UMFA strike averted pending member ratification

Magally Zelaya

The university avoided seeing a second strike in as many weeks when a tentative agreement was reached between the university’s administration and the University of Manitoba’s Faculty Association (UMFA) in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 15.

Had the negotiations not resulted in a settlement at the end Sunday’s talks, the approximately 1,170 full-time faculty members represented by the union would have been poised to walk on Thursday, Oct.18.

“There were some gains, there were some losses,” said UMFA president Brenda Austin-Smith. But maintained that UMFA was “very, very pleased strikeand relieved.”

John Danakas, director of public relations, said the university is “quite delighted that it appears there is no need for a work stoppage on the part of the faculty association.”

Neither party could comment on the issues that were up for mediation, pending member ratification of the tentative settlement.

According to a communication statement on the university’s website, “We gave commitments to the conciliators and to the mediator not to comment on bargaining positions, including a news media blackout and confidentiality agreement.”

The statement went on to provide information on a variety of issues.

The issues included the university’s proposal of “a two per cent general increase in salary in each year of a three-year collective agreement” and that five days had been spent “mediating an entirely new clause on intellectual property.”

Although she was unable to comment on any issues tabled the mediation process, Austin-Smith said,“Based on the things that we tabled last March we are still arguing for positions in keeping with our principles.”

In March, such issues included the call “to protect members from workplace injustice, to try to improve their working conditions, and improve protections for things like academic freedom.”

As for student response to the tentative strike aversion, UMSU president Garry Sran said, “A lot of students are breathing a sigh of relief.”

“Obviously nobody on campus wanted to see a strike, neither did we. And we’re really happy that the university was able to meet with UMFA and come up with an agreement.”

A strike vote held Oct. 5 showed that 76 per cent of UMFA members who voted were in favour of strike action.

Full-time professors, instructors, lecturers, and librarians are members of UMFA. Deans and directors are considered to be administration and are not represented by UMFA. Nor are sessional instructors.

The previous collective agreement between the two parties expired on March 31, 2007, as the typical contract duration is about three years.

Since the expiration of the contract the two parties have been through the phases of attempting to find a resolution; first in 15 face-to-face talks that lasted until June, then with a conciliator in June, and recently through mediation talks with mediator Arne Peltz.

“This tentative deal is a result of over 300 hours of bargaining, conciliation, and mediation,” said Austin-Smith

The university last saw a labour disruption of UMFA members in a 2001 strike that lasted four days. However, in 1995, a 23-day strike caused the cancellation of December exams among other academic adjustments.

“Everybody is relieved their courses are on schedule and they’re not worried about their course work being delayed or cancelled,” said Sran.