'Hope for a settlement': Faculty optimistic as conciliation continues in U of M strike

The University of Manitoba's facultyare buoyed by support on the picket line, which has kept morale high going intoDay 3 of their strike, their association president says.

"We have a lot of support, a lot of friendly honks, a lot of friendly waves, food being dropped off," said Mark Hudson, president of the University of Manitoba Faculty Association.

The faculty has been joined at times on the picket line bystudents and retired facultyshowing solidarity with UMFA, he said.

• Profs stand firm as conciliation talks begin with U of M

Faculty started picketing Tuesday morning, handing out information sheets to drivers along Chancellor Matheson Road, University Crescent, and King's Drive. Another picket is also set up at the Bannatyne campus near the Brodie Centre.

While there have been a few cases of frustration on the part of drivers slowed by the congestion, those are the exception, Hudson said.

"We hope to stress the fact that we're out there exercising a constitutional right. It's about important issues not just to us, not just to studentsbut to every Manitoban," he said.

There has also been some dissension among UMFA's own ranks, however, with at least one professor crossing the picket line.

• U of M faculty strike holds students hostage, says picket-crossing prof

Talks with a provincially appointed conciliator, which started Wednesday, will continue Thursday.

The university's administration and UMFA have agreed to a blackout on discussing specifics of the negotiations in public, but Hudson said as long as they keepcommunicating, he's hopeful students will soon be back in class.

"The parties are still talking and that's always a good sign. As long as there's something to talk about, as long as there are things going back and forth across the table, then I'm optimistic," he said.

"I think that shows that there's some hope for a settlement."

More than 1,200 faculty members at the U of M's Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses went on strike at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, impacting 30,000 students.

The pickets went up again Wednesday morning and Hudson said until a new dealis reached, they will go up every weekday from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Many classesare taught by non-bargaining members teaching assistants and sessional instructors and those continue as usual.

• Info on courses, classroom scheduling and service changescan be found on the university'swebsite.

Hudson said he hopes students know their rights when it comes to the strike that even though some of their classes may still be on, they do not have to cross the picket line.

"There's still a lot of misinformation out there about whatstudents' rights are in one of these laboursituations," he said.

"Some of them are under the impression that they must go to the classes that are being taught be sessional instructors. That's not actually the case.They don't have to. It's a constitutionally-protected right to not cross a picket line."

However, the university'swebsitestates students are "still responsible for materials covered in any class or lab" that is currently in session.

Students are asked to notify instructors in advance if they choose not to cross the picket line.