UWindsor Professors Hit The Picket Lines

Monday September 15th, 2014, 11:18am

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WUFA members picket at the corner of Wyandotte and Patricia

Classes are cancelled and professors at the University of Windsor are on strike, but just for one day.

University officials cancelled Monday classes after being informed that the Windsor University Faculty Association intended to follow through on its promise to hold a one day work stoppage on Monday, September 15th.

All undergraduate and graduate teaching related activities were cancelled for Monday including classes, laboratories, thesis/dissertation defenses, major paper presentations, and all first, second and third year clinical placements in the Nursing program. Laboratory work will also be suspended except where required for animal welfare.

On Friday, the University said that they were contacted on September 11th, by the provincial mediator and asked if it would be prepared to have an exploratory meeting with the Windsor University Faculty Association on September 23rd or 25th. As of 4pm Thursday, the University informed the mediator of its willingness to attend a meeting on either of those dates.

“We are encouraged by this signal from the Administration,” says Anne Forrest, President of the WUFA. “But we are moving ahead with the strike since this is only a first step to getting things back on track. The Administration is returning to the bargaining table only after we declared our work stoppage plan. It’s a first step, but what we’ll be looking for now is evidence that the administration is committed to seeing things through to an agreement.”

Forrest says that after six weeks of no talks and no movement in the Administration’s bargaining position, the resumption of mediation is an important first step toward restarting the collective bargaining process.

“The resumption of talks is essential, but does not guarantee a settlement,” she adds. “For complete resolution, the Administration’s negotiating team must return to the table with a mandate to compromise and make a deal.”

But Forrest says she is confident that a deal can be reached if the spirit of compromise is geniune.

“A deal is possible, but we have to be at the table working together to make it happen,” she says.

The University says that based on WUFA’s announcement that its job action is for one day, all teaching activities will resume on Tuesday, September 16th.