Staff at St. Boniface University vote to strike

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This article was published 27/06/2023 (825 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The faculty association at Saint Boniface University is calling its academics’ overwhelming support for a walkout “historic” as the three-year anniversary of their contract’s expiry date nears.

On the weekend, the francophone union held a referendum to gauge how members feel about taking job action should the impasse with administration remain. No strike date has been set.

Ninety-three per cent voted in favour of a strike. The turnout represents 86 per cent of the membership, with 62 academics submitting a “yes” and five opting for “no.”

“Our membership is extremely united and really wants to send a strong message,” said Phi-Vân Nguyen, a spokeswoman for l’Association des professeurs et professionnels de l’USB.

“We want to reach a fair agreement because we realize that it is not just about us anymore. It is really about guaranteeing learning conditions for students tomorrow and for years to come.”

Francophone professors have been without a contract since August 2020.

On June 13, the university tabled what it called its final offer, 2 ½ years after the parties began negotiating a new deal. The union rejected the proposal on the same day, citing a sizable gap between the two sides’ salary expectations.

The Winnipeg university’s offer included general wage increases of two per cent, followed by 1.75, two and two, respectively — an overall hike of 7.75 per cent between 2020-21 and 2023-24.

The faculty association has pitched a 12.75 per cent raise, which would include significant back pay, over that period. Its position is that higher wages are necessary to recruit and retain francophone educators and researchers.

Nguyen acknowledged the situation creates a lot of uncertainty for current and incoming students.

The associate professor of history also indicated administration has reached out with new meeting dates and urged representatives to return to the bargaining table for “constructive and sincere dialogue.”

“Although there is a divergence of perspectives between the parties, negotiations are continuing and Université de Saint-Boniface is committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement,” said Nathalie Roche, director of communications at the university.

In an email, Roche noted a strike mandate is a negotiating tool and does not mean a strike will take place.

More than 450 francophone community members and supporters, including political leaders and alumni, have sent letters to the university president in support of the union.

“The role of our university is very different than (others’ in Manitoba),” faculty association president Patrick Noël told the Free Press last week. “The very survival of the francophone community and its thriving depends largely on the university.”

While Nguyen noted the union is small in comparison to its counterparts at other post-secondary institutes across the province, she called the vote result “huge” from a historical perspective.

The University of Manitoba Faculty Association was handed a strong mandate in October 2021, after 86 per cent of members participated in a referendum that resulted in 85 per cent supporting a walkout.

In February 2014, University of Winnipeg professors voted 92 per cent in favour of a possible strike. The faculty association’s voter turnout was 73 per cent.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie