UMFA members on strike are receiving support from across the country.
As the faculty strike at the University of Manitoba reaches its third day and conciliation continues, faculty associations from the west to the east coast have been showing their support for the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA).
Other faculty associations know what UMFA is going through, some are currently in the middle of negotiating a new contract as well and others have recently endured a strike of their own. Last year, Nipissing University had a month-long faculty strike.
“Dear Mark, the UBC Faculty Association Executive Committee fully supports your job action and has voted to send you a cheque for $1000 on behalf of our members,” said Mark Mac Lean, president of the UBC Faculty Association.
“I will be bringing the cheque to Winnipeg myself as I am attending the Western Regionals. If you are on the picket lines still, we will be out to show our support to your members directly,” he said.
The annual CAUT Western Regional Conference is taking place in Winnipeg from Nov. 3 – 5. If a deal hasn’t been reached by tomorrow, academic staff from throughout Western Canada will join UMFA on the picket lines.
In addition to letters of support, UMFA has been receiving numerous donations from faculty associations with the total currently being at over $25,000. The largest donor so far is the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association, donating $5,000 to UMFA’s strike fund.
UMFA has an updated page with the letters of support they’ve received, click here to view it.
It’s unclear how long the strike at the University of Manitoba will last, but UMFA president Mark Hudson is confident a deal can be reached.
“We haven’t reached a settlement yet, obviously, but I think if some progress hadn’t been made, they might not be going back into the room today,” he said.
UMFA strike series on CNC:
University of Manitoba faculty hit the picket lines
Day two of faculty strike, conciliation begins
Students frustrated with faculty strike, petition being circulated
Day three of faculty strike, conciliation continues
