UNBC faculty and some staff officially walked off the job Thursday morning.
Classes are cancelled, though the university is open for some student services.
Aaron Eckman is the Secretary Treasurer of the BC Federation of Labour. He joined the front line of the picket outside of the university.
He says the faculty wants a contract equal to universities across Canada, but he says they haven’t been seeing that.
“When that happens, negotiations start to break down, so they are taking action to draw attention to that issue, and also to show the employer that they are together,” he says.
This is the first strike for UNBC faculty.
Many signs sum up the issue bluntly – “First in the West, Worst in Wages”.
“The faculty that works here are certainly paid less than other institutions and that’s a shame” Eckman says.
In his experience, he feels its possible for both sides to come to an agreement.
“You do need two to dance,” he says. “They are still having talks, talks haven’t broke down entirely, so that’s positive. You can sit at the table, but if you’re not participating in the negotiations in a productive way, then even though you’re there, they’re still breaking down. That’s basically what’s happened here.”
Both sides are to meet Thursday and Friday to continue negotiations.
Eckman feels the employer has not been bargaining in good faith and isn’t entertaining the faculty’s proposals.
The university is offering faculty a 5.5% wage increase over five years.
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