UNBC’s fall semester is scheduled to end a week from today (Nov. 26).
Picket lines, however, continue to stay up, closing in on three weeks officially, as the school and its Faculty Association (UNBCFA) have yet to come to an agreement.
In light of this realization, the UNBCFA is now calling for a special mediator via the provincial government to help close the bargaining process, which appears to have reached an impasse.
“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,” said UNBCFA President Stephen Rader 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.”
To all parking near the UNBC line. PLEASE park fully off main roads. There can be NO double parking on University/Tyner. Please turn in appropriate places rather than making dangerous u turns. Members-please consider the parking & shuttle from HQ. @CUPE3799 @CUPE2278 @UniteHere40
— UNBC-FA (@UNBCFA) November 26, 2019
The school’s latest update says both parties are engaging at the bargaining table.
In its Saturday meeting (Nov. 22), UNBC negotiators say its latest offer still included a ‘superior compensation model featuring competitive wages’ and ‘the removal of non-monetary issues deemed as key rights by the FA.’
Faculty rejected the offer, stating in a Monday (Nov. 25) release it's asking for a fair and equitable compensation model and closes the gender pay gap relative to the proposal.
“The Faculty Association has a proposal that falls within the Employer’s financial envelope,” the same release reads, “but has been faced with unacceptable demands for concessions on a variety of fundamental academic rights in addition to the right to violate contracts. [...] The Faculty Association believes bargaining could be completed within one day of fulsome negotiations, but without mediation, the strike could stretch on for weeks.”
The UNBCFA also explains if a deal isn’t signed soon, next semester would be disrupted. UNBC also released a statement this afternoon, agreeing to the UNBCFA's request for a special mediator to help move negotiations along.
"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."
Yesterday, students marched en masse to UNBC’s administration building in hopes of speaking with President Dr. Daniel Weeks, provost Dr. Dan Ryan or chief negotiator Barb Daigle directly, but received no response. Students are continuing to organize protests inside the university's administration buildings and on the university's campus as the strike continues into its 21st day.
- with files from Jess Fedigan and Hanna Petersen, PrinceGeorgeMatters
