Strike is over at Laurentian University in Sudbury

Laurentian University's three-week faculty strike is over after union members votied to ratify a new deal over the weekend.

Educators at Laurentian University in Sudbury will be heading back to work after faculty voted to ratify the latest contract offer from the administration.

That means classes could resume sometime this week, according to a statement from Laurentian last week when it announced the vote.

The Laurentian University Faculty Association confirmed the news in a statement Sunday, ending the three-week strike.

“The association thanks members, students, campus colleagues, allies in the labour movement and the Sudbury community for their support during the strike, which saw picketers brave frigid temperatures for days on end at points across campus,” the statement said.

Early Monday afternoon, Laurentian said it would take some time before it would know when classes will resume.

“Before they can resume, a meeting of the university senate must take place to formalize a plan for the remainder of the semester,” LU said in a statement.

“It will take at least 48 hours from the time of this email for senate to convene, and then some additional time for the plan to be communicated to all members of the Laurentian community.”

Could affect reading week

As a result, the February reading week could be affected.

“This means that academic activities may have to take place during the week of Feb. 17, previously scheduled as reading week,” the statement said.

“Final confirmation will be provided once (the) senate has passed its decision. We can, however, state that no classes will take place on Family Day, Feb. 16.”

The priority will be ensuring that the school year ends on time.

“We welcome faculty members back to campus life and want to thank all members of the University community for their patience and understanding during this labour disruption,” LU said.

“We will provide further information about the resumption of academic activities as it becomes available.”

Approved by 74% of those who voted

In an email Monday morning, LUFA said the three contract was approved by 74 per cent of the 404 members who voted.

It includes 4.25 per cent pay increases each year for full-time members, along with signing bonuses. Sessional instructors are receiving 4 per cent in the first two years and 2 per cent in the third.

Faculty had gone on strike, looking to regain salary, pension and workload changes imposed after the school declared insolvency in 2021. However, LU said it couldn’t afford to meet the union’s demands and insisted it was making a fair offer.

Members ratified the final contract offer from the university administration despite not being recommended by LUFA. The union was required to bring the contract offer to a vote under Ontario’s labour laws, something that has to be done once during a labour dispute.

LUFA president Fabrice Colin said it wasn’t the result they were hoping for.

“Unfortunately, this new agreement will maintain a gap between our working conditions and those offered at universities across the province,” Colin said in the statement.

“It is merely a small step toward fairness. Laurentian’s administration missed the opportunity to rebuild trust and work with us toward rebuilding a stronger, better university following the 2021 bankruptcy proceedings.”

Failed to rebuild trust

While the new contract includes “some gains for our members,” he said it failed to “rebuild trust.”

“Our membership voted at a meeting today to organize a vote of non-confidence in the Board of Governors and the senior administration,” said Colin.

“We are ready to get back to the classroom to support our students and deliver the high-quality education they deserve. We will absolutely do that. But for our members, there is little to celebrate here after years of program cuts, job loss, and wage rollbacks.”

Colin also criticized the provincial government for not getting involved in the labour dispute.

“It became clear to us that the ministry has been pulling Laurentian’s strings, but refusing to show their face at the table,” he said.

“This made it impossible to negotiate fairly … We had to file an unfair labour practice complaint at the Ontario Labour Relations Board because of the sheer lack of transparency and accountability from the university. The entire process has been immensely frustrating.”

Colin said there is also an ongoing Charter Challenge against the Government of Ontario “on the basis that it is interfering in the collective bargaining process through the CCAA Exit Loan Agreement.”

“That legal challenge will continue, and we are confident we will be vindicated. And the work to prepare for our next round of bargaining begins tomorrow,” Colin added.

LUFA represents tenure-track faculty, limited-term faculty, master lecturers, librarians, sessionals, clinicians, and professional staff at Laurentian University.

RELATED STORIES:

• Vote this weekend on contract offer to striking faculty at Laurentian University
• Laurentian University, faculty union resume negotiations
• Laurentian strike enters 2nd week as sides remain at odds
• Laurentian University strike enters 5th day as national solidarity rally draws crowd
• Laurentian faculty go on strike Monday morning
• Tentative deal averts strike at Nipissing University