Back to bargaining for Cape Breton University, faculty

Cape Breton University and the faculty association representing about 150 members are working to avoid a potential strike by heading back to the bargaining table next week.

The faculty association hasbeen in a legal strike or lockout position since Monday following the filing of a report by conciliator Peter Lloyd and the expiration of a 14-day cooling-off period.

The association represents a variety of staff including librarians, research chairs and professors, among others.

Layoff clause biggest issue

The association had accepted a proposed three-year agreement in November, but the board of governors voted earlier this month against ratification.

The board also voted to release university president David Wheeler.

Prof. Andrew Reynolds, who speakson behalf ofthe faculty association, said a layoff clause in the current collective agreement is the key issue in the contract dispute.

Reynolds said the Article 39 clause allows the university to lay off faculty members under two conditions: a financial emergency or academic reasons if the university needs or wants to shut down a program.

Keeping students at CBU

The impact of those two layoff conditionswould be very bad for the community, Reynolds said.

"The broader issue is the future direction of CBU because if we do lay off faculty [and]cut programs that raises big concerns about what's going to be available for students from Cape Breton," he said.

"The concern is whether we will revert back to a junior college ... where people have to send their kids off to the mainland if they want to complete a degree. We see this as part of this broader issue."

In anemailedstatement to CBC News, the university said its officials remain optimisticthat a strike or labour interruption canbe averted.

Both sides still talking

It said both sides met on two occasions before the Christmas break at which time the university tabled revised language pertaining to the collective agreement's job security provisions the faculty association's No. 1concern.

The university said it knows the stress a potential labour interruption causes for students.

It said it'sconfident thefaculty association isaware of the stress and wants to reach an agreementthat's "fair to its members, our students and the university."

Reynolds said the faculty association and the university still has work to do but he's pleased the discussion is ongoing.

"I'm personally hopeful that we'll get through this and finally bring this whole thing to a conclusion," Reynolds said.

• Cape Breton University faculty may take job action if contract rejected
• Cape Breton University dismisses president, votes down faculty contract