After a call from the UNBC Faculty Association (UNBCFA) for the provincial government to appoint a special mediator in the ongoing strike with the university, the Minister of Labour has agreed.
A spokesperson for Harry Bains confirmed to PrinceGeorgeMatters in an email that a special moderator will be appointed, but any more details will be provided as they're available.
“The UNBC Faculty Association requested a special mediator to assist at the collective bargaining table and the employer has agreed, therefore I have appointed a special mediator to help both sides reach an agreement," said Bains.
“Our government supports the collective bargaining process and I firmly believe that collective agreements are best when negotiated at the bargaining table. I am encouraged that both parties have agreed to work with a mediator and am hopeful that timely resolution of the dispute can be achieved.“
On Nov. 27 Bains then appointed special mediator Trevor Sones to work with both parties.
Update re mediation between @UNBC and @UNBCFA: Minister of Labour, Harry Bains, appointed mediator Trevor Sones to work with the parties to move bargaining past the current impasse. @CUPE3799 @CUPE2278 @UniteHere40 @NUGSS_UNBC @NBCGSS
— UNBC-FA (@UNBCFA) November 27, 2019
President Stephen Rader said in a statement (Nov. 26) that the FA needs help, claiming the employer is being "stubborn."
“Faced with eight months of the Employer’s stubborn insistence that we do something illegal, the Faculty Association is now calling on [B.C.] Minister of Labour, the Honourable Harry Bains, to appoint a Special Mediator,” he said in a statement.
“We will not allow the Faculty Association to be destroyed by the reckless demands of our administrators, and we are heart-broken for our students whose lives are being upended, as well as our CUPE and Unite Here co-workers who have been on the picket lines with us.”
The university also put out a statement later, saying they agree a special mediator was needed.
"The Employer learned today that the FA has requested that a special mediator be appointed to help move negotiations along," UNBC said. "This is an approach the Employer supports. Hopefully this will lead to continued productive conversations that will result in students returning to class and our employees coming back to work."
Faculty members have been on the picket lines since Nov. 7, after a deal was not reached.
- with files from Kyle Balzer and Hanna Petersen, PrinceGeorgeMatters
