Article 30 : employees holding research assistant contracts paid from external funds

This Article applies only to Research Assistants who are paid from sources other than the University's operating funds such as from monies awarded to a professor or a group of professors by an external agency in the form of grants, research grants and external contracts.

30.1 Roles and Responsibilities

The Supervisor shall provide the Employee with a written job description at the outset of the contract. The job description must also address all matters regarding copyright and ownership of any intellectual property. The Supervisor shall not place on an Employee conditions in addition to those stipulated in the job description or/and in the rules and policies of the external agencies or require the Employee to work hours in addition to those specified in the job description.

30.2 Hourly Rate of Pay

The hourly rate of pay for Research Assistants covered under this Article shall be at least that of a Research Assistant paid from the University’s operating budget as set out in Article 32, subject to the external agency’s regulations and policies. With respect to multi-university grants, the Employer may apply a wage that differs from the hourly rate set out in Article 32. Rates paid at the time of ratification of this Collective Agreement will remain in effect until the termination of the grant.

30.3 Employer Contributions

All Employer contributions to Employee benefits as per provincial and federal legislation shall be borne in full by the Employer.

30.4 External Agency Regulations

It is understood that some external agencies have stipulated minimum and maximum hours of work or/and salaries that can be paid from the corresponding grant or contract. These amounts shall be respected with the understanding that salaries paid from such grants or contracts may be supplemented from other sources within University regulations.

30.5 Termination of Grant

In the case of the termination of a grant, it shall be the responsibility of the Employer to ensure that all the terms of the Employee’s contract are respected.

30.6 Information

The Employer shall report to the Union the total amounts that have been paid for contracts covered under this Article.

The Employee and the Union shall receive a copy of the relevant external agency rules and regulations that affect the Employee's contract with relation to the provisions of 30.4 and 30.7.

30.7 Notwithstanding Provision

External agencies (which may include industrial agencies) may require additional restrictions that may contravene some of the provisions of the Collective Agreement. In such cases, the rules of the external agency shall prevail except regarding questions of Health and Safety, Harassment, Discrimination, Grievance, Discipline, Evaluations, and Personal File.

30.8 Job Posting and Appointments for Externally Funded Positions

When the Employer decides to make a job posting for an externally funded position, Article 18 shall be applied in its entirety, subject to Article 30.7 (Notwithstanding Provision).

30.9 Copyright and Intellectual Property

If the Job Description of a position paid from external funds fails to address a specific matter of copyright or intellectual property, the Parties shall apply Article 21.2 wherever possible, subject to Article 30.7.