Contract talks between Queen’s University and the union representing 1,200 faculty, librarians and archivists are not going well.
The union says it’s disappointed by the university’s failure to meaningfully engage in discussions which began in June on the issues of enhancing job security and improving equity for its members.
For its part, the university released a statement saying it was disappointed to learn the union decided to end its participation in the mediation over the weekend.
“The university has been negotiating with QUFA on numerous non-monetary demands that they have tabled. Those efforts have been progressing,” Queen’s University told Global News via email.
“QUFA’s decision to end their participation in mediation delays the completion of collective bargaining aimed at renewing the collective agreement for faculty, librarians, and archivists.”
The association will now hold a strike vote this week as it prepares to enter the next stage of talks in January.
“Negotiations have been, I would say, very disrespectful. We came in looking for fairness, for equity improvements, for job security, for our most precarious workers, for our adjunct colleagues and the university has been intransigent on those issues,” said Jordan Morelli, president of Queen’s University Faculty Association.