The president of the Nipissing University Faculty Association (NUFA) says the management negotiating team has effectively brought negotiations with the Association to a standstill until mid-September.
“We are disappointed and concerned by this move by our Employer,” says Dr. Nathan Kozuskanich,
He says that Nipissing tabled a punishing package which, "in calling for increased reliance on insecure contract faculty and in reducing the commitment to research time, will significantly affect students’ classroom experience as well as their opportunities. This will potentially have the long-term consequence of making them less competitive at graduation."
Kozuskanich claims that those demands take the university backward, not forward.
“They will only have negative effects for student experience and quality of education at Nipissing.
"Nipissing has a fantastic employment rate post-graduation. This is thanks in no small measure to the faculty. So why does our Employer want to punish one of its major assets, which will ultimately hurt students?”
The Full-time Academic Staff Bargaining Unit (FASBU) of NUFA wants gains in pensions by moving from the current single Employer defined contribution plan to a jointly sponsored plan.
“For virtually no additional cost to the university, our members could have the capacity to retire with some measure of financial security. Currently, senior faculty are compelled by the inadequacy of their retirement benefits to work past age 65,” says Kozuskanich.
The bargaining unit representing contract faculty at Nipissing (CASBU) has also been without a contract since the end of April.
"The employer has refused to negotiate with them. We are concerned that this refusal to meet with contract faculty is part of a larger trend towards insecure jobs for faculty," says Kozuskanich.
Nipissing University has filed with the Ministry of Labour to send in a conciliator. During conciliation, either side may call for a “no-board report” which allows for legal labour action by either side after a 17-day waiting period.
NUFA last went on strike on November 2, 2015.
See related: Break in Nipissing Profs strike?
And: It's over. Profs and Board ratify new labour agreement
