Labour Dispute in the Faculty of Law

We are working to ensure minimal inconvenience for our students. They may see picket lines around the downtown campus and could see delays in the grading of their assignments and evaluations.  

The University is committed to ensuring students expected to graduate this term are assessed on time. All students who have met graduation requirements may attend Convocation ceremonies and qualify for professional exams, as planned. See details below. 

Final exams will proceed as planned. Refer to the Student Affairs Office website to find the time and location of your exam. 

Though it is possible that striking Faculty members will picket near exam locations, we trust that they will not want to undertake any action that would disrupt students' academic activities. 

Because employees are not allowed to undertake any work activities during a strike, we recommend that students wait until the end of the labour action to contact Faculty members on strike. Faculty members will not be accessing McGill emails or offices or receiving messages left on their McGill phone numbers.

For urgent academic needs, students can email doyen.droit [at] mcgill.ca. 

The Faculty of Law will submit the list of students eligible to graduate to Enrolment Services by May 17. 

All Faculty members covered by the AMPL certification will be considered on strike and cannot work or be paid for their services during that time.

Faculty members not covered by the AMPL certification and other McGill employees may continue to perform their normal duties.

Managers at the University can do the work normally done by Faculty members on strike if employed at the University on the date when negotiations began, November 11, 2022.  

Academic administrators with managerial responsibilities (such as Deans, Associate Deans, Provost, and Associate Provosts/Vice-Presidents), whether their professorial appointment is in the Faculty of Law or elsewhere, are part of management and can carry out the work of striking Faculty members covered by the AMPL certification, provided that they were employed by the University prior to November 11, 2022. 

MPEX and executive staff members with managerial responsibilities, regardless of whether they are employed in the Faculty of Law, are part of management and can carry out the work of striking Faculty members covered by the AMPL certification, provided that they were employed by the University prior to November 11, 2022.  

A member of the academic or administrative staff who is not a manager and who is not on strike cannot perform the duties of striking Faculty members. For example, they cannot be asked to grade exams or papers or invigilate for courses led by Faculty members on strike. 

Academic staff who are not covered by the AMPL certification and who are not part of management are expected to carry out their normal duties during a strike or lock-out.  

The Labour Code prohibits unionized workers on strike from carrying out any activities related to their work. Accordingly, Faculty members on strike must suspend all academic duties, as defined in the Regulations Relating to the Employment of Tenure-Track and Tenured Staff, section 4.1, including teaching, research and scholarly activities, and other contributions to the University and scholarly communities.  

The University cannot monitor activities performed by Faculty members on their own (such as scholarly writing). However, Faculty members on strike will not have access physically or remotely to library resources and may not use university funds, including external grants held at the University, to support activities performed while on strike.  

Faculty members on strike may not carry out supervision in respect of their students, including research assistants.  

For information about working with RAs, please see the section above. 

The standard protocol during strike action includes the suspension of work tools including official University email addresses, access to Workday, and access to myCourses and Minerva.  

Faculty members on strike should not be communicating with their students while on strike.  

The University will communicate relevant information to AMPL union representatives.   

As shown by documents such as academic CVs, annual reports, and dossiers for tenure, participation and attendance at academic conferences is generally understood to be part of the performance of a professor’s “academic duties.” A striking Faculty member should not attend or participate at a conference or other academic event if doing so would normally be viewed as part of their “academic duties.” 

If striking Faculty members travel and attend meetings or conferences in a personal capacity, no part of the expenses incurred may be reimbursed using any type of McGill fund. Such participation will not be part of the Faculty member’s academic duties for purposes such as performance evaluation or tenure. 

Travel insurance provided for by the University is only available to members of the McGill Supplemental Health Plan. 

The McGill Personnel Policies and some collective agreements contain provisions covering staff members who as a matter of conscience cannot cross a picket line. This act of conscience will be respected, and no penalty will be imposed, however no salary will be paid for the period during which the employee is not at work. Staff members who take this position are expected to advise their supervisor, department head or chair and arrangements will be made to deduct the appropriate amounts from their salaries. 

Individuals who are denied access to a University building as a result of a picket line should note the facts surrounding the incident and contact Security Services at (514) 398-3000. 

Picket lines must not block access to University campus or buildings, or obstruct or interfere with University activities.  

Any disruptions or unusual activity should be immediately reported to (514) 398-3000 (McGill Security Services) and the Faculty HR Advisor and someone will provide support.