Hundreds attend St. John's rally in support of striking MUN faculty

At least 400 people, braving wind and blowing snow, attended a boisterous on-campus rally in St. John's to support the striking Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association.

Cecile Badenhorst, a professor in the faculty of education, said she strongly believes in what the faculty association's bargaining team is doing.

"I can tell you why I'm striking: because I care about this university. It is our university. We want to have quality education," she said.

Striking faculty led the crowd in chants and songs, including the Ode to Newfoundland — which the university controversially cut from its graduation ceremonies last year.

Robyn Lacy, a PhD student in the archaeology department, said she could hear the crowd from blocks away.

"Every university in Canada has collegial governance, and MUN should be one of them," she said.

David Gill, an education professor who now serves as a strike team captain, described the crowd as "electric."

"Regardless of the weather, it's pretty high energy," he said.

In addition to the faculty association, representatives from the Memorial University Students' Union, the per-course instructors' union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees and others showed support at the rally. Faculty union representatives from other Canadian universities flew in for the rally.

Kathryn Rose, a librarian at Queen Elizabeth II Library, said the support was phenomenal.

"Seeing the support from the students, from the grad students, from all the other unions around town, is just amazing and it's really motivating," she said.

A rally at MUN's Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook was scheduled for later Friday afternoon.

Strike enters Day 5

On Monday, faculty association members began picketing at several locations on MUN campuses in St. John's and Corner Brook after negotiations broke down the day before.

Sticking points for the union include faculty representation on the board of regents and greater job security for contract employees

Louise White, also a librarian, said she came to the event to show support for those employees.

"I have tenure, so this is not about me. This is about people who need to work towards a permanent job and a living wage and be certain of it," she said. 

Dozens of classes taught by faculty association members have been cancelled indefinitely, while classes taught by non-MUNFA instructors are going ahead. University administration is requiring non-MUNFA employees to cross picket lines and report to work as usual, while students are expected to attend classes that are going ahead.

On Thursday, the university announced clinical placements for 69 nursing students would resume with supervision by administrative leadership — a decision that was panned by the faculty association.

MUN's students' union has pleaded with the university to grant academic amnesty to students who don't want to cross picket lines, but the administration has said that decision will have to wait for a meeting of the university senate.

Since Monday, MUN administration has refused interview requests. MUN president Vianne Timmons has not spoken publicly since the beginning of the strike.

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