More than 800 faculty members at Memorial University are officially on strike.
Picket lines went up at 8:00 a.m. this morning after conciliation talks hit an impasse this weekend. NTV’s Bailey Howard reports.
Both of the provinces opposition parties shared their concerns over the cancelled classes at Memorial University. NTV’s Ben Cleary reports.
About 800 members of the MUN Faculty Association went on strike at Memorial University Monday morning.
Picket lines went up around the St. John’s campus at 8 a.m. Both sides had been in conciliation talks through the weekend, but hit an impasse on Sunday. The university says it has offered the union a 12 per cent wage increase over four years, while MUNFA is demanding 14 per cent. The union says one of the main sticking points is collegial governance of the university.
The university released the folowing strike information overnight:
With a strike date set for next Monday, Memorial University’s Faculty Association returned to the negotiating table with the administration bargaining team today.
NTV’s David Salter has more in this report.
An overwhelming majority of MUN faculty have voted in favour of strike action.
The two sides now have until January 30th to reach a deal, with talks set to resume next week. NTV’s Bailey Howard reports.
Still with that story, how do students feel about the faculty association voting in favour if strike action? NTV’s Beth Penney was at MUN’s St. John’s campus today, and has this report.
Academic staff members at Memorial University have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action.
Turnout for the vote was a historic 93% of MUNFA’s membership, with 90% voting yes, and 10% voting no.
The Executive Committee of MUNFA can authorize a strike at any time. In consultation with MUNFA’s Negotiating Committee, the executive has set a strike deadline of 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 30th.
MUNFA is scheduled to return to the negotiating table with the MUN administration’s bargaining team on Monday, Jan. 23.
“MUNFA members are fighting for changes that will protect students’ quality of education and improve the university as a whole,” said Ash Hossain, a professor in the Faculty of Business Administration and the president of MUNFA.
“During our contract negotiations, the administration has refused to commit to improvements for contract instructors, who do an enormous amount of teaching and some of whom cycle through contracts for decades on end. It has refused to even discuss improvements to the governance of this public institution. And, with the recent tuition increase, it has attempted to balance its budget on the backs of students. None of this is acceptable.”
The union representing faulty of Memorial University is holding a membership meeting tomorrow to discuss the possibility of strike action.
NTV’s Ben Cleary spoke to the president of MUNFA today, who hopes to avoid a possible strike, if possible.
A potential strike is looming at Memorial University, as NTV’s Beth Penney reports, MUN’s Faculty Association will decide after a special meeting next week, on whether or not to hold a strike vote.
Memorial University is developing plans to minimize any disruptions that could come from potential faculty strike. As NTV’s Beth Penney reports, the MUN Faculty Association says contract talks with the university are still at an impasse.
