Starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, the University of Lethbridge Faculty Association (ULFA) began its strike vote, which asks members if they are in favour of taking strike action.
Bargaining has been ongoing for more than 600 days, with the 14-day cooling off period following failed mediation ending on Jan. 31.
Faculty are seeking a better job security, fair salary and working conditions, and more.
Dan O’Donnell, president of the ULFA, said post-secondary institutions rarely actually strike.
“Really, the hope in this situation is that if we can show our members are willing to strike if necessary, then we can actually avoid having to go that far because both sides will be motivated to (sit down) at the table and really try and come up with a settlement,” he explained.
In a statement to Global News on Wednesday afternoon, the University of Lethbridge said it is committed to ensuring students retain the ability to access high-quality education.
“Yesterday, our bargaining team presented new options to address some of the concerns of our faculty colleagues. We hope negotiations will progress,” the statement read.
The university said students will be kept updated on the potential impacts of a strike through direct communication, online means, and the collective bargaining FAQs.
O’Donnell said while a strike would have ripple effects on students, a loss of semester has never happened in the country.
“The longest strike that ever happened in Canada was at York University, and even then they did not lose the semester.”
O’Donnell said while Tuesday’s discussions were helpful, there is much left to do. The strike vote will end at 9 p.m. Thursday, with O’Donnell confident the majority of members will vote in favour.
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