University of New Brunswick and professors continue talks

Negotiations between the University of New Brunswick and its professors are expected to continue today, as classes resume.

Ninety per cent of the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers' members voted in favour of a strike on Dec. 4.

The union says the main unresolved issue is salaries.

A temporary truce to prevent a strike or lock-outduring the holidays expired on Jan. 2.

A strike could now begin with 24 hoursnotice.

The UNB Student Union is urging students not to pay their tuition until the Jan. 17 deadline, due to the possibility of a strike, the student newspaper, brunswickan, is reporting.

Negotiations have been ongoing since March.

The provincial government has appointed a mediator to work with the two sides.

The association is seeking a percentage salary increase, plus a $4,200catch-up adjustment in each of the first two years of a new contract, according to adocument on the association's website dated last June. The association claims salaries are falling further and further behind the average for similar Canadian universities.

A UNBadministration fact sheet claims about 60 per cent of the faculty now earn more than $100,000 a year.

The salary ceiling for a professor at UNB currently stands at $150,510under the current contract.

The AUNBTrepresentsmore than 1,000 members at the Saint John and Fredericton UNB campuses.