University of Prince Edward Island and striking faculty agree to mediation

The University of Prince Edward Island and its striking faculty association have agreed to enter mediation after having been in touch with the provincial government on Wednesday.

The faculty union's members have been on the picket lines since March 20.

Adam MacKenzie, the president of the UPEI Student Union, said he applauds both sides for their willingness to compromise.

"The mediation process will help speed up a deal a little bit. So it's a step in the right direction for students for sure," he said."I think it brings us closer to getting back to class and, you know, being able to write our exams and receive our credits. But it's tough to say right now."

In the days leading up to this development, the two sides had seemed far apart. The university had suggested going back to the negotiating table over the April 1-2 weekend, but only if the UPEI Faculty Association would agree to email its latest proposals by noon of the Friday before so that the administration could determine whether movement was possible.

The union declined to meet with the university because of the conditions, but then booked its own rooms for talks on Monday and Tuesday, and publicly challenged the administration to show up.

The union'slast collective agreement had been set to expire on July 1, 2020, but the parties signed a two-year extension that expired last June. The two sides have been in negotiations off and on since April 2022.

MacKenzie said the students most affected by the strike's disruption have been international students and graduating students.

"They want to graduate, they want to move into the workforce," he said.

"International students, similar for many reasons. They want their credits. They're paying pretty much double what a domestic student pays to be here. They don't want to lose more money."

Students to be reimbursed?

The administration said it's working to address students' fears and concerns as the strike approaches the end of its third week.

That includes crediting students with net savings that the university has realized as a result of the striking union members not being paid.

However, the university said it will only be able to reimburse students once the strike is over and both cost and savings can be calculated.

As for whether the winter academic semester will end on time, the administration said, "We are unable to confirm what the path forward is until the strike is over."

The university said it is also working to get the new residence ready for student occupancy starting May 1 for those who may have to extend their stay on P.E.I. beyond the end of April.

'Programs are going to collapse'

Margot Rejskind, executive director and chief negotiator for the faculty association, said the systemic issues the union has raised are concerns that can only be solved through negotiation.

"Our people are out on this line marching along behind me because many of us feel that, if we don't address these problems, UPEI is going to implode within the next 10 years," she said.

Among the outstanding issues she cited is the lack of full-time staff to cover new school faculties that began since the course of their last agreement including UPEI's Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies (IKERAS).

"Programs are going to collapse, and possibly faster if the medical school gets going. There's a lot of pressure coming there," said Rejskind.

There is no date set as to when the province will appoint a mediator.

Both the university and the faculty union have expressed interest in reappointing Michelle Flaherty, who was chosen by then-Economic Growth Minister Bloyce Thompson when the option of mediation came up early this year.