Press Release: For Immediate Release February 8th, 2024
Following one year after applying for conciliation and after nearly ten months of negotiations with Memorial University the Lecturers’ Union of Memorial University (LUMUN) bargaining team today informed Memorial University’s bargaining team that it was impossible for the conciliation process to proceed at the current time.
“It’s pretty obvious as to why conciliation has become impossible,” says Alison Coffin on behalf of LUMUN “The simple reality is that to the detriment of our members, the university has repeatedly stalled progress towards a fair deal. We sent a financial proposal to them last November and despite having had months to respond Memorial University has repeatedly refused to submit financial proposals to the Union.”
The last collective agreement between the University and LUMUN expired on the 31st August 2020. LUMUN calls these refusals to even provide a financial proposal after so many other delays on the university’s part unacceptable and deeply unfair.
“Had Memorial’s team provided LUMUN with a financial proposal, which they have had months to provide, talks would be ongoing, and, should they provide such a proposal, talks will resume,” Coffin adds.
Until such a time as a financial proposal is provided the union says that they can no longer participate in a conciliation process that is being used as an obvious delay tactic on the part of the university. LUMUN adds that they hope, sincerely, that Memorial University will agree to finally provide a financial proposal and be reasonable.
In response to a recent Auditor General’s Report on Memorial University, LUMUN contrasted the “Employee Service Award Dinner for employees and their guests … at a cost of $6,936, including alcohol” with a Per Course Instructor’s salary, which is $5,000 – $5,875 for teaching an entire course.
They say Memorial University clearly has both the capacity to offer a fair deal to LUMUN Members and the capacity to do so in a timely manner.
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For more information and interviews please contact: Info@lumun.ca
Lecturers' Union of Memorial University 