Daily Bulletin

Friday, March 1, 1996

Three staff laid off

They are the first UW layoffs to be announced this year. "Any time people lose their jobs, it's heart-breaking," said Catharine Scott, director of human resources. She added: "I think that there will be a few more -- and I stress, a few. There is not going to be a rash of staff terminations."

Scott stressed that Policy 18, the UW document that includes procedures about making staff redundant, was followed "scrupulously". The procedure includes a review by the staff relations committee, which includes top UW management and representatives of the staff association. She noted that the dean and decision-makers in ES "know that they can provide the same level of service, and that they must down-size".

She said a rumour that the three staff members were escorted out of the building by police officers is "preposterous and untrue". They're still at work and still have their building keys, she said. Under Policy 18, staff who are made redundant get a month's notice, as well as a lump-sum severance payment.

The provost said that with the three jobs eliminated, ES will consolidate the cartography centre and Environmental Media and Information Centre into the Mapping, Analysis and Design lab.

The long March begins

Also continuing: the civil service strike pitting the Ontario Public Service Employees Union against the Ontario government. Some of its effects can be unexpected, as in this memo issued across campus by Bob Levinski of central stores:

Please be advised that because of the civil servant strike, courier drivers will not cross picket lines at Government Offices. Therefore, arrangements should be made with the consignee, to ship your packages and/or correspondence to an alternate location.

Finding jobs for students

Says a memo sent out by provost Jim Kalbfleisch:

After discussion with the Human Resources department, the University has agreed to advertise such opportunities to the student population on a regular basis so that students will be aware of them. To ensure that students are given priority, Human Resources will be asked to administer the placement of advertisements and offer assistance in determining qualifications and writing the ads.

Departments that have opportunities are asked to contact their Staff Relations Coordinator. . . . This does not mean that all jobs must be filled this way. Many jobs are already being filled within departments and faculties by students.

Celebrating, saying farewell

At the end of this academic year, the School Sisters of Notre Dame will end their ministry at UW; the Notre Dame building is to be sold to St. Jerome's and given a new name. It will continue to be a women's residence.

A day of reminiscence, celebration and goodbye is scheduled for tomorrow. At 11 a.m. there will be "storytelling and prayer" in the Notre Dame chapel; at 1:00, an open house begins; from 2 to 3, there is a coffee house; and then at 5:30 a dinner-dance takes place at the Holy Family Croatian Church hall in Kitchener.

Says a brochure about tomorrow's bittersweet events:

Bring your stories, bring your spirit, bring your leadership, bring your self: that part of you that NDC always recognized as unique and good, and respected in you -- a woman gifted for our world.

Also today and this weekend