Faculty at Cape Breton University vote to strike

Faculty members at Cape Breton University havevoted overwhelminglyin favour of a strikeif a contract cannot be negotiated with the university.

The main sticking point appears to be wages. Calvin Howley, president of the Cape Breton University Faculty Association,said Friday the university's offer ofa 1.5 per cent annual wage increase is insufficient.

He said three years ago the faculty accepted a 1.25 per cent annual wage increase but things are much different at the university now.

"If you go back three years ago, we were facing layoffs, declining enrolment, deficits, and yet the union was able to negotiate a 1.25 percent annual wage increase," said Howley.

He saidsince the last contract negotiation, the university has seenenrolment increase by 67 per cent and millions of dollars in surplus.

Members of the association voted this week, with 136 in favour of the strike motion and 14 against. The association representsprofessors, librarians, archivists, lab instructors, nursing practice educators, writing centre advisorsand research chairs.

Enrolment increase

Howley said the associationcalled the strike vote to help further the contract negotiations.He said stalled negotiations have become common not just at CBU but at other Nova Scotia universities.

"Bargaining doesn't really conclude until after you get a strike vote, after conciliation fails and even after setting a strike date," said Howley.

Both parties filed for joint conciliation, which will take place on Nov. 13 and 14.

Howley said the faculty association hoped they would have a new contract negotiated in time for the fall term.

"My thing is that this contract could have been negotiated in the summer," said Howley.

No one from CBU was available to comment Friday.

But in an updateon the contract negotiations posted on its website Oct. 11, CBU said it respects the rights of the faculty association to call a strike vote.

The university also said a vote doesn't mean a strike will happen and its main goal is to minimize any impact on the students and CBU community.