Contract talks between MUN and faculty association stall ahead of holiday break

After months of negotiations and a impasse reached earlier this month, both Memorial University and the faculty association representing professors say they're willing to get back to the bargaining table but MUN says they'll need the government's help.

Talks for a new deal have been ongoing since June.The Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Associationrepresents about 800members on campus.

Discussions broke down earlier this month, with no futuretalks scheduled ahead of the holidays. A strike vote could happen as early as Dec. 29, but association president Ash Hossainsays a vote likely wouldn't happen until the second week of Januaryif a deal isn't reached.

Neil Bose, MUN's interim provost and vice-president of research,says talks over salaries have stalled negotiations. The association has asked for an eight per cent front-end salary increase for 2022 to combat inflation, but Bose says the school is limited in where it can manoeuvre.

"[It] is way beyond the government template that the university is working within. And so it's a question of finding the middle ground where we can come to agreement," Bose saidMonday.

"Essentially MUN gets the funding for salary raises from the government, but only if we stay within the template. As the university is constrained, as everyone knows from the point of view of the removal or the winding-down of the tuition offset grant, we're in a very tight financial situation."

Bose said the university has asked the provincial government for more money to increase salariesbutthe government is adamant MUN must stay within its template. CBC News has asked the provincial government for comment.

Members have appetite for strike: union

Hossain said he was surprised to learn of the government's involvement on Monday morning, as it was the first he had heard of it.

He said both parties believed they had come to a deal on Nov. 30but were surprised when university administration told them they couldn't accept the deal the next day. Hossain says he thinks the government not being willing to budge could have factored into that deal not being made.

"That is government interference in level negotiations, which courts have found not lawful," Hossain said Monday.

"We had no clue until this morning when I heard the interview that government is actually stopping them. It sounded to me that the government is stopping MUN from getting a deal with us, in a way."

While Bose said salaries are the biggest sticking point, Hossain said two other points are holding up talks. They both involve the creation of a tiered system putting tenured faculty members above contractual faculty members along with creating a tiered system for health benefits between existing professors and future professors.

Hossain said there is an appetite for strike action among his members becausefaculty haven't received a raise in six years. Both he and Bose hope that doesn't have to happen.

"We absolutely hope from the administration side that we don't get to actual job action. We're hoping that following a strong strike vote or otherwise, however that goes with the union, that we get back to the bargaining table and we find the appropriate agreement," Bose said.

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