After more than 10 months of negotiations, we are disappointed that the UPEI Board of Governors has shown little interest in addressing a range of concerns that are central to maintaining the educational quality of our institution. This includes:
- More full-time faculty to reduce course sizes and create more course options
- Support for contract academic faculty who teach for low pay and no benefits, in challenging working conditions
- Securing adequate research support to help us help students reach their full potential
- Getting workloads under control so we have the time to focus on our students’ success
- Improving Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigenization (EDII) for every person on our campus
- Reasonable compensation that recognizes our unique inflationary context
Recently, UPEI Faculty Association (UPEIFA) members provided their negotiations team with a strong strike mandate in the hope that this would impress upon the Board the importance of working with us to reach a fair and reasonable agreement that is acceptable to all the parties.
Unfortunately, when we returned to the bargaining table it became clear that the Board had still not provided its negotiations team with a mandate to address UPEIFA Members’ significant concerns. Despite public statements that the Board is committed to pursuing every avenue to avoid a labour disruption, since our last scheduled meeting they have not demonstrated any willingness to meet with the UPEIFA to work towards a fair and reasonable agreement.
To provide the campus community with reasonable notice and to give the Board sufficient opportunity to consider our proposals, we are hereby setting a strike deadline of Sunday, March 19, 2023.
In the event that the UPEI Board of Governors and UPEI Faculty Association are unable to reach an agreement acceptable to all the parties by the end of March 19, pursuant to the PEI Labour Act the UPEIFA will initiate a legal strike on March 20, 2023 and remain on strike until such time as an agreement has been reached.
In order to avoid a labour disruption, we encourage the UPEI Board of Governors to meet with us to negotiate a fair and reasonable collective agreement that will improve our working conditions and our students’ learning conditions.
Solidarity!
UPEI Faculty Association
