Negotiations for the renewal of the teachers’ collective agreement are getting tough at Laval University, Sherbrooke University and Rimouski University.
While the teachers’ union of the first begins a two-week strike from Monday, those of the other two have adopted mandates that allow them to trigger occasional strike days in the coming weeks.
“The fact that three universities have voted strike mandates is unheard of in 50 years of university unionism in Quebec, it’s almost unimaginable,” exclaims Michel Lacroix. According to the president of the Quebec Federation of University Professors, the demands of the unions are aimed in particular at reducing the “work overload” and the “deterioration of working conditions” of professors.
“Quebec universities have changed a great deal in recent years,” explains Mr. Lacroix. He says that while student enrollment at the university has increased, the number of faculty positions has not kept pace, which is now increasing their workload. Other issues, such as obtaining wages that follow inflation or having more flexibility in work practice are also debated.
“Teachers want to have more control over their own work, such as having the choice to teach remotely or online,” he adds.
At the moment, 12 unions of professors in universities are negotiating the renewal of their collective agreement. According to Mr. Lacroix, there are several, among those where a strike has not been called, where “things are not progressing very well”.
Up to 15 days of strike
It was last Thursday that the members of the Union of Professors of the University of Sherbrooke (SPPUS) voted 95% in favor of a strike mandate. The executive of the union can therefore “declare up to 15 days of strike on an ad hoc basis”, specifies in an interview the vice-president of the SPPUS, Finn Makela.
“We have a blitz of negotiations next week with the employer in order to reach an agreement,” he specifies. The priority issue is that of salary. “Our objective, which we find reasonable, is to return to our salary in real dollars for 2020, he explains. With inflation, we earn 8% less than what we earned in 2020.”
He says he is “hopeful” that his employer will offer an offer that comes close to the demands of the union, which represents about 450 professors, excluding those of medicine and engineering.
It was not possible to reach the University of Sherbrooke on Saturday. In a press release published on the institution’s website on Friday, we can read that “the University is hopeful of reaching a negotiated agreement to the satisfaction of the parties as soon as possible”.
Salaries and workload
As for Université Laval, the strike mandate was adopted on January 20 with an approval rate of 96%. As the negotiations have still not resulted a month later, the union can start a two-week strike from Monday.
“We have made some progress, but it is very far from what we need to break the strike”, supports the president of the Union of professors of Laval University, Louis-Philippe Lampron. There too, the wage issue creates debate. “With galloping inflation, we must protect our purchasing power, but there is also a serious problem of wage catch-up,” asserts Mr. Lampron. The issue of “work overload” is also discussed.
A general meeting of the union, which represents around 1,280 teachers, is due to take place on March 2. “All options are on the table in the event of an impasse, including an indefinite general strike,” said Mr. Lampron. Negotiations will continue despite the strike for the next two weeks. Classes given by professors are cancelled, but those given by lecturers remain on the schedule.
Speaking in a press release issued last Wednesday, the Executive Vice-Rector and Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Finance, André Darveau, is confident for the continuation of the negotiations.
“A common ground has already been reached on several subjects with the union. […] The objective is to find lasting solutions to support faculty members in carrying out their duties, taking into account the University’s ability to pay,” he said.