Corner Brook MUN faculty say they feel ignored by the university
Students grapple with crossing picket line for classes
As a strike by Memorial University's faculty association enters its second day, members on Newfoundland's west coast say they're ignored by university administration and the picket line is a chance to make their voices heard.
Talks between the university and faculty association broke down Sunday, and faculty members walked out Monday morning.
"We're actually quite excited. Nobody wants to be on strike but I think we have a fair number of justifiable grievances and there's a lot of energy from the membership," said John Bodner, an associate professor of folklore at MUN's Grenfell campus, on Monday in Corner Brook.
"We've had really good buy-in from our members. People feel like we've got issues that need to be dealt with."
Bodner, who has been an associate professor in folklore for the past 15 years, said former colleagues, who have since retired, joined him on the picket line on Monday. There are around 95 faculty association members at Grenfell, he said.
The Grenfell contingent often feel like they're ignored by upper administration in St. John's, according to Bodner.
"We probably had 40 or 50 people out [on the picket line]," Bodner said, noting heavy snow complicated things.
"Obviously, the start of the school day being interrupted [by weather] threw a little bit of chaos into our parent members but even they managed to come out today."
The faculty association is still arguing for two major issues: improvements for contract faculty without tenure and having more involvement of faculty members in making decisions on the future of the university.
MUN's last offer on Sunday included a 12 per cent salary increase over four years. It also included 20 additional weeks of supplemental parental leave and a 24 per cent increase in pay for teaching additional courses. The university also included extra pay and a signing bonus for instructors on term appointments.
The faculty association called the money "a distraction."
Rachel Jekanowski, a member of the faculty association's job action committee for Grenfell campus, said the "excitement" started around 6 a.m. Monday.
"The mood's been pretty good. There's a lot of excitement, there's a lot of complicated feeling emerging, of course," said Jekanowski, an assistant professor.
"People have been following contract negotiations for the last few weeks very closely, and we were all hoping we could avoid this. We're really interested in trying to minimize disruptions for students and we understand this is a really stressful time."
Students conflicted as some classes continue
Mackenzie Dean, a visual arts student in Corner Brook, said she supports her professors, who are on picket lines in two locations on the Grenfell campus.
"Good for them, really. MUN should be paying them more. They are what keeps the school up and going. They should get what they deserve," she said.
"I really appreciate our professors for trying to get what's right for them and also trying their best to work with us as students."
Two of Dean's classes have been cancelled by the strike, while two others are continuing as they're being taught by professors not represented by the faculty association.
She said she feels bad about crossing the picket line and dropped off cookies to striking faculty standing in snowbanks Monday morning.
"It doesn't feel right but I have to go to class. I can't be behind, especially when class is mandatory," said Dean.
With files from Troy Turner