Members of the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) went on strike on Sept. 28 to protest an increase in their workload, according to a statement by the LUFA.
University administration and faculty met to negotiate the new proposal on the night of the strike. However, according to the LUFA’s statement, the university left the negotiations and issued a public communication indicating an impasse.
The LUFA advised the university they would be going on strike after 12:00 a.m. on Sept. 28.
Since then, all classes taught by full-time and part-time Laurentian faculty members in Barrie and Sudbury have been suspended until further notice according to the university release.
Classes delivered by the University of Sudbury, Huntington University, Thorneloe University, and at the McEwen School of Architecture will also be suspended.
The Laurentian strike is the first time Sudbury professors have walked the picket line since 1989, according to the CBC.
“No one wanted a labour disruption,” said Laurentian chief of staff, Alex Freedman in the release. “We value our faculty, and we will continue to work in good faith to reach a mutually-agreeable settlement as soon as possible.”
The LUFA told the CBC that the main issue in the labour dispute is the university is asking professors to take on eight classes instead of the usual five classes a week.
However, Freedman said while the workload is an issue, the university has not requested an increase in the number of classes taught. He added that salaries and pensions are also part of the issues being raised by LUFA members.
The university warned students in their press release to expect delays when commuting to the university as faculty will be picketing outside the university.
However, some students have joined their professors in the picket lines to show their support. According to the LUFA’s website, about 50 students (including several from Barrie) marched during the noon hour on Oct. 3, carrying signs and chanting.
Troy Maxwell, a second-year business student at Laurentian, told the CBC he generally supports professors but some of his classmates are siding with the administration.
“Definitely students’ minds are going to change the longer the strike goes on and they might start switching sides from the faculty more to the administration,” he told the CBC.
However, measures have been taken to ensure students still have resources. In the university release, they said the university will offer “an expanded non-academic and academic support programming schedule throughout the strike.”
According to the university website, campus recreation, counselling and accessibility services, the university libraries and the centre for academic excellence will still be available to students.
On Oct. 2, Laurentian administration and the LUFA convened again, with the university bringing a new offer to the table. As of publication, negotiations are still ongoing.
“We are committed to resolving this strike as quickly as possible, and hope that this offer does indeed meet the needs of our members,” the LUFA’s post read on their website.
Graphic by Manoj Thayalan
