International students especially eager for an end to University of Manitoba faculty strike

Some international students at the University of Manitoba say they'refeelinghelpless, now that a strike by faculty has put their classes on anindefinite pause.

Students who come from abroadhave a lot at stake in their post-secondaryeducation, said Tino Hove, a businessstudent originally from Zimbabwe.

They often travel long distances to studyhere, leaving family and friends behind. They pay roughly three times as much in tuitionas their domestic counterparts, he said.

"As international students, we already don't have a lot of ways to defend ourselves against anything, right? Wejust kind of have to sit there and kind of twiddle your fingers," said Hove, who is in his final year of studies.

"What happens if classes are delayed and then next semester my parentscan't afford $4,000, $6,000 in four months to pay for the rest of my school. What happens to me there?"

Hove doesn't have to cope with the same challenges as other international students. He only has one classbefore graduation, and his studies will go ahead because the instructor is not involved with the strike. Not all faculty are members of theUniversity of Manitoba Faculty Association.

Many other students have had their class schedule wiped clean.

The University of Manitoba Faculty Association started picketing on Tuesday. The union has been fighting for higher wages, arguing the current pay schedule iscausing persistent retention and recruitment issues.

Low end of the salary scale

The university ranks second to last out of Canada's 15 research-based institutions in terms of salary.

The average salary for a University of Saskatchewanteaching staff, another researchuniversity, was$158,550 in 2019-20, excludingthe medical and dental faculties.At the U of M, it was$131,075 that year.

Hove doesn't think faculty are the villains in this negotiation deadlock. "They are also trying to look after their own interests," he said.

But it doesn't help with the financial challenges that persist for international students.Hove does part-time work and started an online retail platform and delivery serviceto make ends meet.

"I personally come from a country that economically is not in the strongest position," he said.

"The longer anything takes for me to get to a stage where I can work full-time and financially support myself,the harder my life becomes."

Yashas Samtani, a second-year economics student, said the strikedisproportionately affects international students. He blames university administration for that.

"The admin right now is failing them by not maintaining this high-quality learning experience that they've paid so much, travelled so far to come experience," he said.

Originally from India, Samtaniwas picketing outside the Manitoba legislature on the first day of the strike. He said salaries need to be more enticing to keep and recruit faculty.

He recalled a recent story he heard from a student, who saida coursetaught by a veteran professor last year is now being ledby a third-year graduate student. The longtimeprofessor had left the university.

"That's exactly what I mean by hemorrhaging talent," Samtani said.

The U of Margues itput forward a strong offer. Under a two-year framework, the institution is pledging general salary increases of 1.25 per cent and 1.5 per cent.

The offer also includes changes in the salary structure, amounting to an average increase of 9.5 per cent over two years around 5.9 per cent of that is new money.

Worries over winter

Abdul Ahad, an international studentmajoring in economics, wants a quick resolution to the strike.

If the labour strife drags on for too long, students who travelled to Manitoba from afarmay have to alter their hotly anticipated travel plans.

The holiday break represents "one of thebiggest opportunities for them to go and visit home," said Ahad, who also serves as president of the Muslim Students' Association.

MasoodShabanijouhas seen the struggles with retaining faculty first-hand as a master's degree student in computer science.

Three professors left in the last year, he said. They can get higher-paying jobs at other universities or private companies.

Now living in Toronto, Shabanijou is eager to enter the workforce, but worries the strike could delay his entry.

"Now I'm very stressed because if my graduation is delayed or pushed back further, probably I will lose this job opportunity in a great company," he said. "This is just really bad for me."

The stalled negotiations are not desired by anybody involved in thecontractdispute, but for Hove, who grew up in Zimbabwe, he sees it as a reminder for people, on either side, that they're privileged to be part of a post-secondary communityin Canada.

"You're in a position where you have so many good things going for you," he said. "I don't think Canadians realize that coming here is a goal and an accomplishment for certain people."

International students eager for end to U of M faculty strike

3 years ago

Duration 1:41

Some international students at the University of Manitoba say they're feeling helpless, now that a strike by faculty has put their classes on an indefinite pause.