Classes at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ont., are suspended after faculty, librarians and counsellors went on strike Monday as they call for better working conditions.
The Laurentian University Faculty Association says mediated talks reached an impasse on Sunday and its members walked off the job Monday morning.
The school says that during the strike, all classes, labs, seminars and other activities led by faculty members and instructors will stop temporarily.
The job action comes after the northern Ontario university faced numerous financial challenges in recent years including filing for creditor protection in early 2021, resulting in major financial restructuring until late 2022.
A statement from Laurentian University says the school has tabled an offer that is “fair, reasonable and sustainable,” and remains open to negotiations.
Faculty association president Fabrice Colin says workers have made “enormous sacrifices” to keep the school alive, and members were left with no other choice but to strike for better conditions.
Colin says now that the school is financially stable, its board needs to “step up and do its part.”
“Throughout the insolvency process, we did our part to save this institution. Our members endured job losses, the dismantling of our pension plan, wage rollbacks, and dramatically increased workloads,” Colin said in a press release.
“We are asking for fair working conditions now – not luxuries. This is essential to student success.”
The university said in statement that it recognizes the community has been through a “tremendously difficult few years” and it’s committed to negotiating in good faith. It added that its proposed salary increases are “beyond what is normative in the sector.”
“Our primary responsibility is to make sure that Laurentian University is strong for the future,” the school said.
