Faculty and librarians petition for fair salary increases
U of T Professors Semra Sevi and Tomasso Pavone argue that new hires are being excluded from across-the-board cost-of-living increases, sparking a petition with nearly 750 signatures.
University of Toronto (U of T) Professors Semra Sevi and Tomasso Pavone have launched a petition calling for fair pay for newly hired faculty and librarians across all three campuses. The petition, signed by nearly 750 faculty and librarians, argues that U of T is excluding newly hired staff from across-the-board (ATB) cost-of-living salary increases awarded by arbitrator Eli Gedalof this past July.
The issue traces back to December 2022, when the university hired Sevi and Pavone as assistant professors. Their contracts included a clause stating that their starting salaries would not be affected by future negotiations between U of T and the U of T Faculty Association (UTFA), which is the union representing faculty and librarians.
In 2023, arbitrator Gedalof awarded a 7% salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2022, for faculty and librarians. This increase was meant to offset inflation and the effects of Ontario’s Bill 124, which previously capped public sector wages. The Ontario Court of Appeals ruled Bill 124 unconstitutional in 2024.
Professors Sevi and Pavone, along with many new faculty and librarians hired after July 1, 2022, were excluded from this raise due to the contract clause, leaving them feeling duped. They raised this issue with U of T and launched a petition supported by 58 other faculty members and librarians.
The university made an exception, claiming, “in the unique circumstances of this award arising following a declaration that Bill 124 is unconstitutional, and without prejudice or precedent to the University’s right to revert to our normal practice in the future, we have decided to [give the 7% retroactive increase] in this instance.”
In 2024, arbitrator Gedalof issued another salary increase, granting a 3.5% ATB salary increase for 2024 and 2.5% for 2025. Once again, this increase excluded all hires after July 1.
Professors Sevi and Pavone raised this issue once more with U of T and initiated a new 2025 petition demanding equal pay for new hires. The petition argued that the university actively enforces a two-tier pay system, where faculty and librarians doing the same work get paid differently. The UTFA supported the petition, advocating on behalf of affected faculty and librarians by taking the issue to university administration.
U of T’s Office of the Vice President, Division of People Strategy, Equity and Culture, responded to the petition via email explaining its approach in applying ATB increases for new hires. Professor Sevi provided this email to The Medium.
The office said that starting salaries for new faculty are set with anticipated raises in mind, and that newly hired faculty are informed that their starting salaries will not include salary increases negotiated after the hiring date.
According to the university, “the starting salaries in offers to new faculty members already account for prospective increases their peers will receive on July 1 of the year of their appointment,” and “the University Administration is transparent to recently appointed faculty members regarding the fact that their starting salary will not be affected by any salary increase effective their date of hire that may occur as a result of negotiations between the University and UTFA.”
Additionally, they claim that ATB increases are applied to faculty members’ salaries as of June 30 each year. Faculty and librarians hired on July 1 will receive the adjustment the following year. For example, those hired on July 1, 2023 and remained within U of T employment until June 30, 2025, would have received the July 1, 2024 retroactive ATB increase in this past pay period.
