Professors, lab instructors, and other academic workers prepare to walk off the job
By Sean McEvoy
ANTIGONISH (CUP) — The St. Francis Xavier Association of University Teachers (STFXAUT), which represents professors, lab instructors, workers at the Writing Centre and various other academic workers, sent a strong message to the St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) administration, voicing their displeasure with negotiations on a new collective agreement. The Association gave executive members the authority to call a strike, should the negotiations reach an impasse, with 48 hours notice.
Of those that voted, 78.4 per cent were in favour of a strike mandate. That number is lowered significantly when the total number of eligible voters in the association is taken into account. Of all eligible voters, only 62.4 per cent voted in favour of a strike mandate. There were a total of 407 eligible voters, with 319 votes cast; 254 yes, 65 no.
“This is a normal part of the bargaining process,” said Chris Frazer, the chief grievance officer and chair of the strike supports committee for the STFXAUT, regarding the strike mandate vote. “We are trying to encourage the administration to take our proposals more seriously than they are. This vote acts as a referendum and show of support from our members.”
“The contract came up for renewal in the summer. We’ve reached a point where we need to push things forward,” added Peter McInnis, president of STFXAUT. “I think we are looking for something that would be comparable to our sister institutions in [Nova Scotia]. The contract is about a lot more than money. I think we’re looking for something that keeps us on par with where we were, whether than going backwards.”
Corinna Fitzgerald, director of student life at StFX, said that during bargaining, the university remains committed to the interests of students.
“Our main concern is always students — their well-being and academic success. I imagine all parties involved in the negotiations also have this in mind as they move through the process. This can be a very stressful and unsettling process for students, and I encourage them to seek information, support and continue to focus on their academics as usual.”
STFXAUT is pushing for four primary goals: salaries comparable to their sister institutions, better medical and retirement benefits, provisions over financial exigency (the ability of administration to cut faculty positions in case of economic necessity), and incentives to get faculty to retire at, or around the age of 65. He also cited that there are a wide variety of smaller issues being discussed at the table.
McInnis and the association are currently left frustrated with how negotiations with the university administration have been going.
“I think I’d characterize their responses as delayed,” he said. McInnis went on to say that the STFXAUT has presented what they believed to be detailed, well thought out proposals, which were presented to the administration. According to him, these proposals have been met with relative silence.
The Xaverian attempted to get in contact with Ramsay Duff, the interim-vice-president of recruitment and student experience for his views on the vote and the position of the administration, but he could not be reached for comment by press time.
McInnis and Frazer both outlined various grievances against the Office of Student Experience, which the STFXAUT alleges has pushed the university into financial difficulties that are hindering the negotiation process, particularly during the time of Duff’s predecessor Keith Publicover.
“What we can say about Mr. Publicover is that there clearly was problems with his time here, and it’s lead to shortfall,” McInnis asserted. “He’s directly attributed to some problems with residence, vacant residence beds, and had a negative effect on recruitment.”
Fraser stated that Duff focuses on three points when talking about the negative financial situation of the university: the reduction of government funding for StFX, falling student enrolment, and declining numbers in of students in residence beds after an exodus to off-campus living last year following a mix-up by the Office of Student Experience.
“The loss of students in residence was the result of a screw up in the office of student experience,” Frazer said. “The problems with recruitment are also an issue directly related to the office of student experience. So these are the two major issues that have caused significant financial problems for this university.
“Rather than looking at their own mistakes and dealing with it, they’re passing that cost down to everyone else, from students, to custodial people, to faculty. We are responsible for our own mistakes, why are we now responsible for your [the administrations] mistakes?”
“The academic spending of the university has been in long-term, steady decline, in relation to the expenditures for the rest of the university,” he continued.
“I get upset when I see all the money going into [the new residences], when they can’t even ensure my computers will work properly, or ensure my students won’t be hurt or possibly seriously injured in my classroom. I can’t teach in that, and nobody’s listening to me.”
Frazer showed The Xaverian a rusted out chair from one of his classrooms, in which a girl had sat down on it, with the chair subsequently snapping and collapsing from underneath her due to the long-term damage.
Nick Head-Petersen, president of the StFX Students’ Union (STFXSU) said that they are watching the situation closely.
“The students’ union will be talking with both parties to provides students with updated information throughout the negotiation process,” he said. “Our hope is that both sides work diligently at the table to come to a resolution and agree on a new collective agreement.”
Frazer noted that although there has been a strike vote, this does not mean there will necessarily be a strike.
“We’re a long ways away from that point, so there’s no immediate worry about a strike,” he said.
“We’re of course aware of students very much, and of course what we’re doing, we see it as protecting the academic learning experience here at X,” added McInnis. “We have a very strong bond with students and we want to protect their experience.”
McInnis and Frazer said following the vote, the association looks to go back to the bargaining table. The STFXAUT will be meeting to discuss their next options. The possibility of requesting a provincial conciliator remains open although no move towards conciliation has been made as of yet.
