CAAT Tales (the podcast)

E25: Tools for the Future, Truths for the Moment (and an update with Support Staff!)

This episode brings together three conversations that capture exactly where we are as a sector: in transition, under pressure, and building new tools to support each other through another year of profound change. We begin with Local 417 President Christina Decarie and Vice President Tabatha Rutledge as Christina prepares to deliver her final President’s Report after 22 years at the college and nearly a decade in union leadership. They speak candidly about exhaustion, succession, layoffs, the looming merger, and why member involvement is now a matter of survival. Next, we look to the future of union work with steward John Holmes, creator of the Virtual Steward—a privacy‑protected AI system already transforming how we track cases, protect timelines, and support members. Finally, we check in with Local 418 PresidentAmanda Shaw for an update on support staff, the merger, and the ongoing ripple effects from last year’s layoffs. This is an episode about legacy, innovation, and the work ahead. 00:00 — Opening & Episode Overview Where we are as a sector: transition, strain, and new tools emerging. 00:27 — Christina’s Final AGM Report Christina reflects on 22 years at the college, a decade of leadership, and the emotional weight of stepping down. 02:20 — Pride, Exhaustion & What Members Need to Hear Engagement, COVID support, and the urgent call for members to step up. 05:12 — Continuity & Gillian’s Return Why the return of the lead steward restores stability and institutional memory. 06:16 — Layoffs, Transfers & Facing Reality What’s coming: ongoing layoffs, the merger, and the limits of union control. 08:44 — Tabatha on Succession & the Busiest Year Ever Record workloads, mentoring new stewards, and the rise of organic leaders. 12:16 — Becoming a Composite Local New bylaw structures, new VP roles, and representing part‑time/sessionals. 15:11 — Elections & Why Your Voice Matters Every role is open. Every member can run. Every contribution counts. 17:18 — Why We Do This Work Tabatha on advocacy, voice, and the people who shaped her. 19:07 — Introducing the Virtual Steward A new tool built by steward John Holmes to support stewards and protect members. 20:56 — Privacy, Guardrails & Avoiding Hallucinations How the system was designed to be safe, siloed, and accurate. 23:59 — What the Virtual Steward Actually Does From triage to timelines to case management—how it works in practice. 26:16 — Preventing Missed Deadlines Why the system was built and how it protects members from lost grievances. 28:51 — From Casework to Grievances How the tool organizes evidence, drafts summaries, and supports stewards. — Closing: Support Staff Update with Amanda Shaw Checking in on the merger, layoffs, and the work happening behind the scenes.

E24 - CAAT Tales: Fear, Fog, and the Fight to Hold the Line

Ontario’s college system hit a breaking point this past week. Conestoga College was placed under a single government‑appointed supervisor, the Fleming–St. Lawrence merger remains a fog of shifting language and zero answers, arbitration backlogs have doubled across the province, and (a bright spot) part‑time/sessionals have finally reached the bargaining table for the first time in history. In this episode, Julie White connects the dots across a sector under strain — and the workers trying to navigate it. 00:00 — OPENING: A SYSTEM UNDER PRESSURE Julie sets the stage: government intervention, mergers without transparency, layoffs, grievances, and a workload system buckling under the weight. 00:27 — CONESTOGA TAKEOVER The Ford government replaces Conestoga’s entire Board of Governors with a single supervisor. Union leaders call it a dangerous precedent in a system starved of funding and stripped of oversight. 05:24 — SECTOR VOICES: FEAR, FOG, AND FRUSTRATION Across Ontario, faculty describe the same themes: confusion, fear, and a lack of answers. 05:51 — INTERVIEW: MIKE BENEDICT (FLEMING COLLEGE) Mike breaks down the merger confusion, an 11‑minute no‑questions town hall, four years of layoffs, and the emotional lift of the April 30 Save Education Rally. 11:48 — INTERVIEW: GILLIAN AXTEN ON THE ARBITRATION CRISIS Arbitrations have jumped from 300 to over 700. Layoffs, leftover strike grievances, and too few arbitrators have created a province‑wide bottleneck. Gillian explains why one bad decision can reshape jurisprudence for all 24 colleges — and why understanding your SWF and using WMG matters more than ever. 25:45 — INTERVIEW: GREG DICKSON ON HISTORIC PART‑TIME/SESSIONAL BARGAINING For the first time, part‑time and sessional faculty are at the bargaining table. Greg walks us through a powerful opening day focused on precarity, disclosure, and unprecedented solidarity from all four CAAT divisions.

E23 - CAAT Tales: Cuts, Courage and the In-Between: What this Moment Means for All of Us

In this heavy-hitting episode, host Julie White takes us to the front lines of a system in crisis. From a spirited rally outside the offices of MPP Nolan Quinn to the devastating news of mass layoffs and "involuntary transfers" at St. Lawrence College, this episode explores the human cost of chronic underfunding and systemic restructuring. We hear from union leaders, frontline healthcare workers, and students who are all witnessing the erosion of public education in real-time. We talk with Local 417 President Christina Decarie about the historic mass layoff of faculty across SLC. Finally, we transition from the structural to the personal with author Deanna Davies, whose new book, The In-Between, offers a somatic lens on navigating profound uncertainty and loss. ---------------------------------------- KEY SEGMENTS & TIMESTAMPS * [00:26] The Rally at Cornwall: Julie White introduces the episode from a protest in support of education, highlighting the "consequences in real time" of recent provincial decisions. * [01:20] Solidarity in the Face of Demoralization: OPSEU/SEFPO President J.P. Hornick discusses the fight against an employer trying to "deliberately demoralize" staff and the filing of an unfair labor practice. * [03:37] The Healthcare Connection: Frontline healthcare workers and college alumni explain why the "starving" of the college system directly threatens the longevity of public healthcare and the local workforce. * [13:12] A Student’s Perspective: Jack Peets, a nursing student, describes a campus without a library or bookstore and the crushing burden of the 70% loan to 30% grant OSAP flip. * [19:44] The Loss of Varsity Culture: Coach Ryan VanDyl speaks on the cancellation of tournament sports—like cross-country and golf—and the impact on student mental health and recruitment. * [24:07] The "Saddest Day" at SLC: Christina Decarie, President of Local 417, breaks down the elimination of faculty positions and the "shifting sands" of the St. Lawrence/Fleming merger. * [35:21] Member Spotlight: Deanna Davies: A moving conversation about Davies' new book, The In-Between, exploring embodied leadership and the cost of silence during times of organizational threat. "Cuts aren't numbers on a spreadsheet. They're people. They're services. They're the future of public education." — Julie White "Silence is not neutral, empty or passive. Silence does something. When information disappears... uncertainty becomes embodied." — Deanna Davies ---------------------------------------- RESOURCES MENTIONED * The In-Between by Deanna Davies: Available on Amazon and Lulu. * Elevate3.ca [http://Elevate3.ca]: For more information on Deanna’s work in somatic healing and leadership. * OPSEU/SEFPO Local 417 & 418: Updates on the St. Lawrence College faculty and support staff advocacy. ---------------------------------------- CALLS TO ACTION 1. Stay Informed: Follow the ongoing updates regarding the St. Lawrence College and Fleming College merger and its impact on regional programming. 2. Contact Your Representative: Hold local MPPs accountable for the funding of public post-secondary education. 3. Tell Doug Ford workers and students are united for fair education. Sign the open letter [https://opseu.org/campaigns/standwithstudents/] 4. Support Local Authors: Check out The In-Between for insights on staying grounded when the external world lacks stability.

E22 - CAAT Tales: From Fireside Chats to a Formal ULP: The Moment We're In

This episode dives into the uncertainty facing faculty and support staff at St. Lawrence and Fleming Colleges as layoffs, program suspensions, and an unprecedented merger reshape the sector. Julie speaks with Christina Decarie and Tabatha Rutledge about what came out of recent fireside chats, what involuntary transfers may look like, and why so many answers simply don’t exist yet. We also cover the historic first day of part‑time/sessionals bargaining, the union’s unfair labour practice filing, and the growing demand for transparency from the College Employer Council. OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick joins to break down why the union took this step and what it means for workers across the system. Finally, we hear from Local 418 Lead Steward April Stevens, who shares the support staff perspective and the impact of withheld information on bargaining. This episode is about accountability, solidarity, and navigating a sector in crisis — together. 00:00 — Opening & Episode Overview Uncertainty, change, and community strength as the merger and layoffs unfold. 01:28 — A Historic First Day of PT/Sessional Bargaining Solidarity at the table and the union’s response to withheld information. 02:10 — Why the Union Filed a ULP The push for transparency and a halt to layoffs and merger actions. 03:14 — Know Your Rights Preview Upcoming segment on layoffs, displacement, recall, and severance. 03:27 — Fireside Chats: What We Learned Christina and Tabatha reflect on turnout, questions, and member concerns. 05:29 — What Involuntary Transfers Could Look Like Campus moves, program shifts, and why so many answers don’t exist yet. 08:45 — Declining a Transfer & Seniority Questions What happens if you refuse, and what we still don’t know about merged lists. 09:47 — Supporting Members Through the Unknown Resumes, advocacy, steward training, and preparing for first‑ever processes. 12:07 — Local Elections & Leadership Changes Why new voices and many hands are needed now more than ever. 13:53 — The Tone on Campus: Uncertainty & Stress Layoff fears, timelines, recall, and the reality of shifting sands. 16:34 — Precarity & Partial‑Load Losses The human impact of disappearing work. 17:16 — Any Hope? College optimism, program development, and the realities behind it. 19:02 — What Happens Next More questions heading to management — and why compassion matters. 20:56 — Christina’s Retirement & Hidden Impacts Why assumptions can hurt and why kindness matters. 21:21 — How Layoff Decisions Are Actually Made Seniority, process, and the myth of “being nice.” 22:29 — Transition to JP Hornick The shift in power at the bargaining table. 22:43 — JP Hornick: Why This Moment Matters Historic bargaining, disclosure failures, and the ULP. 25:47 — The Funding Crisis & Systemic Threats Why the sector is at a breaking point. 27:30 — A Call for a Moratorium on Layoffs Protecting jobs and resisting government‑driven restructuring. 28:41 — JP’s Message to Faculty & Staff Solidarity, power, and why fighting back matters. 28:51 — April Stevens: Support Staff Perspective Transparency failures, bargaining impacts, and the Georgian closures.

E21 - CAAT Tales: We Will Not Go Quietly into The Night

In this episode, we take you inside a pivotal moment for Ontario’s public college system. Julie speaks with local organizer Tabatha Rutledge about the April 29th provincial Day of Action — a rolling rally from Kingston to Brockville to Cornwall calling attention to the chronic underfunding of Ontario’s colleges and the growing threat to accessible, community‑based education. Tabatha shares why this rally matters, what’s at stake for students, workers, and communities, and how collective action can push back against the erosion of public education. From bus logistics to the deeper fight against privatization, this conversation captures the urgency and energy behind the movement. In the second half of the episode, Julie sits down with Dale Gartshore and Greg Dickson to unpack a historic milestone: the first‑ever bargaining table meeting for Ontario’s part‑time and sessional faculty. They discuss momentum across all four CAAT divisions, the realities of precarity, and why this first contract will shape the future of the entire college sector. Plus, this week’s Member Spotlight features Adam McGregor, whose sabbatical research explores how Ontario’s universities are navigating performance‑based funding, financial pressures, and shifting expectations. ---------------------------------------- KEY TOPICS * The April 29th Day of Action: purpose, route, and how to participate * Why chronic underfunding threatens accessibility, local education, and community workforce development * The impact of the St. Lawrence–Fleming merger * How faculty and support staff can attend without violating workload rules * The importance of solidarity across campuses and divisions * Historic first bargaining meeting for part‑time and sessional faculty * What “raising the floor” means for all college employees * Member Spotlight: Adam McGregor’s research on Ontario’s Strategic Mandate Agreement 3 ---------------------------------------- FEATURED GUESTS * Tabatha Rutledge — Rally organizer * Dale Gartshore — Divisional Executive, Part‑Time & Sessional Faculty * Greg Dickson — Vice Chair, Part‑Time & Sessional Bargaining Team * Adam McGregor — Faculty member and researcher (Member Spotlight) ---------------------------------------- RESOURCES & LINKS * Open Letter: Workers and Students United for Fair Education link: Workers and students united! – OPSEU/SEFPO [https://opseu.org/campaigns/standwithstudents/#action] * Bus Registration Form link: EDUCATION RALLY, APRIL 26 [https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=vrxaFkO5aEmVpccIB2OsAlSQDbyW5bpDmyv9D0iJNbpUQ1NQUElaUVI2NEVJMUwxS0NBWVBIQVZKTS4u&route=shorturl] ---------------------------------------- Wear red on April 29th. Sign the open letter. Talk to your colleagues, students, neighbours, and community. And if you can — get on the bus.