As of
midnight Jan. 13, the Association of University of New Brunswick
Teachers (AUNBT) has announced it is exercising its legal right to
strike. Picket lines have been set up this morning at the Tucker Park
campus, and the teachers have been informed they've been locked out.
With
the exception of some online courses and courses in Miramichi, all
classes will be suspended for the duration of the strike. In a
statement, UNB restated its committed to achieving a new collective
agreement that serves the interests of students and and that improves
the current contract with faculty.
Key issues are wages and working conditions at other universities of a similar size.
UNB's
VP of Finance Dan Murray said the wage increase the teachers are asking
for amounts to an increase of more than $2700 and he said they don't
think it's a viable thing for the university to do in this economy.
Murray
also points to decreasing enrollment and caps on tuition increases as
reasons that money is tight at the university these days.
Meanwhile
Dr.
Miriam Jones, AUNBT president says she wondered if they ever intended to
settle, since they kept the negotiation team talking until
practically the
last minute and then offered no movement.
For details on which classes are cancelled, click here