25% less the 0.75% adjustment for increase in pension contributions).
 
 

Remuneration Items to be Negotiated Separately
 
10.  Librarian Professional Development Allowance
 We propose that the Librarian Professional Development Allowance (LPDA) increase by $50 each year.

11.  Research Leave
 In the previous agreement, significant advances were made in the research leave policy.  In the Appendix, we propose further changes that will make it more flexible and improve the opportunities for academic librarians to contribute to the research enterprise of the library and the University.

12.  MUFA Membership
 Virtually all faculty members are members of MUFA, including the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Provost and the Vice-President (Research and International Affairs).  By last year’s agreement, the MUFA membership rules were extended to incoming librarians, with grandparenting provisions.  There were exceptions for “persons appointed as an Associate University Librarian, who may voluntarily choose to become or remain members of MUFA, or to resign their membership.”  MUFA would have preferred including the University Librarian and the Director of the Health Sciences Library under this provision, but the eventual agreement explicitly ruled them ineligible for membership.  We propose that the University Librarian and the Director of the Health Sciences Library be given the options to become, or remain, members of MUFA, or to resign their membership.

13.  Personal Leave Days
 Librarians who have completed their probationary period shall be entitled to five (5) paid Personal Leave Days per calendar year.  Personal Leave Days address the need for work/life balance.
 
 

 C:\My Documents\General\MUFAstationery.wpd Appendix
Research Leave Policy for Librarians
 

1.  SCOPE AND PURPOSE

 a. The purpose of the Research Leave Policy for librarians is to support and encourage a librarian’s continuing development as a member of the academic community. This actively contributes to the achievement of the mission and objectives of the University.

 b. It is the intention of the University to support the Research Leave Policy , and subject to the operational feasibility of granting leaves, no application for a research leave will be unreasonably denied, once the specified eligibility requirements have been met.

 c. To encourage the engagement of librarians in research activities at all stages of their careers, research leave for librarians will consist of three categories: “Short-Term Leave”, “Regular Extended Leave”, and “Special Leave”.
 

 2.  AVAILABILITY AND DURATION OF LEAVE

 a. All categories will be funded from the appropriate operating budget of the University Library System. A combined total of 60 weeks of leave time will be available annually.

 ba. Eligible librarians may request a leave up to a maximum of four weeks per year under the “Short-Term Leave” category, and up to a maximum of 52 weeks under the “Regular Extended Leave” category.

 c b.“Special Leave” may be granted under the terms outlined in §7, below.

 c. Librarians, department/area managers and the University Librarian/Director of Health Sciences are expected to work together to ensure that the service and staffing needs of the department can be met

 d.  An individual cannot request Short-Term and Extended Leave during the same fiscal year.
 

3.  ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Research leave is intended for the pursuit of research and other scholarly activities. This may include the conduct of research, scholarship, critical, professional or development work resulting in the possible publication, demonstration or presentation of the results. A course of study or instruction may be a minor component of the project or investigation if the applicant can demonstrate its necessary relationship to the proposed research. A “Short-Term Leave” may also be used by a librarian at an early stage in her or his research career to develop a proposal for a “Regular Leave”, or by any librarian to complete research that is underway when he or she joins McMaster.
 

4.  ELIGIBILITY, SALARY AND BENEFITS
 a. Prospective Applicants for research leave must hold a continuing or contractually limited appointment as a professional librarian in the McMaster University Library System, and must have completed their probationary period.
 b. All research leaves will be granted at 100% of current salary.

 c. For the purposes of pension contributions, insurance and medical disability benefits, a librarian on research leave will be regarded as being on regular salary. The University and the librarian will continue to contribute their normal shares of the costs involved.

 d. If a librarian holds an appointment that is less than full-time, research leave would be granted only during the working period.
 

5.  SHORT-TERM LEAVE

 a. This category of leave is intended to encourage the engagement of librarians at an early stage in their career in research activities, to provide research opportunities to librarians while they accumulate service within McMaster, or to provide a research opportunity to librarians who have never taken a research leave. provide librarians with a regular opportunity to enhance their academic and professional competence .

 b. Librarians who meet the eligibility requirements in §4(a) who have less than five years of service with McMaster University as a professional librarian, are eligible to apply for a Short-Term Leave of up to four weeks duration. Subject to discussion and agreement between the librarian and the manager of their department, the leave may be taken in increments of not less than 5 consecutive working days. An individual librarian may be granted not more than two such leaves prior to their fifth anniversary date of service. These leaves cannot normally be combined.

 c. In addition, librarians who meet the eligibility requirements in §4(a) who have five or more years of service with McMaster University as a professional librarian, and have never taken a research leave, are eligible to apply for one Short-Term Leave of up to four weeks duration. Subject to discussion and agreement between the librarian and the manager of their department, the leave may be taken in increments of not less than 5 consecutive working days.
 

6.  REGULAR EXTENDED LEAVE
After their fifth anniversary date of service, librarians who meet the eligibility requirements in §4(a) are eligible for a maximum of 52 weeks’ leave.

Eligibility for subsequent extended leaves will be calculated as follows:

 • a further 3 years of continuous service following the completion of the most recent  extended research leave are required before eligibility for a subsequent leave of less than 13 weeks is established

 • a further 4 years of continuous service following the completion of the most recent  extended research leave are required before eligibility for a subsequent leave of 13 to 26 weeks is established

 • a further 5 years of continuous service following the completion of the most recent  extended research leave are required before eligibility for a subsequent leave of more than 26 weeks is established
 
 

7.  SPECIAL LEAVE
This category of leave is intended for use  by a librarian to complete research that is underway when he or she joins McMaster.  In exceptional cases, when a librarian may have served less than the required number of years of service, Special Leave may be approved in this category on the same financial conditions described in §4. Such a leave may be granted by the Research Leave Committee in consultation with the Manager of the appropriate department. It is understood that only one such leave will normally be approved in any one year.  This leave, if granted, will be considered counted as an Extended Leave and will count towards the number of weeks available under the Research Leave Policy and  for the purpose of determining the time of eligibility of the librarian for her or his the next research leave.
 

8.  APPLICATION PROCEDURE AND REVIEW MECHANISM

 a. Application for a research leave will be made in writing.

 b. The application shall include:

  i. the starting and ending date of the proposed leave, and the phasing, if proposed;
  ii. an outline of the research or other scholarly activity proposed;
  iii. a statement of how the proposed activity will benefit the librarian, the profession, the Library and/or the University;
  iv. a current curriculum vitae;
  v. disclosure of any external funding received or applied for in support of the activity;
  vi. any other information the applicant wishes to be considered.

 c. A librarian must submit a research leave application to the Research Leave Committee and his or her supervisor. on or before December 31st for a leave to be taken in the following fiscal year.(May 1- April 30th).  The Research Leave Committee will review applications three times each year:

Application Submission Deadline The Research Leave Committee will consider:
          •  July 1 • Short-Term Leave proposals to begin during the fall semester (September 1 - December 31)
          •  November  1  • Short-Term Leave proposals to begin during the winter semester (January 1 - April 30)

• Extended Leave proposals to be taken during the following fiscal year (May 1- April 30)
          •  March 1 • Short-Term Leave proposals to begin during the summer semester (May 1 - August 31)
 

 d. Applications will be considered by the Research Leave Committee consisting of the University Librarian and either the Director of the Health Sciences Library or an Associate University Librarian, and the current Librarian Representative on the MUFA Executive. The Library Human Resources Consultant will be an ex officio, non-voting member of the Committee. e. The Research Leave Committee will consider each application against the following criteria:
 

  i. the value of the project to the librarian, Library, the University, and the broader library and research community;

  ii. the merit of the project, and the likelihood of its successful completion;

  iii. balance and fairness in the context of the total time available for the category of research leave under which application is made.

 f. The Research Committee will respond to applicants and notify their supervisors of a decision:
  •  by August 1 (for July 1 submissions)
  •  by December 1 (for November1 submissions)
  •  by April 1 (for March 1submissions)
 

9.  REPORT ON THE RESEARCH LEAVE
A written report on the project or investigation undertaken will be submitted to the Research Leave Committee within two months of the end of the leave. On completion of the leave period, the librarian will return to his or her original position. The report allows for proper evaluation of the librarian’s accomplishments while on leave, and becomes part of the material considered in the Annual Performance Review the following year. The librarian may be asked to present her or his project and its results to colleagues and staff.
fjlkdjlsfjlsdkjflkjsdlfjldskjflsdkjflksdjThe MUFA Librarians’ remuneration brief is based on the librarian Policy on Salary and Benefits Negotiations approved by the Board of Governors on October 25, 2001.  The intention of this agreement is to help “translate” the Joint Committee agreement ratified on March 29, 2005 to an agreement covering librarians.

Remuneration Components Covered by the Policy:
1. Effective June 16, 2005 there will be an Across-the-Board (ATB) increase of 3.0 per cent of the June 15, 2005 base salary.  All the librarian salary floors and ceilings will also increase by 3.0 per cent.

2. Effective June 16, 2005, the Major Medical Plan coverage will be increased as follows:

 Vision Care
 $250 maximum per person, including dependents, per rolling 24 months

 Paramedicals
 $20 per visit to a maximum of $300 per practitioner per person per benefit year

3. Effective July 1, 2005, the Dental Plan coverage will be increased as follows:
 Major Dental Procedures
 70% of eligible expenses to a maximum of $2,500 per person per benefit year

 Orthodontic Procedures
 50% of eligible expenses to a maximum of $2,500 per person per lifetime

4. On the topic of benefits, during the past year it was recognized that a librarian on a contractually-limited appointment was not being treated in a manner consistent with the Principles Governing Contractually Limited Appointments (CLAs) at McMaster University, as approved by the Joint Committee on April 19, 2004 and the Senate on June 9, 2004. To the credit of the Library Administration, the librarian was quickly made eligible for medical and dental benefits, thereby correcting the most serious asymmetry.  As Appendix Awe attach a proposed policy that would govern CLA appointments for librarians.
5. According to the negotiations Policy, the first step of the merit pool calculation is establishing the percentage of faculty salaries attributed to the CP/M component.  Currently the Policy sets that number as 2.43%.  The first Administration Brief regarding faculty remuneration revises that number to 2.58% (p. 5-2.1).  MUFA therefore proposes that as part of this agreement, the Administration/MUFA-Librarians Negotiating Committee secure agreement from the Joint Committee that the base percentage of the Merit Pool calculation be changed from 2.43% to 2.58%.
 
Remuneration Items to be Negotiated Separately

6. There are three items in the faculty agreement that do not translate directly for purposes of a librarian agreement:  the Research Leave provision, the PDA provision and the increase in floor overload stipends.  These three items together are of significant value.  Librarians should expect something in their agreement that is of commensurate value.  MUFA therefore proposes two initiatives that will lend some degree of symmetry to the librarian agreement (as compared to the faculty agreement) both in terms of an increase in compensation and in encouraging research activity by academic librarians.  Librarians should be given the means to make their contribution to McMaster’s continuing as “one of the country’s ‘most innovative’ research-intensive universities” (quoting the McMaster website).

First, the Librarian Professional Development Allowance (LPDA) should increase by $100 rather than the $50 received by faculty.

Second, MUFA proposes a new and more flexible research policy that would encourage more academic librarians to participate in research leave. The proposal is described in Appendix B.

Non-Remuneration Item

7. Virtually all faculty members are members of MUFA, including the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Provost and the Vice-President (Research and International Affairs).  Indeed all faculty members must either be members of MUFA or must make a contribution equivalent to MUFA dues to a designated recipient, currently the student centre.  MUFA proposes that this arrangement be extended to all librarians.  MUFA would agree to "grandparent" this arrangement so that current librarians who are not members of MUFA would not be affected by this extension.
 


___________________________________

Appendix A
Principles Governing Contractually Limited Appointments for Librarians at McMaster University
1. Any individual appointed as a librarian to a contractually limited position falls under the McMaster University Policy on Librarian Classification and Salary Administration and Librarian Appointment Policy and may be a MUFA member. A contractually limited appointment is for a stated period of time and carries no implication that the appointee shall be considered for a continuing appointment.

2. A contractually limited appointment may be made to:

 a) provide a replacement for a librarian on leave, or
 b) meet specific Library needs of limited duration
Contractually limited appointments do not affect interns (co-op students from a Master of Library & Information Science program).

3. Such contracts shall include benefits that have been negotiated by MUFA. The benefits that are available to full-time continuing librarians at the start of employment will be likewise available to contractually limited appointments.  Contractually limited appointment contracts shorter than a year will have benefits as if they were appointed on a year’s contract, and a pro-rated Professional Development Allowance (PDA) .

4. Librarians hired on a contractually limited appointment shall receive across-the-board (ATB) salary increases at the same time and in the same amount as full-time continuing librarians. Merit shall be awarded at the same time as  full-time continuing librarians to any contractually limited appointment (CLA) librarian with at least one year of cumulative  service at the time of award. Normal departmental processes for the review of librarians shall be used to determine merit.

5. Contractually limited appointments will normally be hired for a period of at least four months.

6. Any renewal or extension of an initial contract shall normally be for four months or more.

7. The total consecutive years a member may serve on contractually limited appointment(s) shall not normally exceed two years.

8. Any appointment of an individual to a CLA appointment within two years following the end of a contractually limited appointment shall be deemed a continuation of an appointment. In determining the salary for the new contract, the ATB and merit increases that were available at the end of the academic year that was previously served will be incorporated, but additional increases (that are mandated by the negotiated compensation agreement) for the period during the gap need not be incorporated unless an increase is required to meet a salary floor for the appropriate rank.

9. The letters of appointment for all contractually limited appointments shall include an indication of the basis upon which merit shall be awarded beyond the first year of the contract (position responsibilities and professional activities). This applies even to contracts of a year or less duration as they may be renewed or continued in the future.

10. MUFA will be informed annually in October of all contractually limited appointments  of librarians (since the last report) of less than four months and the reasons for the appointments.

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Appendix B
Research & Development Leave Policy for Librarians

Long-Term Research Leave

Purpose:
The purpose of the research and development leave is to support and encourage the librarian’s continuing development as a member of the academic community, and acknowledges that their pursuit of research, study and other scholarly activities above and beyond their regular duties brings benefits to and enhances the reputation of the University, the profession and the individual librarian.   By allowing librarians a regular opportunity for development, this policy also actively works towards fulfilling the goals and objectives of the university.
 

Principles Governing Research Leave:
It is the first intention of the University to support in every way possible the leave policy in this document.  No application for research leave will be unreasonably denied once minimum eligibility requirements are met.
 

Eligibility and Duration:

After the first three years of employment with no leave

eligible for a maximum of 6 months leave at 100% salary
After the first six years of employment with no leave
eligible for a maximum of 6 months leave at 100% salary OR
eligible for a maximum of 12 months leave at 100% salary
Three years after first leave
eligible for a maximum of 6 months leave at 100% salary
Six years after first leave
eligible for a maximum of 6 months leave at 100% salary OR
eligible for a maximum of 12 months leave *
*A second or any subsequent 12 month leave will be at 90% of salary and benefits.

In exceptional cases when the librarian may have served less than the required number of years of full-time service, Special Leave may be approved on the same financial conditions as listed above for a Research Leave. Such leave may be granted by the Research & Development Leave Committee in consultation with the supervisor.  It is understood that only a small number of such leaves, if any, will be approved in any one year. Normally, a Special Leave shall be counted as a Research Leave for purposes of determining the time of eligibility for the next Research Leave.
 

Eligible Activities:
Research & Development Leave is intended for the pursuit of research, study and other scholarly activities.  This may include the conduct of research, scholarship, critical, creative, professional or development work resulting in possible publication, demonstration, presentation, exhibition or performance of the results.
 

Procedures:

1. Application for Research & Development leave shall be made in writing and identify the scholarly and professional purposes and activities of the leave being proposed, its potential benefit to the Librarian member, and the most likely outcome of the proposed activities.  The application shall include:

  1. the starting date and length of the proposed leave
  2. an outline of the work or studies the applicant intends to undertake during the proposed leave
  3. a statement of how the proposed activity is likely to provide benefits to the applicant, the profession and/or to the University
  4. a curriculum vitae
  5. disclosure of any external funding potentially being received in support of the activity
  6. any other information the applicant wishes to be considered
2. The application must be submitted on or before October 15 of the year prior to the leave.

3. The application is submitted to the Research & Development Leave Committee which is comprised of the University Librarian, the Director of the Health Sciences Library and the current MUFA Librarian Representative on the MUFA Executive.  A decision will be made whether or not to approve the application and the applicant will be informed by December 1 of the year prior to the leave.
 

Reporting:
Within four months of completion of the leave, the librarian is required to submit a written report to the University Librarian or Director of the Health Sciences Library on the accomplishments during the research & development leave. The report allows for proper evaluation of the librarian’s accomplishments while on leave, and becomes part of the material considered for Annual Performance Review for the following year.
 

Review:
This policy will be reviewed by the MUFA Librarians every three years.
 
 

Short-Term Research Leave

Purpose:
The purpose of the release time policy is to support and encourage the librarian’s continuing development as a member of the academic community, and acknowledges that their pursuit of research, study and other scholarly activities above and beyond their regular duties brings benefits to and enhances the reputation of the University, the profession and the individual librarian.   By allowing librarians a regular opportunity for development, this policy also actively works towards fulfilling the goals and objectives of the university.
 

Principle:
It is the first intention of the University to support in every way possible the release time policy in this document.  No application for release time will be unreasonably denied once minimum requirements are met.

Availability and Duration:
A total of 4 weeks per year, taken in increments of one week minimums, are available.  Release time at 100% salary is available to all librarians employed as MUFA librarians who have passed their probationary period, and those holding contractually limited appointments.
 

Eligible Activities:
Release Time for Research & Development is intended for the pursuit of short term research and other scholarly activities.  This may include the conduct of research, scholarship, critical, creative, professional or development work resulting in possible publication, demonstration, presentation, exhibition or performance of the results.
 

Application Procedure:

1. Application for Release Time shall be made in writing and identify the scholarly or professional purposes and activities of the leave being proposed, its potential benefit to the Librarian member, and the most likely outcome of the proposed activities.  The application shall include:

  1. the starting date and length of the proposed leave
  2. an outline of the work or studies the applicant intends to undertake during the proposed leave
  3. a statement of how the proposed activity is likely to provide benefits to the applicant, the profession and/or to the University
  4. disclosure of any external funding potentially being received in support of the activity
  5. any other information the applicant wishes to be considered
2. The application must be submitted at least one month prior to the leave.

3. The application is submitted to the Research & Development Leave Committee which is comprised of the University Librarian, the Director of the Health Sciences Library and the current MUFA Librarian Representative on the MUFA Executive.  A copy of the application is also to be sent to the librarian’s direct supervisor.  A decision will be made whether or not to approve the application and the applicant will be informed within 2 weeks of the application being submitted.  The librarian’s direct supervisor can be consulted if needed.
 

Reporting:
A summary of completed activities during the Release Time will be submitted to the Research & Development Leave Committee within one month of returning to work.
 

Review of Policy:
This policy will be reviewed by the MUFA Librarians every three years.

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April 4, 2005