Following up on the last post, representatives of ULFA (Kelly Williams-Whitt, Rob Sutherland and Annabree Fairweather) and the Board (Chris Hosgood, Lorna Selinger and Scott Harling) met with about a dozen of our Members, January 28 and 30 to collect detailed information about aspects of their duties as academic staff that might perform essential services. These were excellent conversations and our Members outlined duties involving dangerous chemicals and hazardous materials, supervision of therapies involving at risk clients and oversight of experimental treatments with potential for adverse participant outcomes. Our Members are on the frontline of protecting and enhancing public health and safety.
In a very productive follow-up meeting, February 13, ULFA provided a complete draft Essential Services Agreement that was discussed by representatives of both sides. Clearly there will be some modifications, but we are confident that we now have the foundations for our final agreement.