Image Credit: Thompson Rivers University
January 13, 2016 - 2:20 PM
KAMLOOPS - Faculty at Thompson Rivers University still plan to initiate job action on Thursday, but say their position will not affect students or classes.
The TRU Faculty Association announced on Monday, Jan. 11 it would strike by Thursday if no negotiations were in place with the university, which it has been at the bargaining table with since February 2015.
“Our job action will not impact students; students should be prepared to attend their classes and continue with their educational activities on campus both Thursday and Friday,” association spokesperson Tom Friedman says in a release to media, Jan. 13. “Our members are committed to minimizing the impact on their students, but they want to push TRU administration to address their key issues, and negotiate toward a mutually beneficial settlement.”
While the association has agreed to private mediation with university administrators, there is a ‘significant’ gap in offers according to Friedman. A release from the university states proposals from the association 'would have an estimated cost increase of 49 per cent without including benefit improvements'.
The collective agreement for university faculty members expired March 2014. The association is made up of 650 faculty members, researchers, librarians and counsellors in Kamloops and Williams Lake.
Proposals from both sides are available on the TRU website.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Glynn Brothen at gbrothen@infonews.ca or call 250-319-7494. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016