SACKVILLE, N.B. — A decision could come by tomorrow, Dec. 20, from Mount Allison’s professors and librarians as to whether a strike vote will be their next step as an impasse continues in their contract negotiations with the university.
The Mount Allison Faculty Association (MAFA) says negotiations are at a tipping point and the members are now considering their options after a decision came down recently by the provinicial Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour to not appoint a conciliation board as part of the process.
“We are not surprised by the decision,” said MAFA president Matthew Litvak. “Such boards are rarely used outside the public sector and have proven to be ineffective in resolving labour disputes at universities.”
Under New Brunswick law, both sides will have the right to take action such as a lockout or a strike nine days after the Minister’s announcement. A mediator could also be appointed to move negotiations along.
Litvak said the union will decide on Friday, Dec. 20 the date a strike vote will be scheduled if a tentative agreement has not been reached.
“We will continue to negotiate with the administration to get a fair deal for our members which will protect the academic mission of the university,” said Litvak. “One of our most important concerns is academic understaffing. This longstanding issue urgently needs to be addressed in order to ensure that the university can continue to deliver its academic programs.”
Talks between Mount Allison and its faculty members have been stalled since Nov. 27, when a conciliator, after several months of discussions with both parties, declared an impasse and filed his report to the Minister.
In an online update on negotiations earlier this month, university administrators stated they look forward to the next phase of the negotiation process and the prospect of “real progress toward new collective agreements that reflect both parties’ core interests, and which are financially sustainable for the university as a whole.”
The administration also noted that MAFA had too many contract proposals on the table at this late stage, which was impeding the negotiation talks.
Negotiations began in June for a collective agreement that ended July 1, 2019. MAFA represents 196 full and part-time faculty and librarians.
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