Strike or lockout possible at Mount Royal University as contract negotiations stall

After nearly two years of contract negotiations between Mount Royal University and its faculty association, it appears unlikely the two parties will reach an agreement — and a work stoppage is likely in the weeks ahead.

The MRU faculty association has now been in collective bargaining with the university board of governors for 22 months in attempts to find a new agreement.

The formal mediation process, mandated under the province's labour code, began earlier this week and Mount Royal Faculty Association (MRFA) president Lee Easton said at this point negotiations are in a deadlock.

"We have some major outstanding issues and while we certainly would prefer to remain on the job and work with our students and do the teaching, the problem that we have is that we currently have a university that seems unwilling or unable to come to the table and negotiate a fair deal," he said. 

Easton said issues include no wage increases since 2017, increasing workloads and the uncertainty surrounding contract employees.

"Many of whom are employed from semester to semester and we would like to see more job security for them and some of their unpaid work that they've done through the pandemic to be recognized," he said.

The MRFA represents nearly 800 full-time and contract faculty including professors, clinical instructors, counselors and librarians.

No one from the university was made available for an interview, but in a written statement the university said the board of governors is in active negotiations with the faculty association.

"We are hopeful that we will reach a settlement, so we can continue to provide our students with an exceptional learning experience," the statement read.

If the two parties don't come to an agreement, a two week cooling-off period will begin. 

When that ends, both the university and the association will hold votes to decide if they will hold a lockout or strike.

"In that situation, we would certainly be on the picket line, drawing attention to the problems and issues we've identified," Easton said. "Of course, that means that there will be no classes and that will impact students."

Third-year history student Kyle Pollock said he has a hard time seeing the university "in a positive light" in this situation, and he stands with the faculty association.

"I think it is on the university to offer an appropriate contract to the professors, especially at this rate where we've faced a couple of years of tuition hikes and I have no idea where that money's gone," he said.