Members of the Union of Lecturers at Laval University (SCCCUL–CSN) will launch a strike on Thursday, if no agreement in principle is reached with the employer by then.
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Despite “productive” conciliation meetings, the union, which represents 1,600 lecturers, considers it necessary to issue an ultimatum to the management of the University to quickly reach an agreement.
A first strike action would last four days, from Thursday to Friday and then from Monday to Tuesday.
Six more strike days could be used subsequently if negotiations fail.
Laval University estimates that 67% of students would be affected for at least one of their courses in the event of a strike; this proportion rises to 76% for undergraduate students.
Only financial issues, namely salaries and pensions, remain to be resolved at the negotiating table, according to the SCCCUL–CSN.
“We want to warn the university community that we want to resolve this agreement,” immediately indicated the president of the lecturers’ union, Louis Émond, at a press briefing Tuesday morning. “We have two days to sort this out.”
The union believes that lecturers at Laval University must obtain salary catch-up in order to achieve remuneration comparable to that offered in other universities in Quebec.
University management would offer the same percentage increases as those offered by the government in its negotiations with the public sector. However, the union emphasizes that the comparisons with Quebec stop there since they would not be offered any additional salary scale, no enhanced pension, nor any lump sum due to inflation.
“It’s just a copy and paste of the percentages, period,” denounces Mr. Émond, who also points out that no member of his union has tenure as a lecturer.
Remember that lecturers at Laval University have been without an employment contract since December 2022. They hold approximately half of the teaching load, mainly at the undergraduate level.
Last November, union members voted for a ten-day strike mandate, by 93%. Since mid-January, negotiations with the University “have accelerated, progressing in certain respects”, but “the impasse remains regarding salary clauses”.
Laval University had to deal with a strike by its teachers last winter. The question of wages was also at the heart of the dispute which led to a five-week walkout.
“We cannot believe that the University wants a second strike in two years,” said Louis Émond, who immediately mitigated the impacts of four days of strike on the students’ careers, comparing the whole thing to “a storm of snow”.
The lecturers’ union, however, says it is “confident” and believes it can quickly reach an agreement with the employer. He seeks support from the University’s student community and teachers.
The University wants to “respect the negotiation process”
In interview with The newspaper Tuesday afternoon, the vice-rector of studies and student affairs at Laval University, Cathia Bergeron, first claimed to have “particular sensitivity” for students who would be affected by a strike.
“We are still actively engaged at the negotiating table,” recalls M.me Bergeron. “A lot can happen today or tomorrow!”
Like the union representing lecturers, management says it is “confident” about the negotiation process, but the vice-rector emphasizes that this must be done while “respecting the university’s ability to pay”.
“Disappointed” students
For its part, the Confederation of Student Associations of Laval University (CADEUL), said it was “disappointed” that the two parties have not already reached an agreement.
The president of CADEUL, James Boudreau, believes that the quality of teaching and the university transition of students could be undermined “if the negotiations bog down” and the strike continues. “We still believe that lecturers deserve fair and equitable working conditions,” he notes in passing.