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Ok! Didn’t think I’d ever back into this pool but seeing a lot of #TAEKS on the TL regarding a possible @UMFA_FAUM strike. I wanted to put my thoughts out there as someone who’s worked closely with both sides for two years with my chief concern being student wellbeing: THREAD 
#1) a strike vote doesn’t mean they are striking even if it passes. The employer - as the body who’s responsible for payment and job security - has innate leverage so without a strike vote it’s often impossible for a union to be able to get the employer to bargain in good faith
#2) strike votes, threats of strikes etc. are above all else tactics meant to get an employer to the table. sbery @UMFA_FAUM exec I’ve met with loved their job, and they love their students, and don’t ever want to not work. But they also have financial and academic needs.
#3) UMFA + UofM are FULLY aware of the optics of a labour stoppage mid pandemic. They know an UMFA labour action can only succeed with student support. UofM can take advantage of the limited support out there. Anti-UMFA student posts are actively hurting the chance of a fair deal
#4) over the past several years UMFA has had wage freezes of 0% and eventually 0.75% due to provincial wage freezes. The province’s meddling in this active negotiation in the last contract when writing this freeze into law was deemed illegal.
#5) This is one of the first major labour disputes since the terms of that wage freeze have elapsed. This negotiation is going to set a precedent for wages earned by public employees all across MB
#6) The university is also in an extremely difficult financial position due to the province capping their tuition rate + cutting their operating grant by 1% (gross) - 3% (real) for multiple years running. This was compounded by an even larger one time cut this summer
#7) UMFA has already called for neutral third party arbitration that would be assured to bring these parties closer towards a contract but the university has declined to this point.
If there’s anything I Hope people take from this it’s this:
The province’s funding cuts have made it impossible for the Uni to be adequately funded + profs properly paid + tuition kept stable. You can be mad at all of these things and all of these parties. Or... write your MLA!
The province’s funding cuts have made it impossible for the Uni to be adequately funded + profs properly paid + tuition kept stable. You can be mad at all of these things and all of these parties. Or... write your MLA!
