UPEI faculty, supporters rally outside legislature to mark 5th day of strike
Several dozen striking University of Prince Edward Island faculty members and their supporters rallied outside the provincial legislature Friday.
It came as the fifth day of strike action by the UPEI Faculty Association (UPEIFA) wrapped up. They want pay equity for contract academics, recovery of lost wages and protection against future inflation, among other things on their negotiation wish list.
Michael Arfken, a psychology professor and president of the UPEIFA, says his team is ready to meet but UPEI administrators aren’t interested.
“They’ve just said no,” said Arfken.
In a release, the university says it’s made offers to the faculty by email. Arfken says that’s not good enough.
“We can’t really negotiate by email, and that’s not how negotiations are supposed to take place anyway,” he said.
The university also says it’s offered binding arbitration, but the union says that would only solve salary issues and not broader ones like part-time instructor pay, staffing levels, class sizes, and research support.
“We’re ready to meet. Everyone that we know of has called on the parties to meet. The only people who think that’s a bad idea is, apparently, the UPEI board of governors,” said Arfken.
Arfken says morale of union members has improved in the first week on the picket line.
The university settled a contract with its support staff this week, announcing Friday CUPE members had ratified a new contract, though some members of that union were on the picket line Friday to show support for the still on strike UPEIFA.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.